THE SOCIAL-WORKER AS BAD OBJECT

A 'bad object' has been defined as an 'object whom the subject hates o r fears, who is experienced as malevolent. A bad object may be either an internal or an external object' (Rycroft, 1988, p. 100). This paper explores the circumstances in which public fears and anxieties over c hild abuse become projected into the social worker. It discusses how s ocial workers introject these feelings, become a 'bad object', and how social services departments have developed a number of strategies whi ch defend against feelings of blame and responsibility. The exploratio n is derived from my own experiences and observations, and applies Kle inian psychoanalytic theory to studies of institutional defences.