The policy role of social workers as heads of local government social services

This article focuses on the overlooked role of social workers who serve as heads of local government social services (HLGSSs) in influencing the formulation of the policies of the local authorities in which they work. It identifies the policies they sought to influence and the strategies they used in the local policy-making process. Israel, where all HLGSSs are social workers, serves as the research site. Semi-structured interviews with 25 HLGSSs from diverse local authorities indicate that HLGSSs are hybrid professional managers who play a role in shaping local policies that differ in degree and intensity. Some engaged in the formulation of general local governance (such as city planning and emergency services), and all sought to affect policies related to the social services and the positioning of social services within local government. To influence policy, the HLGSSs devoted substantial time, effort, and political acumen and balanced their professional perspectives with the need to navigate the highly politicised context of local government. They employed diverse strategies such as framing, building trust, networking, leveraging, and persuasion in these efforts.