Writing reports in social work: characteristics, correctness and style

Abstract

This research analyses the characteristics of a sample of social work reports issued at a social care centre in Spain. The research involved three assumptions: (1) drafting reports is a demanding task; (2) social workers are poorly trained in report writing; and (3) procedures for drafting reports are inadequate. The research involved two phases: (1) social workers (N = 8) were interviewed; (2) the content and writing style of 250 reports were analysed. The results show that the social work reports analysed stand out for their relevance. However, they need to be more systematic, concise and reliable.