Extensively revised and updated, the third edition of this classic text examines the ways in which disabled people have been able to develop and manage their own services. It reconstructs social work practice in light of these and the latest policy changes, stressing the importance of thinking critically about the welfare response to disability.

'The book is a "must have" for students on post qualifying courses, practitioners and social work educators as it is an excellent tool for prompting critical reflection on practice at this level...The authors' discussion of the use of counselling in social work with disabled people is excellent.' - Pauline Noden, Social Policy and Social Work

List of Figures and Tables
Preface to 3rd Edition
Introduction: Setting the Scene
Key Legislation for Social Workers
Social Work and Disability: Old and New Directions
Thinking about Disability
The Causes of Impairment and the Creation of Disability
Disability in the Family
Living with Disabilities
The Legal and Social Context of Disability
Conclusions and Implications for Practice
Bibliography
Disability Studies Resources

MICHAEL OLIVER was the first, and only, Professor of Disability Studies in the UK, at University of Greenwich, until he retired. He has been a leading commentator on disability issues for many years, with a talent for reaching audiences beyond academia. His many publications include Understanding Disability: From Theory to Practice and The Politics of Disablement, both of which became core texts in teaching. He is Chair of the Research Advisory Group of the British Council of Disabled People, Executive Editor of Disability and Society, a member of the Editorial Boards of Australian Disability Review and the International Journal of Inclusive Education and a Non-Executive Director of North Kent Healthcare Trust.

 
BOB SAPEY is Senior Lecturer in Applied Social Science at Lancaster University, UK, where he teaches on disability and mental health. He was a practitioner for many years before moving into higher education, where he has been an active contributor to teaching and research in disability studies.