How aware are social workers of their power over people?

In a recent interview with Community Care, renowned social work researcher June Thoburn called attention to the power imbalance between practitioners and the children, families and adults they support.

While researching her 1980 book ‘Captive Clients’, which examined children in care returning home ‘on trial’, Thoburn saw many examples of the influence practitioners’ involvement had on parents’ behaviour.

In one, a prospective adoptive parent had told her, “If the social worker says jump, I jump”.

However, according to Thoburn, social workers’ power extends beyond the ability to remove children from their families. It also encompasses the authority to provide or deny services.

“When you get a referral and a decision is taken on whether this is or isn’t a child in need, that’s huge power,” she said.

“If you say, ‘I’m not going to accommodate this child’, that child and its family lose access [to a whole range of services]. I see social work basically as a very benign and important service. But with access to a social worker comes this intervention in your life. So, it’s so central to understand the social work relationship.”

But how aware are social workers of the power imbalance inherent in their role?

A recent Community Care poll, which received 429 votes, found that 70% of respondents recognised the power they held was “an immense responsibility” they always kept in mind.

A further 4% felt overwhelmed by the dynamic, while 9% were more sanguine, describing it “just part of the job”.

However, 17% disagreed with Thoburn’s view, saying that they did not believe they held power over people.

Do you believe social workers hold power over those they support? If so, how do you think practitioners should navigate this power imbalance?