Use of Authority in Direct Social Work Practice with Mandated Clients

Abstract

Although social work as a profession is vested with authority and unequal authority is inherent in the social worker-client relationship, the concept of authority has been generally either neglected or denounced in social work practice literature. This paper defines authority in the context of direct social work practice, discusses both ethical and technological issues related to the use of authority in social work practice, and proposes practice principles to guide the use of authority in direct practice with mandated clients.