The Role of the Social Worker in the Psychiatric Hospital: In and Out of a Therapeutic Community

Abstract

Social workers spend a great deal of time in discussing their role—more, perhaps, than does any other profession. Perhaps this is an indication of the marginal position still occupied by social workers and of their inability so far to define clearly a more satisfying role for themselves. This paper is an attempt to discuss the social worker's role in a particular setting, and to consider the implications arising out of this role clarification.