Mr. Joe McCarthy:

They are represented by a solicitor. What is happening as well, and this is linked to court proceedings, is that social work practice is increasingly being dictated by the legal world and by other professionals. Another example is where a social worker is involved with a family coming into care or otherwise. A parental assessment, which is the bread and butter of social work, is important work but that is being contracted to other professionals. One can see that, bit by bit, the essential role of the social worker is increasingly being limited, but to highly pressurised work and not necessarily specifically social work.