Abstract
It seems a virtually incontestable assumption that when social workers (like other professionals) make judgements and decide, that they do so by constructing their judgements on a comprehensive knowledge of what works, for who, and in what circumstances. However, recent research by McCafferty (2020) casts doubt on whether social workers are in fact making knowledge-informed decisions, suggesting that numerable challenges exist in the use of knowledge to decide. These challenges will be explored in this chapter, outlining the theoretical and practical difficulties involved in acquiring and utilising knowledge to make decisions. A practical way forward is suggested that may help overcome these challenges, allowing social workers to carry out their duties in an informed manner.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Sage handbook of decision making, assessment and risk in social work |
| Editors | Brian J. Taylor , John D. Fluke , J. Christopher Graham, Emily Keddell, Campbell Killick, Aron Shlonsky, Andrew Whittaker |
| Publisher | Sage Publications Ltd |
| Chapter | 8 |
| Pages | 84-93 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781529614633 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781529790191 |
| Publication status | Published - 18 Aug 2023 |
Keywords
- Knowledge acquisition
- knowledge use
- Child welfare
- risk assessment
- Decision making
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Social Sciences
