ABSTRACT

When a service user, known to a social worker, kills themselves, several conscious and unconscious processes are set in motion for the worker(s) involved. In particular, thoughts are likely to include, ‘Could I/should I have done more or better? Had I acted differently would the service user still be alive’? These questions are also raised by others in supervisory and management roles and by way of investigations and serious case reviews. In response to such internal and external questioning workers are likely to have a range of reactions, some rational, some irrational. By way of an extended case study, this article explores responses by the author following the suicide of a service user he assessed who killed himself. Professional responsibilities are considered in the light of legislation, psychodynamic theory, philosophical and literary perspectives. The author makes two opposing cases – one that he could have done no more to prevent the death of the service user, the other that he should have done more. The article recognises that firm and absolute conclusions are likely to be unreliable, but suggests the ongoing process of reflection in relation to such cases is useful.

摘要

当社会工作者认识的服务使用者自杀时，就会为参与的工作者启动一些有意识和无意识的过程。特别是，想法可能包括：“我/应该做得更多还是更好？如果我采取了不同的行动，服务用户还会活着吗？其他人在监督和管理角色中以及通过调查和认真的案例审查也提出了这些问题。为了应对这种内部和外部提问，工人可能会做出一系列反应，有些是理性的，有些是非理性的。通过扩展的案例研究，本文探讨了作者评估自杀者自杀后自杀后自杀的反应。根据法律，心理动力学理论，哲学和文学观点。作者提出了两个相反的案例，一个是他本来可以做得更多以防止服务用户死亡，而另一个本来应该做得更多。该文章认识到肯定和绝对的结论可能不可靠，但是建议针对此类情况进行反思的过程是有用的。