Information technology is changing the role, responsibilities and practices of social care professionals, as well as policy and management within the field. Bringing together leading academics to discuss the application of new information technology (IT) in health and social care, this text examines a variety of technologies, including the Internet, multimedia and online communities. The contributors take a balanced approach, highlighting the anxiety and unease as well as the advantages brought about by these developments in technology and the resulting change in responsibilities. They also explore the wider implications of the changes in relations between experts, professionals and lay people that technology has brought about. Discussing issues such as child abuse and the Internet, computer mediated self-help and collaborative learning, Information and Communication Technologies in the Welfare Services is a ground-breaking book in the field of social care, bringing well-researched and up-to-date discussion of all aspects of information technology to those working and studying in health and social care.