Direct-Service Social Workers and Agenda Building

Jansson (2014) claims that social workers are particularly suited to be policy practitioners because of the principles of the profession and because of their proximity to many social issues and problems. Social workers are often the "first responders" to social problems, which gives them a unique advantage when accessing local media and the press. Direct-service social workers are the "face time" professionals in the field of social work. They are closest to the issues that plague families and individuals in need of assistance and/or intervention. This intimate knowledge of how clients are impacted by social issues allows the direct-service social worker to craft effective policy agendas. In this Discussion, you explore the strategies of agenda building.    

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