Conclusion

Abstract

There is little doubt in my own mind that the quality of mental health emergency and statutory social work has vastly improved in recent years even if it took the stimulus of an Act of Parliament to achieve it. Gone are the days of the kind of honor story I used to get from some of my students. Recruited green to a local authority Social Services Department, they were automatically made Mental Welfare Officers and put on the duty rota after only six weeks’ experience in the department and no training whatsoever. Acknowledging that they were hopelessly out of their depth, they nevertheless had to struggle with the issues of life and liberty which then confronted them.