This article aims to present social work as a practice protecting the rights of people suffering from the processes of marginalisation. It takes as its point of departure two models of advocacy structuring multiple types of activity in this field, ranging from work with particular individuals to political engagement at the macro level. The next part offers a discussion of the results of a quantitative study (CAWI and CATI interviews) conducted among social workers from local social welfare centres in the Wielkopolska region. In the light of analysis of the obtained data, the practice of advocacy in social work emerges as one focused on providing direct assistance in the form of financial and non-financial benefits. The declared level of acceptance to facilitating collective action and macro practice of social work was lower. The results also reveal the attitudes of social workers to social rights and social problems.