Being with babies: a Social Work Perspective

This chapter explores and considers the role of social work and social workers in the field of babies and families. It critiques and challenges the positioning of social workers in navigating a multifaceted system in advocating for babies and families, often within very complex political, fiscal and social systems. Dilemmas and conflicts of interest are explored where social workers can find themselves often in circumstances where they are torn between the ethics of the profession and the responsibility duties bestowed upon them by the state. Notions of ‘the village’ are explored in the context of babies and families and how social workers may exist and practise within this field. This chapter considers and draws on anecdotal, anonymised cases and experiences from the authors experiences of interacting and engaging with babies and families from a Social Worker perspective. This chapter concludes with hypotheses on how to embed a practice with babies and families that balances the social worker’s duties enshrined in law and policy and the principles of ethical practice that values empowerment, emancipation and advocacy. Readers will see that this is unfortunately not a straightforward trade off.