ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the history of mental health social work in Northern Ireland using a chronological and narrative approach. There are two 'tributaries' which merge to create an identifiable entity for mental health social work: one geographical and the other professional. The period between the establishment of Northern Ireland as a separate political and administrative entity in 1921 and the administrative and legal changes brought about by the immediate post-war reforms from 1948 led to few changes in mental health social work. The distinction between professionally qualified psychiatric social workers working in hospital and child guidance settings and, generally speaking, unqualified staff working in an underdeveloped community mental health service in welfare departments held true. The development of mental health social work took place alongside work with the families of children who had mental health problems; medical social work and mental health social work proper.
