An uncertain practice: social work support for disabled people and carers moving across local authority boundaries in England

Abstract

This paper reports a study of social work practice with care recipients choosing to relocate between English local administrative units. Data were collected from interviews with 20 social work practitioners from three areas, seeking their views through the use of vignettes.. Participants reported that supporting relocation requires time and planning; is conceptualised as a key transition for those moving; exposes practitioners (and care recipients) to local variations and the potential for risk, and therefore to uncertainty. New legal rights for care recipients may decrease the problems, but local variations will remain.