Power and Control in Social Work: An Ethnographic Account of Mental Health Practice

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.