Social workers' and general practitioners' attitudes towards child-rearing environments—traditional or non-traditional

Family structures and the behaviour of individuals within families is changing. Assessment of these changes is, in part, a reflection of values. Difference in value—orientations towards the family can be an important factor in interactions between professional workers and their patients or clients. This study reports on a survey of social workers' and general practitioners' attitudes towards different types of families and their suitability for child‐rearing. General practitioners were found to have a more traditional orientation than social workers, although both groups favoured the nuclear family model. Implications of value differences between professional workers and those who consult them are discussed. 1986 Public Health Association of Australia