Clients’ and social workers’ stories about discretion in social work with persons with disabilities

Abstract

This study explores discretion in social work with persons with disabilities. By drawing on a narrative social work approach, the study acknowledges narratives crucial for conducting social work. The research question was as follows: How do persons with disabilities as clients and social workers as professionals consider discretion and its consequences? The data consisted of clients’ and social workers’ written accounts about discretion and were analysed by deploying narrative inquiry with small stories approach. The grand narrative was about getting adequate services through appropriate discretion. Three small stories about everyday life, in/equality and the economy were told against the grand narrative. The study argues that discretion in social work with persons with disabilities is constructed through the available narrative resources.