It's not an easy career choice - but it can be a fantastically rewarding job. Get the expert take on social work:
Shifting the costs
Patients were sometimes the losers as the NHS tried to save cash moving them from hospitals to homes.
Wastes of space?
A former hospital head explains why it's not so simple dealing with so-called bed blockers.
Is social work for you?
Pit your judgement against social workers by trying to do the right thing faced with hard choices.
One mother's experience
Sometimes you need a little extra help; sometimes the intervention is less than welcome. What does it feel like to be a "case"? Follow one mother's experience as a service user.
Caring for a living
The provision of assistance to those in need is a key feature of human society, but what about when it becomes a profession? What is social work, exactly?
The historical viewpoint
While the failures may be memorable, the history of child protection is generally a positive tale of increasing awareness and support.