This research with social work practitioners explores ways in which social justice ideas are reflected at different levels of social work practice. Social justice is actively drawn on in practice, but primarily at the level of daily practice and is less actively utilized at the macro level of change.

• Summary: Members of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) were asked to provide their definition of social work. Over 300 responses were analysed thematically in order to determine if practitioner views corresponded to recent shifts in social work education and theory which emphasized the importance of social change, strengths based perspectives and the importance of local and indigenous contexts. • Findings: The findings demonstrate that while there was some recognition of social change and strengths-based perspectives in the definitions of social work provided, that those working in the field remain focused on ‘helping individuals, families and groups’ engage in change. Respondents did not, for the most part, acknowledge local or indigenous perspectives in their definitions. • Applications: Results from this study may be useful for social work professional organizations, and social work educators, students and future researchers who are interested in the definition of social work and its scopes of practice.

• Summary: Social justice lies at the heart of social work practice and is used by practitioners to describe their practice. That practice is primarily described at the individual level. • Findings: Equality and fairness are core aspects of social justice and are drawn on extensively by social work practitioners in this research project to define social justice and are reflected in their practice. The two terms are, however, given a range of diverse meanings by practitioners. Those meanings are translated into and reflected in their practice. • Application: There are important implications for social work education, the social work profession and social work practice in the diverse ways in which the terms are understood and used.

Children’s rights and active citizenship have been significant policy emphases and developments in recent years but the relationship between the two has not been actively explored in relation to the implications for child poverty. Recent policy developments in New Zealand and Sweden are drawn on here to explore this relationship. The article argues that an emphasis on active citizenship does not lead to improvement of rights for all children. Too many children are left in poverty because active citizenship is focused on the lives of adults, not the needs and rights of children. Advancing children’s rights requires attention to the position of all children, not just those who live in households where the adults meet active citizenship requirements.

Social work and social services are in a period of significant change built around three key terms; investment, vulnerable, and outcomes. Those terms are not simple neutral descriptors. Rather, they are shaped in critical ways by the neoliberal framework which informs them. The framework is critically examined here by exploring how it is reflected in the specific meanings and implications of each of the three terms. Social work practice and social services delivery will be heavily influenced by the political and ideological framing of investment, vulnerable and outcomes. The paper takes up some of these implications and raises a series of questions for children and families, for practitioners and for agencies. The responses to those questions will be critical for social work and for those with whom and for whom social workers work.