Social Workers and Their Mandate of Family Surveillance

In the framework of their mission to “protect children,” social workers have to report certain families to the courts when they consider that children are “in danger.” This paper is based on an ethnographic survey conducted in social work offices, which reveals how social workers perceive and implement the task of family surveillance. These professionals have different perceptions, which are shaped by their backgrounds or the types of families they have to deal with. When social workers’ conception of work conflicts with the role assigned to them, they attempt to align themselves with the demands of their job.