Authority and Power

There is very little research that addresses how child protection workers handle the power that is assigned to them due to their position. One study addresses the issue of power by distinguishing it from the concept of authority. Palmer (1983) argues that authority derives from power, but the two are not synonymous. Palmer uses McIver’s definition of power, which is the capacity to control the behaviour of others, and authority, which is “the established right to make decisions on pertinent issues” (Palmer, 1983, p. 120), to suggest that authority requires the consent of the “other” in order for a helping relationship to be established (1983, p. 120).