In this essay, I refer to the words Power and Duty. The word power in legal terms is the ability to do or act, which implies a choice. Duty is an obligation; something that law binds me to do. This essay is written in answer to a case study, which examines a situation, which focuses on the Children Act of 1989. This act was composed to protect the welfare of all children, whatever their circumstances and backgrounds. An Act to reform the law relating to children; to provide for local authority services for children in need and others; to amend the law with respect to childrens homes, community homes, voluntary homes and voluntary organisations; to make provision with respect to fostering, child minding and day care for young children and adoption; and for connected purposes. In this essay I am assuming the role of the social worker. In this case Peter and Jane have a baby son called David, who is about four months old. It says in section 2 (1), that where the childs parents have been married before the conception of the child, they shall each have parental responsibility for the child, the meaning of parental responsibility is discussed in section 3. In this case, both Peter and Jane were married at Davids birth. Jane bought David in to hospital with a severe head injury. Upon examination by the hospital staff he is found to also have suffered previous injury to some of his ribs. This has caused grave concern and given rise to the hospital notifying the police. They in turn have gone on to notify the local authority, which has appointed me as Davids social worker. Under section 47 I have a duty to investigate the allegations and also a duty to contact all other agencies who might be involved with Peter, Jane and David, in accordance with section 47 (9 to 11) Since the information given is still only allegations (a hunch), I have to collect some evidence, not necessarily to use to prosecute Peter and Jane, but to promote Davids standar...
