As an important force of social governance,social work is expected to give full play to its professional effectiveness in the field of governance.However,under the requirements of professional norms,there is an abnormal phenomenon that theory is suspended in practice.Many of the existing discussions ignore the adaptability and tension mechanism between professional norms and local governance situations from the western context in Chinese practice,and therefore can not fully explain the suspension of social work theory in Chinese social work practice.Based on the theoretical analysis framework of"professional specification-governance situation",this paper takes the K city social work service program for children in difficulties as an example,which finds one-way construction between the theory and practice,theory in practice as a writing tool,and the fragmentation combination of theory.These forms have become the real picture for the interaction between theory and practice of social work in China.In depth,the suspension phenomenon of social work theory in practice is formed by the tension between the professional norms which are centered on the western knowledge system and the local governance situation.The formal self-proof,firstly implemented in practice and professional compromise formed under the conflict between professional norms and the governance situation are the internal mechanisms of theoretical suspension.On the basis of this,to enhance the social work cultural consciousness,theory consciousness,practice consciousness and professionalism consciousness,and to promote the social work knowledge production and the construction of independent knowledge system based on the local practice situation in China are the key actions changing the suspension of theory in practice.