The Ethical Dilemmas and Tensions of Coronial Social Work in Australia

There is limited research that explores the perspectives and ethical tensions experienced by social workers working in Coroners Courts in Australia. This study explored the under-researched role of social workers in Australian Coroner’s Courts, focusing on their experiences, perspectives, and ethical dilemmas. A thematic analysis of six semi-structured interviews with practitioners found three key themes: the emotional intensity and meaning of coronial social work, the ethical dilemmas of balancing ethical responsibility to next of kin with legal requirements, and the opportunities for social work to expand into systemic advocacy for social justice, beyond immediate bereavement support. The dual positioning of social workers as providing compassionate supports for families within statutory medical and legal requirements raised ethical tensions and dilemmas. This article underscores the need for greater recognition and resourcing of social work coronial practice.IMPLICATIONS There is limited research on the perspectives and ethical tensions experienced by social workers working in Coroners Courts in Australia.The dual positioning of social workers as providing compassionate supports for families within statutory medico-legal requirements raises ethical tensions and dilemmas.Highlighting the ethical dilemmas and tensions inherent in the positioning of social workers can provide new insights for social work practice in statutory medico-legal settings and advance awareness about coronial social work.