Social work as a profession in highly complex fields of action within society is based on scientifically generated knowledge. In addition to drawing on related sciences, the development of an independent scientific discipline is essential. Building on the historically evolved strands of social work science and social pedagogy, the "sciences of social work" are emerging. What is fundamentally meant by "science"? What scientific and epistemological requirements must the sciences of social work adhere to? What research methods can social work use to sustainably develop a distinct scientific program along with theory formation in the context of adjacent scientific disciplines?.