Who's to blame? Rational and irrational reflections on responsibility following the suicide of a service user.

When a service user, known to a social worker, kills themselves, several conscious and unconscious processes are set in motion for the worker(s) involved. In particular, thoughts are likely to include, 'Could I/should I have done more or better? Had I acted differently would the service user still be alive'? These questions are also raised by others in supervisory and management roles and by way of investigations and serious case reviews. In response to such internal and external questioning workers are likely to have a range of reactions, some rational, some irrational. By way of an extended case study, this article explores responses by the author following the suicide of a service user he assessed who killed himself. Professional responsibilities are considered in the light of legislation, psychodynamic theory, philosophical and literary perspectives. The author makes two opposing cases – one that he could have done no more to prevent the death of the service user, the other that he should have done more. The article recognises that firm and absolute conclusions are likely to be unreliable, but suggests the ongoing process of reflection in relation to such cases is useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]