Many social workers face daily pressure to make sound decisions in very difficult circumstances, occasionally having to manage impossible expectations. Politicians and the media may spotlight care decisions where a tragedy or complaint occurs. In this complex arena of conflicting demands and considerations -- from the public, the client, the family, the organisation -- the professional needs a robust and yet flexible framework to inform practice decisions. This book is written to help social work practitioners and students make professional decisions with clients; from exercising statutory powers and duties to protect children from abuse, to making decisions about risk.

Table of Contents

Introduction Roles, concepts and frameworks for decision making Crises, emotions and supporting client decision making Consent, human rights and reasonable decisions in law Collaborative and contested decisions Professional judgement, bias and using knowledge Safeguarding judgements and predicting harm Taking risks: values, gains and hazards Assessment tools and decision support systems Dynamic decision making and care decision pathways Managing decisions: support, blame and learning Conclusion Appendices Glossary References

Author Biography

Brian Taylor is Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Ulster where he had the lead role for Post-Qualifying education and training. His research and teaching interests are in decision making, assessment, risk and evidence based practice and he has had a lead role in developing the Northern Ireland Single Assessment Tool for the health and social care of older people. Brian previously spent 12 years as a practitioner and manager in social work, residential care, primary school teaching and youth work. He has taught for 10 years on the topic of risk and decision making on courses that are part of the Northern Ireland Post-Qualifying Education and Training Framework for Social Workers.