"In The Satanic Abuse Controversy : Social Workers and the Social Work Press Gary Clapton takes a magnifying glass to a controversy which disappeared as quickly as it emerged. For three years the social work profession was instensely occupied and challenged by the issue of what has become popularly known as satanic abuse. It was a time when social workers were portrayed as, at best, gullible and naive and completely lacking in any professional expertise, or at worst, as doctrinaire fanatics. Self-styled witches and bible-quoting fundamentalists were afforded space in the pages of the social work press. Three Social Services Directors lost their jobs as a direct result of the controversy, Meanwhile, undiscussed, the child abuse agenda was shifting. Through analysis of the social work press coverage, the author identifies key themes which emerged from the controversy. His conclusions about the nature of the social work profession and the direction which it is taking will stimulate discussion amongst all those concerned about the future of social work practice with children and families." -- Back cover.