The managers of social work: the experiences and identifications of third tier social services managers and the implications for future practice.

The article draws on the results of a research project which explored management in social services departments from the perspective of third tier managers within those organizations. The article outlines some of the major current debates within social services management and discusses the experiences and identifications of those managers who were part of the study. The results indicate a fragmentation at this level of management—a fragmentation of experience, attitudes and management approaches. The implications of this and other findings are considered as they affect the areas of: research development; policy development; social work management; social work practice; and social work education.