Professional Accountability in Social Care and Health: Challenging unacceptable practice and its management (Creating Integrated Services Series)

Many social workers, health care staff and teachers maintain high standards of professionalism, often in stressful and challenging circumstances. However, research also reveals instances where individual practitioners and managers, or whole organisations, fail to act lawfully, ethically and/or carefully. This book addresses just those instances by providing guidance on how to maintain accountable professionalism in tricky "what if?" situations. Dilemmas are explored using case studies and the mosaic of legal rules and regulatory body requirements for accountable professionalism are also laid out.

The book will appeal to students and newly qualified practitioners in teaching, health and social work and their managers.

Roger Kline works for Aspect (Association of Professionals in Education and Children’s Trusts). He has a distinguished trade union career, often representing practitioners in health and social care organisations. He is a member of working groups attached to the Social Work Reform Board.

Michael Preston-Shoot is Professor of Social Work and Dean, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of Bedfordshire. He has researched and written widely on social work education and social work practice, with particular emphasis on the interface between law and professional practice.