Welfare Reform on the Web (July 2007): Mental health services - overseas

Mental health social work in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland: challenges and opportunities for developing practice

G. Wilson and G. Kirwan

European Journal of Social Work, vol. 10, 2007, p. 175-191

Drawing on their experience of mental health social work in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, the authors examine the impact of current legislative and policy change in both jurisdictions. The paper applies Lorenz’s theoretical framework to develop a comparative analysis of how global and country specific variables have interacted in shaping mental health social work. It explores the impact on practice of developments such as de-institutionalisation, community care and 'user rights' versus public protection.