Social work is a multi-faceted and ever-evolving profession, which has had many purposes and identities over the years. It is imperative that vocation constantly evolves along with the social climate and new ways in which we identify and treat those who need support. Social workers may be required to take on the role of consultant, advocate, social worker, partner, risk and needs assessor and, at times (as the government seeks to push social work increasingly into the health and education) a state servant. The profession is dramatically subject to the influence of social change, so social workers have a duty to keep up to date with the latest developments in understanding how and why people get to the point of requiring social work intervention and how best to prevent and satisfy for it. There are many ways in which research has significantly influenced practice across all sectors, but it has probably had the greatest effect particularly in the context of children in care. The Who Cares Trust recently published statistics finding that “27% of the adult prison population has been in care and almost 40% of prisoners under 21 were in care as children”. This compares to only 2% of the general population who spend time in prison over their lifetime. (Anon., n.d.)One of the main pieces of research used to explain the deviant behavior of people who have been in the care system is attachment theory. Attachment theory was developed by John Bowlby in 1951 for the World Health Organization and originally titled “Maternal Deprivation” (Bretherton, 1992). Bowlby defines attachment as: “A deep and lasting emotional bond that connects one person to another across time… middle of paper… reliability compared to other professionals, and above all true because they always get to the people's lives in a time of crisis. Some people have a lifelong relationship with social workers and there isn't always a cure at the end. (Trinder, 2000) As police adapt to the social climate, teachers try new learning methods, and medical practitioners use new medications, social workers must also adapt and develop with the times. Everything was once an experiment, and there can be no progress if social workers are not prepared to change their mindset and practice based on new evidence and research. Being research-oriented and able to question yourself and the things you are taught is an integral part of being a good social worker and someone who will be able to support and protect the service users they work for through a company constantly changing and developing.