This text explores the far-reaching ethical implications of changes in the organization and practice of the social professions (social work, community and youth work), drawing on moral philosophy, professional ethics and new empirical research by the author. What does the development of external regulation and audit mean for the autonomy, discretion and creativity of practitioners? How does inter-professional working in community mental health, youth offending or neighbourhood regeneration challenge conceptions of professional identities and roles? What relevance does an ethics of proximity, care or virtue have for professional ethics, alongside more abstract, principle based approaches?