The future of child protection may not be in local government

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to offer a view about the future of children's social work from the perspective of a frontline practitioner. Design/methodology/approach - Reflections of a frontline practitioner are based on his experience of practising social work with children and families. Findings - The professional task of assessment and intervention in order to protect the nation's children from significant harm is probably one of the most complex in modern society. However, a focus on gathering too much information and the need for certainty can be detrimental to analysis and judgement. Further, the most complex and challenging part of the social work task, namely, direct work in the family home, is rarely subject to formally structured analysis or feedback. There is insufficient analysis of good practice, and the organisational conditions that will promote and sustain it, but there are alternative models, including outside local government and including from other countries, that appear promising. Originality/value - The study offers the perspective of a frontline children and families social worker on issues facing the profession.