ABSTRACT
The main research questions for this book require the exploration of the limits to policy implementation, and, within the illustrative example, examination of the extent to which key implementers such as care managers might undermine the intentions of community care policy makers by the use of ill-considered discretion. In this chapter the focus moves to social work and the theoretical knowledge that social workers have at their disposal to inform their practice. In order to contain the discussion about social work knowledge, the focus will be on assessment practice, as was the case with the fieldwork carried out with care managers, described in chapter three. Assessment is, as we have noted, a key activity in care management (SSI 1991a; SSI 1991b). Although many practitioners have an assessment role in community care, both qualified and pre-qualified, it is still social workers who are most likely to be carrying out assessments, so it is the potential knowledge base for social work practice which will be analysed in this chapter.
