Care management and social work: clients with dementia

In the first of two papers examining the implications for social work of the introduction of care management, it is argued that practice with clients with dementia will provide a major test of the underlying principle of cons umerism. Using the findings from a research project established to develop partnership in social services work, the paper shows that existing social work practice will need to be rethought in several key areas if the client's rights as a citizen are to be enhanced through the introduction of care management. In particular, practice will need to clarify the process of agreement-making and to establish clearly the mandate for intervention. The second paper will explore key issues in the relationship between social work and care management in work with carers.