4 Why do social workers need to know the law?

Understanding the law is crucial to the role of the social worker. There will be many situations where a social worker’s knowledge will be vital in making and explaining decisions and processes chosen with regards to service provision. Being able to interpret and explain what a social work department has a duty to provide and what it has the power to provide are key skills for a social worker.

Social workers need to know whether they have a duty (that is, they have to do something) or whether they have a power (that is, they have discretion). In a world where resources are finite, the emphasis may be on doing only what has to be done, and even this will vary according to the philosophy and approach of different social work departments. In the next section you will consider a framework to assist with such decisions.