Social Work Now (28) August 2004 : 23-28

This article discusses how lawyers and social workers, while working collaboratively towards the same goal in care and protection proceedings, that is, the good of the child, can find themselves talking passed each other. Consequently, their duties inadvertently overlap with less than desirable outcomes. The author discusses the barriers to communication between social workers and lawyers, based upon both New Zealand and US studies, and discusses how unclear perceptions of each other's roles can blur the boundaries between them. The author notes the strong need for collaboration and effective communications between the two professions to further assist their clients. She recommends further research into each profession's perceptions of each other's roles. A limited level of cross-training is suggested for each profession, in both care and protection law and social work practice respectively, in order to build understanding and respect across this all important collaborative professional relationship.