Hannah Jobling

Control forms the basis for much social work practice, yet the realities of how much control is exercised in everyday practice often remains hidden. Combining original research with critical analysis, this book reveals how ethical frameworks, agency and interaction influence decisions – and how control can produce paradoxical, unexpected outcomes.

The idea of control forms the basis of a great deal of social work practice. But how much do we actually understand about the nature of control in social work? Power and Control in Social Work draws on interviews with practitioners and service users, as well as observations and case file analysis, to provide a distinctive and in-depth account of control in the field of community mental health. Jobling illuminates the roles played by ethical frameworks, agency, and interaction in shaping the use of control and its consequences.