The central aim of the thesis is to explore how social workers' decision-making is informed by content knowledge and process knowledge and by the time pressures and uncertainties of practice. Using a framework for professional action proposed by Eraut (1994) the thesis seeks to shed some light on the analytical steps involved in social workers' thinking and how these are utilized in reaching early decisions about access to services. The findings provide useful insight into practice by demonstrating how social workers draw on information and how simplifying 'rules' Inform their decision-making.