Top texts - Social Work and Social Policy
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Introductory Social Work Texts
Published May 2005
This book traces the origins and development of social work as we now know it. Providing an ambitious synthesis of historical and international material, it explores the different faces of social work, whether defined by social policy developments, professionalization, changes in client group, or shifts in practice orientation. This is a unique book undertaken by an author with a strong international reputation and, as such, it promises to be a landmark for years to come in the social work literature.
Published November 2007
Social work has laboured too long under a 'deficit' model that focuses on failings and problems of practice. Emphasising best practice, strengths and collaborative partnership this ambitious book seeks to redress the balance. Undergraduate and post-qualifying social work students alike will find it a useful resource.
Published March 2007
'Clearly written, this text is useful to students, managers, and practitioners alike - and not just those in social work, but in any other "people-orientated" professions.' - Lynda Hassall, Community Care
This book is an essential introduction to the values, knowledge and skills required for working with different groups in a variety of social work and social care settings. Accessible and comprehensive, it will be invaluable for students and practitioners in social work and the caring professions wanting to learn more about this key practice technique.
Published April 2005
This established and successful textbook provides a superb introduction to the nature of social work: its legal and policy base, the knowledge, skills and values involved, and the challenges and pitfalls practitioners face. This new edition has been completely updated to include recent developments in the field. In particular, it takes into account further theoretical issues, contemporary writings, and changes in the organisation of social work education. The author has also included useful suggestions about websites and further reading. Revamped and updated, this outstanding text will be an invaluable guide for all those considering or beginning a career in social work.
Published May 2002
The second edition of this best-selling text has been thoroughly revised and updated to ensure that it continues to provide a clear, comprehensive and academically rigorous survey of social work practice and theory. New chapters covering the changing nature of social work and advocacy and empowerment approaches have been included, and the editors have added a new conclusion in which they reflect on the past, present and future of social work. All of the chapters have been revised to cover the most recent debates and developments in research and practice.
Published April 2002
The important social work text is conceived as a complementary volume to the highly successful Social Work: Themes, Issues and Critical Debates, although it is usable as a stand-alone introduction in its own right. Focusing on social work values, on areas of particular practice (ranging across work with children, families and vulnerable adults) and on management issues relevant to all social workers whether they are managers or not, it offers a vivid and stimulating overview both of the practicalities of social work and the principles underpinning practice.
Published April 2005
Social Work Futures: Crossing Boundaries, Transforming Practice is the third and final volume in the trilogy begun by Social Work: Themes, Issues and Critical Debates and Critical Practice in Social Work. Edited by the same highly regarded team and bringing together a mix of established scholars and newer voices, the book follows a similar three-part structure to its companions but is carefully designed to complement rather than overlap with these. Its distinctive focus is on the development of practice through deepened understanding of social work processes, organizational settings and the evidence base for practice and multiprofessional working. The text is relevant across the entire undergraduate degree in social work and pitched accordingly, but its unique chapters focused on researching social work will be particularly useful to students on placement, doing dissertation work or engaged in continuing professional development.
Published March 2006
'The book has always been a perfect jumping off point for students'- Social Work Practice
This fourth edition of Veronica Coulshed's classic text has been meticulously revised to reflect the latest changes in social work education. Generic skills and processes such as communication and assessment are discussed alongside models and settings of practice. The relationship between theory, evidence and practice is fully explored throughout, ensuring this remains an ideal introduction for all beginning social work students as well as a handy refresher and companion for practitioners.
Published March 2006
This successful textbook has been thoroughly updated to include new debates and developments in the theory and practice of anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive social work, including discussion of language, the diversity approach and misinterpretations of PCS analysis. References, reading lists and recommended websites are all carefully revised. This fourth edition continues to offer support, guidance and insight on a complex subject and is an ideal starting point or refresher for students, practitioners and managers alike.
Published March 2006
The third edition of this popular book has been updated to take account of the latest developments in policy and social work practice in the UK and other countries. It includes new sections on radical/emancipatory and postmodern approaches to ethics, analysis of the latest codes of ethics from over 30 different countries, additional case studies of ethical problems and dilemmas and practical exercises and annotated further reading lists at the end of each chapter.
Published March 2006
'The strength of this book is that it is clearly written, covers a comprehensive range of factors relevant to child abuse and makes a compelling case for appropriate services to assist abused children and their families. Doyle's extensive practice experience is in evidence throughout and she provides many tested practical suggestions for inexperienced practitioners on how to approach such work and avoid likely pitfalls.' - Peter Dale, Community Care
Published March 2006
This classic text has been essential reading for students and professionals in the field of social work and disability for 20 years. Extensively revised and updated, the third edition examines the ways in which disabled people have been able to develop and manage their own services. It reconstructs social work practice in the light of these and the latest policy changes, stressing the importance to practice of thinking critically about the welfare response to disability.
