Books in the Social Work in Practice series

This book explores what social work is. Structured around the framework of the National Occupational Standards for social work, the book examines how social work can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities, and argues that to really make a difference it is necessary to think outside the box.

Social workers and other social care professionals regularly face the challenges of working with people with alcohol and other drug problems. Yet many receive little, if any, training for working with these issues. As substance use and its social impact on communities and families rises up the political agenda, this book offers a timely support for social workers and other social care staff working in this area. Supporting people with alcohol and drug problems addresses the current gap in social work and social care education. It provides a combination of research evidence, policy frameworks, and practical hints and tips for good social work practice. Based around practice examples supplied by social workers from both adults' and children's social care, it combines knowledge with action. It also provides an important introduction to the evidence base on assessment, intervention and partnership working with specialist substance use colleagues. This book is for all those working in children's and adults' social work and social care settings who are working with people who use, or have problems with, alcohol and other drugs.

This book examines youth justice in a UK and international context, highlighting the challenge facing all jurisdictions in balancing welfare and justice. It explores the impact of political ideas and influences on the structural and practical challenges of delivering youth justice.

The book is unique in drawing together contributors from a range of different disciplines to consider the issues and challenges involved for social work practice in multi agency working.

This much-needed textbook provides a fresh understanding of the radical tradition and shows how it can be developed in contemporary social work.

This book examines how religion and related beliefs have varied impacts on the needs and perceptions of practitioners, service users, and the support networks available to them.

This highly practical book, written by experienced practitioners and academics, is a core text about the practice of residential childcare, where workers and children share a common lifespace.

The book is unique in drawing together contributors from a range of different disciplines to consider the issues and challenges involved for social work practice in multi agency working.

This important textbook makes a timely contribution to international agendas in social work with lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people. It examines how practitioners and student social workers can provide appropriate care across the lifespan (including work with children and families and older people) and considers key challenges in social work practice, for example asylum, mental health, and substance misuse. Drawing on practice scenarios, the book takes an enquiry-based learning approach to facilitate critical reflection. Its distinctive approach includes: * use of the concepts of the Professional Capabilities Framework for social work * key theoretical perspectives including human rights * structuring of the text around the framework of the UK National Occupational Standards for Social Work * student-friendly features including key questions and exercises * a complete glossary of key terms and concepts * examination of the UK policy and legislative context It is informed by international research in social work with LGBT people The book is essential reading for students on qualifying social work programmes and practitioners in statutory, voluntary and independent sectors.

This comprehensive, accessibly written resource, is designed to help students and practitioners explore partnerships in creating, contributing, consuming, commissioning or critiquing evidence in and for social work practice.

Drawing on both research and examples from practice, this book offers students an insight into the nature and challenges of writing in social work practice, enabling them to improve their writing skills.

This topical book engages with a wide range of issues related to social work practice with people who have sexually offended. Its accessible style and use of practice based learning exercises will help readers to reflect on theory, practice and developing emotional resilience.

Social work in the community offers practice guidance to students, practice assessors and practitioners within a political, theoretical, methodological and ethical framework. The book is written from an experiential learning perspective, encouraging the reader not only to understand the ideas and methods but to test them out in their own practice, which additionally provides an element of problem-based learning. The book is written within the framework of the practice curriculum for the social work degree, including the National Occupational Standards and an extended statement of values for practice. This will enable students to use the book to make sense of their practice in relation to the knowledge, skills and values of social work practice in its community context.

Full of up-to-date case studies, practice examples and points for reflection, this exciting textbook explores theoretical frameworks for working with people with learning difficulties.