ABSTRACT
This chapter shows how social work is in a profession in the middle. A social policy and social values perspective helps to shed some light on this ambivalence about social work. The idea behind the evidence-based approach is that if we have better knowledge about what works in social work policy and practice, through scientific-style research. The roles and tasks that social work has in society mean that it will always be caught in this conundrum. To emphasise the political is not to say that we have to get involved in party politics or radical campaigning. It is for society more widely, in that it deals with some of its most troubling problems, and is part of a range of services and professions that try to prevent those problems arising in the first place. Finally, social work is for' social workers, but not just because it provides careers and salaries.
