ABSTRACT
S OCIAL WORKERS SOMETIMES USE THE OPENING QUOTE , or a version of it, when they are asked to discuss their goals and to show evidence of their success. The sentiments expressed in the quote, though noble and heartwarming, are not the way the real world operates. More than ever before, we live in an age of evidence-based practice and accountability. Not only is social work’s reputation as a profession dependent on providing scientifi c evidence that programs are successful and cost-effective, but as social workers, our ability to live by our ethics and to secure funding for the programs we believe in is also at stake.
