The researcher interviewed social workers (N=7) for their views on what factors inhibited hard to reach parents from accessing Local Authority (LA) services in respect of their children's well being. The hardest to reach clients for the LA were those involved in substance abuse, domestic violence and living with disaffected adolescent children, and these categories were used as a working definition of the target group. Six of the respondents currently worked for the (statutory) Family Intervention Service within Children's Services and one had previously worked for the (voluntary) National Children's Homes, the latter serving as a contrast to the bulk of the sample. The interviews were analysed by the researcher according to grounded theory, but from a social constructionist perspective to maximise the authenticity of respondent accounts. While this dissertation's literature review hypothesised conditions and circumstances within the lives of the hard to reach parents as influential upon non-engagemenwt ith the LA, the data analysis here suggestst hat social worker approach could be a significant factor. Thesefi ndings have implications for professional development among social workers and practical support from educational psychologists at the levels of multi agency cooperation and parent bodies for both professions. Suggested further research questions concern themselves with repeating the method carried out here but with different samples in order to gauge generalisability of the data obtained, as well as examining the quality of supervision for social workers as regards enhancing professional efficacy.