We established the first Social Work Service in a personal injury firm in Australia in 2009
For years, lawyers at Slater and Gordon were seeing clients and their families distressed by injury or illness trying to grapple with, not only the emotional effects, but social consequences of their situations. Our lawyers noticed that an increasing number of their clients were getting lost in the community as they tried to deal with the significant chronic impact of illness or injury, unable to navigate systems to access assistance. Recognising the need for a more holistic approach to client care, Slater and Gordon established our Social Work Service in 2009 to provide free assistance to its injured and ill clients.
Since the service was established, more than 5,000 clients have been referred to the service for assistance.
If you are a social worker or health professional and would like to know more about our service or have a query, please do not hesitate to contact our team via the email socialworkservices@slatergordon.com.au. If you are a member of the public and you have a legal enquiry or legal concern please click here.
Where Social Work and the Law meet
Since our Social Work Service was first established, we have been helping to raise social workers’ awareness of the legal issues that impact on social work practice via:
- Provision of education about different areas of law
- Our Social Work and the Law e-publication that is sent to more than 2,500 social workers three times a year
- Development of resource materials
- Articles and conference presentations
- Provision of an access point for social workers to use legal professionals as a resource regarding their practice issues or queries on behalf of their patients and clients.
The Slater and Gordon Legal Education Program
Our legal education program for social workers provides education and information seminars covering a range of legal topics that will assist you in your daily practice and in understanding the legal system that affects your clients. Seminars are available in person in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia, at your workplace where we have an available lawyer to present on your selected topic. We also provide state-based and national webinars. Some of our topics include:
- Issues of capacity in the health area
- Confidentiality and privacy
- Documentation, reports and court appearances
- The Psycho-social Impact of Serious Injury.
Our seminars are cost and obligation free and can be provided upon request. Please contact socialworkservices@slatergordon.com.au for more information about our education program or to join our mailing list and receive invitations to our webinars.
Social Work and the Law
Our Social Work e-publication, Social Work and the Law, is sent to social workers and health professionals on our national mailing list. Each edition includes articles by our lawyers about topics that are relevant to social workers’ daily practice, including changes to legislation and legal entitlements relevant to your clients and patients. If you would like to be added to our mailing list, please email socialworkservices@slatergordon.com.au stating your location by state or territory.
*Please note that you will only receive information from our Slater and Gordon Social Work Service.