‘Have you seen my assessment schedule?' Proceduralisation, constraint and control in social work with children and families

This chapter examines two sets of documentation devised for social workers interactions with children and families in Britain. First, the Looking After Children (LAC) system, which was devised from the late-1980s onwards and which began to be used by local authorities in the 1990s. Second, the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families that was introduced by the Blair administration in April 2000. The discussions begin by putting into place a theoretical foundation for the analysis of LAC and the Framework. It is suggested that it is conceptually helpful to have regard to comments made by Zygmunt Bauman (2000) and contemporary theorising associated with ‘governmentality’. After briefly discussing more general changes connected to professionals and expertise - and social workers specifically - the focus narrows in order concentrate on aspects of both LAC and the Framework. Critical analysis and creative work will, need to take place in order to resist proceduralisation and to resist bureaucratic constraints.