Published March 2006
Older people present a significant challenge and opportunity for social work. This fourth edition of a social work 'classic' develops the knowledge, understanding and skill required to practise effectively with older people, enabling the reader to develop a critical and reflexive approach to this important area of work. It will be ideal for those coming to the subject for the first time, as well as those simply wishing to refresh their knowledge.
Published March 2006
Psychology provides an essential backdrop to social work practice but there are few sources that summarize its theories and findings in a way that is easily accessible to students. This compact and practical text answers this need in applying key ideas, skills and research from psychology to contemporary social work in a variety of settings. Substantially revised to take account of the latest developments, this is a wide-ranging and authoritative introduction to a complex subject.
Published March 2006
This third edition of a classic text has been brought right up-to-date to meet the needs of today's social work students, professionals and service managers. Management in Social Work explores an area of rapid change that is central to professional practice. It has been thoroughly revised to reflect current legislation, policy, procedure and concerns, with additional material included to develop readers' confidence and skills in the context of learning organizations.
Published June 2002
The second edition of this popular text continues to offer a thoughtful and supportive introduction to the diverse and complex field of people skills, but in extended and updated form. New to this edition are four completely new chapters, on decision-making, influencing people and dealing with bullies, and information management. The relevance to a diverse range of occupations and environments has been strengthened still further and the references and readings have been updated throughout. This book is an essential companion by a highly regarded author.
Published March 2006
People Problems aims to equip students, practitioners and managers with an understanding of the factors that contribute to a range of problems, such as conflict, stress, relationship difficulties and poor communication. It introduces fifty problem-solving techniques, with a commentary on how they can be effectively used in a variety of contexts and plenty of suggestions for further reading. The book offers an invaluable source of ideas and is an ideal companion volume to People Skills. Its generic approach will appeal across a wide readership, in health and social care and beyond.
Introductory Social Policy Texts
Published September 2003
This edition of a best-selling introductory textbook has been thoroughly revised to cover the major changes in British social policy since Labour came to power. The book has also been substantially extended in order to offer clear coverage of the core areas of social policy provision in addition to its discussion of the themes and debates that inform policy development and outcomes. Renowned in its first edition for its deft and insightful handling of a remarkable range of material, this new edition offers increased support to the lecturer and student in the form of boxed summaries, questions for both comprehension and reflection and annotated further reading lists.
Published May 2003
This new edition of an acclaimed undergraduate text offers both a critical commentary on the core areas of social policy in Britain - particularly as they have developed under the auspices of the New Labour government - and an appraisal of the key ideas currently informing British welfare policy. It thus combines discussion of staple topics with original arguments about the new shape of social policy at the start of the twenty-first century. All the chapters are freshly commissioned by the highly regarded editors.
Published August 2002
This revised edition updates the complex and potentially confusing range of theories informing the process of assessment and the practical dilemmas of doing it. It offers a clear overarching framework of theories, each one of which is carefully discussed and evaluated in turn, with the aim of helping the reader to develop thorough and meaningful analyses of service users' situations and needs and to promote confidence in a world where social workers are increasingly having to back up their judgements with evidence.
The Social and Legal Context of Social Work
Published February 2002
This book provides a comprehensive and critical introduction to the relationship between social policy and social work. It examines a range of social policy sectors as they impact on the work of professionals in the particular fields of social work, social care, community care and residential care. Overarching issues such as the financing, organisation and delivery of welfare services, the relationship between social policy and social divisions, and key stakeholders in service provision are also discussed. It is a key text for students and practitioners in the welfare field.
Published November 2000
'...an important addition to the literature, in that whilst offering some useful summaries of relevant law, it also seeks to locate the law in a context of developing social policy and social issues, and to consider the dilemmas for social workers in implementing the legal framework.' - Social Work Education
Social Work Values
Published April 2003
In this revised and updated edition, Neil Thompson presents a clear and accessible analysis of the complexities of discrimination and oppression and the challenges of making equality practice a reality. Critical of the orthodoxies and oversimplications of 'political correctness', Promoting Equality combines analysis and understanding of the latest theory with practice examples and insights. This important book will be of value to students, practitioners, managers and educators in a variety of professions and settings concerned with people and their problems, and will play a major part in promoting equality and valuing diversity.
Families, Children and Younger People
Published October 2007
This text explores the challenges and possibilities of working with asylum seeking children and young people, including the different aspects of resettlement, and development and sustainability of good standards of practice. It is a valuable resource for students and practitioners wanting to understand current debates and support unaccompanied minors.
Published December 2006
Kohli offers a comprehensive overview of what is known about the resettlement of young asylum-seekers, answering social work practitioners' need for a fuller understanding. After reviewing existing approaches, research evidence and current practice, students and practitioners are presented with a new conceptual framework for social work.
