After providing a brief history of the rise of this social problem in Britain, the social scientist is placed in this arena. Existing proposals relating to social science research are examined and three fundamental aspects of action research are developed: the methodology, the message, and the relationship between social scientists and statutory bodies and community groups. Research methods are very important in the type of evidence presented, and in the manner in which the research enters the public and political debates regarding a particular social problem and the proposed solutions to it. Inherent in every piece of social research are messages about the nature of the phenomenon and the individuals under study which either reiterate and support the status quo or challenge it and offer alternatives. The relationship between social scientists and community groups leads to direct contact with grass roots groups, the media, and statutory bodies, and involves social and political processes associated with new legislation and the dissemination of information. 2 notes and 78 references.