ABSTRACT
The United Kingdom (UK) comprises four countries – England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – and the adjective British is applied to citizens and residents across the UK. However, Great Britain refers only to the fi rst three countries, and Britain refers only to England and Wales. Initially I shall sketch out the development of the welfare state in Britain, although some of the material is also pertinent to the wider UK. The focus then shifts to social work in England, since the devolution of central government powers means that professional education and practice harbour signifi cant inter-country variations. Finally, I will survey the contemporary ethnic profi le of the UK population and transcultural dilemmas in safeguarding young black and minority ethnic (BME) people. This transports us back to England, particularly its capital city, London, which is home to large BME communities.