Published January 2007
Carol Hayden reviews evidence about children in trouble across a range of circumstances, demonstrating the tensions between welfare and justice, care and control in the treatment of these vulnerable young people and evaluating the implications of the current 'what works' debate within social policy. This book will be invaluable to all students and professionals working with children in social work, teaching or the criminal justice system.
Published March 2007
Social workers today operate in an increasingly ethnically diverse society, yet many of the models that they use fail to reflect that diversity.
Lena Robinson's exciting and innovative text draws on literature from Britain and North America to explain child development from a cross-cultural, black and ecological perspective. Using practice examples to illuminate key points for social workers, she considers a range of key topics from attachment to identity and communication to socialization. This will be essential reading for social workers at all stages of their careers who want to develop strength-based, anti-racist and culturally sensitive practice.
Published March 2007
Cases of child neglect raise complex assessment dilemmas. This book considers causes and effects of child neglect and the personal, professional and organizational factors influencing identification and assessment. Practical suggestions are made to improve practice and the importance of effective multidisciplinary working is emphasized throughout.
Published April 2004
This exciting book offers a survey of the field of child abuse and neglect from the perspective of modern developmental attachment theory. The book opens with an account of the theory and describes the ways in which attachment difficulties manifest themselves in children's behaviour. The following three sections look at abuse, neglect, and compound cases of abuse and neglect, backing this up with empirical research evidence and vivid case material. The final section provides a comprehensive review of attachment-based interventions. This is a clear and compelling textbook, anchored in research evidence and geared in its structure to answer the kinds of questions practitioners and student practitioners specialising in child welfare are most likely to ask.
Published September 1999
'...this excellent book...should be required reading for all professionals involved in childcare and protection. It deserves to have a significant impact on how child and family social work is taught, not least because of the case material, an all too rare commodity in the social work literature.' - Harry Ferguson, British Journal of Social Work
Published November 2000
'...this is a very well-edited book, and nearly every contribution is succinct, informative and well-referenced....taken together they offer a comprehensive, genuinely multi-disciplinary overview of current thinking about children in European society' - Social Work Education
Mental Health
Published March 2006
Encompassing information and ideas from the whole spectrum of mental health services, this text provides a unique and comprehensive overview of UK mental health policy and practice. Reviewing a wide range of adult mental health services, the text highlights examples of successful evidence-based practice and discusses how services can be changed and improved. With reflective exercises to reinforce key messages, this is a clear and practical guide for students and practitioners.
Community Care
Published December 2006
This guide to community care, aimed at both health and social care practitioners, offers a clear, structured and reader-friendly introduction to present policy and practice. It is illustrated throughout by pertinent case material. The first edition was well-received and popular with students and this second edition updates each chapter with the latest policy developments and new literature.
Published January 2006
The second edition of this key text for social work students brings it fully up-to-date by incorporating the latest policy and practice issues in community care as well as reflecting the latest developments in social work education. In particular, it includes: a review of the social work role and values; greater emphasis on the skills and tools of assessment; guidance on risk, protection and support; discussion of the impact of the Human Rights Act and other recent legislation; exploration of issues around funding, regulation and standards and joint working. The new edition also offers greater pedagogical support in the way of annotated lists of further reading/additional sources and systematic use of exercises and case material.
Published September 2003
Fully updated throughout, the third edition of this leading textbook on care in the community assesses its impact on users and carers and the changing role of social services, health care and other professionals. Providing a balanced assessment of the achievements and failures to date of New Labour's modernization agenda it offers systematic coverage of current issues and of likely future scenarios including the impact of care trusts. Strong emphasis is placed on the historical and international context - especially the importance of the EU.
Poverty and Social Security
Published July 2006
Understanding Poverty provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the analysis of poverty and social exclusion covering the definition, measurement, distribution and causes of poverty and the policies developed to combat it. The third edition has been extensively rewritten and expanded to include recent developments in research and policy while maintaining the successful broad approach of earlier editions. In particular coverage of poverty dynamics and social exclusion has been expanded, with chapters covering targeted anti-poverty action and the new programmes developed since 1997.
Welfare Theory
Published November 2007
This analytically cogent account engages with both the philosophical roots of ideas and their application in institutional structures. Offering a critical overview of political philosophies of welfare it is ideal for advanced students on courses in political science, sociology, social policy, and philosophy.
Published March 2005
In this sequel to the acclaimed Welfare Theory (Palgrave, 2001), Tony Fitzpatrick examines the most recent, influential and cutting edge ideas influencing policy studies today. Clearly structured to enable students to make theoretical connections between apparently diverse areas, it provides an invaluable synthesis of the most important theoretical innovations in the discipline in recent years. Comprehensive, engaging and authoritative, New Theories of Welfare will appeal to all those interested in social and public policy, politics, sociology and philosophy.
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