To avoid unfair and abusive practice in social care, policy makers and professionals need to examine the body of values, rules and methods which guide their work, and to move towards a more sophisticated participatory approach to social responsibility. Presenting the stories of individuals from all levels of the social and legal systems, including service users, judges, therapists, psychiatrists, social workers, social policy academics and parents, Ethical Practice and the Abuse of Power in Social Responsibility represents and unites academic, professional and personal perspectives.

Topics include sections on accountability and confidentiality, system abuse in psychiatric medicine, child protection and child care work, community poverty action, children's rights in statutory agency decision making, and the use of information technology in family law disputes.

The book contains background material, a review of current research, case studies and useful addresses, and lays guidelines for future policy. It will be essential reading for social care academics, policy makers and professionals seeking to refine their practice to understand the invisible and prejudicial structures and processes which govern their work.