1. Banks, S. (2004) Ethics, Accountability and the Social Professions, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan. Explores the impact of changes in the organisation and practice of social, community and youth work in Britain on ethics in professional life, including a research-based chapter, ‘The new accountability and the ethics of distrust’. Offers further details of the interviews on which this chapter is based.
2. Banks, S. (2006) Ethics and Values in Social Work, 3rd edn, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan. Overview of social work ethics, including discussion of blame and responsibility, the role of codes of ethics and analysis of practice dilemmas.
3. Buttny, R. (1993) Social Accountability in Communication, London, Sage. Exploration of the use of accounts in everyday and professional talk, with analyses of a variety of examples of conversation, including a ‘welfare interview’.
4. Chadwick, R. (ed.) (1994) Ethics and the Professions, Aldershot, Avebury. Includes useful contributions by Holdsworth and Tadd on accountability.
5. Hall, C., Slembrouck, S. and Sarangi, S. (2006) Language Practices in Social Work: Categorisation and Accountability in Child Welfare, London, Routledge. Examines language practices in social work with children and families, using a discourse analysis approach, including useful chapters on ‘Categorisation and accountability’ and ‘Justifying action in a public inquiry’.