3 Legislation, policy and values: the social work remit

3.1 Legislation and policy

Legislation (with duties and powers enacted by local authorities) forms the basis for the funding and provision of social work services. Specific laws provide a framework for suggesting how social workers can or should intervene in people’s lives. Changes in government or in government policy can lead to changes in legislation that affect the social work role, which is often subject to political scrutiny. Social work developed out of a consensus about welfare provision after the Second World War, leading to the founding of the welfare state. The extent to which such support should be publicly funded is regularly debated by politicians and in the media.