"If it isn't documented, it didn't happen."
This is the cynical mantra of both private and public social service agencies. The limitations of blog space prevent me from retelling countless case histories where a social worker is accused of neglect or wrongdoing by a client or agency and must produce a documented history of client contacts. It is sufficient to note that social workers sometimes find themselves in situations where they must be able to provide evidence of their conduct and actions during some time in the past. This may occur in the context of litigation or adjudication of an ethics complaint filed with a state licensing board or the National Association of Social Workers. Although most social workers understand the importance of careful and thoughtful documentation, some do not.