ABSTRACT
This chapter identifies aspects of fieldwork that might, and do, generate legal responsibility or liability. The fieldwork agency would have sole responsibility for satisfying itself about student suitability, and sole liability of all aspects of the fieldwork experience. Field liaisons, university staff and field educators have a joint responsibility to provide students who are about to undertake fieldwork with a great deal of information personal safety; harassment, discrimination and abuse; health; and insurance. Taking account of both the likely locus of laws and the fieldwork process, it is possible to identify key points of legal liability: the responsibilities of competent national authorities; the maintenance of access to the fieldwork; and the field educator’s liability for the work done by the student during the fieldwork. Key individuals in universities and human services agencies are responsible for ensuring that protocols exist to provide guidance on these liability issues.
