There are as many questions about practice in children's social work as there are children themselves – and a great many of them are unanswered.

What works? What should I do? How best should I organise a service? Who decides what's best for families in need of support, and what support can they be given? Is it a social worker, their manager, or a rule written to make sure everyone gets the same treatment? How can we ensure we have a workforce of social workers, family support workers and others who are healthy, motivated, and have the tools to do their job? In short, how can we make the best use of finite resources to achieve the best outcomes?