Changes in the form of knowledge in social work

There is no doubt that information technology and information and communications technologies (ICTs) in particular have changed the delivery of social work in recent years; they have, at the same time, challenged and changed the professional character of social work. In this seminal article, UK academic Nigel Parton gives a highly detailed account of the shift from social work as a ‘social’ enterprise with ‘relationship’ at its core to social work as an ‘informational’ activity. The implications of this are picked up in subsequent chapters.