Social Work: Companion To Learning, A

Description: 'In recent years, social work has been devalued by politicians and the media. However it requires practitioners equipped with key skills to empower individuals and communities and rooted in values which stimulate them to promote social justice. It is heartening that social work educators are at the forefront of equipping social workers with the skills and values to promote a better society. This book will open hearts and minds to achieve these ends' - Bob Holman, former Community Worker and Professor of Social Policy Social Work: A Companion to Learning is an exciting and definitive new book that will equip readers with the core knowledge and skills they need to successfully complete their social work training, and go on to be an effective practitioner. The text takes a holistic and critical approach, not only enabling students and practitioners to understand how to practise social work effectively, but also how to locate this practice within its societal context. Written and edited by leading experts in the field, each chapter skilfully explores key themes, issues, and concepts underpinning social work theory and practice in an engaging, authoritative and accessible way.The selection of topics serves to establish: - the contexts through which social work education can best be understood - the core requirements and processes that characterise social work courses - the issues involved in continuing professional development. The chapters comprise a wide range of key issues, such as communication skills, partnership working, the values of social work, supervision, management, law, and research mindedness, as well as two unique chapters written exclusively from service users' perspectives. Case studies, interactive questions, key points and further reading sections are used throughout the book to bring the material to life and aid readers' understanding. Social Work: A Companion to Learning will be a core text for students and practitioners at all levels, providing the most up-to-date and comprehensive companion they will need to help them progress in their careers. Mark Lymbery has taught social work at the University of Nottingham since 1995. He is the author of Social Work with Older People (2005), also published by SAGE. Karen Postle is a lecturer in social work at the University of East Anglia.Both authors have a background as social work practitioners. Review: 'a comprehensive account of the issues related to social workers' personal development and latest developments in social work practice. I have no doubt that this book will provide an invaluable reference guide for social workers who are interested in the development of the profession' - Social Policy and Social Work (SWAP) '[An] excellent book, abounding with conceptual insights, bursting with research and evidence-based reasoning, and pretty comprehensive in the spread of topics. [It] contains plenty of though-provoking material in nice sized chunks that challenged me to think about my practice in different ways and also made me want to find out more. The range of contributors is impressive and students could do a lot worse than digest and reference their work in assignments' - Professional Social Work '[This] book is put together in an accessible and engaging way, which serves to stimulate the reader by posing questions, and creating opportunities for reflecting on the key learning points of each chapter. [It] should be an essential reading item on the book list of every social work student and act as a training resource to those training future social workers, and those already established within the profession' - Health & Social Care in the Community 'In recent years, social work has been devalued by politicians and the media. However it requires practitioners equipped with key skills to empower individuals and communities and rooted in values which stimulate them to promote social justice. It is heartening that social work educators are at the forefront of equipping social workers with the skills and values to promote a better society. This book will open hearts and minds to achieve these ends' - Bob Holman, former Community Worker and Professor of Social Policy Table of Contents: PART 1: INTRODUCTION Social Work in Challenging Times - Mark Lymbery and Karen Postle PART 2: CONTEXTS The Political, Societal and Economic Context of Practice - Bill Jordan The Place of Values in Social Work Education - Richard Hugman Uncertainty: The Defining Characteristic of Social Work? - Jan Fook Social Work and the Use of Self - Kaeren Harrison and Gillian Ruch On Becoming and Being a Social Worker Why Bother? The Truth about Service User Involvement - Advocacy in Action Research Mindedness - Beth Humphries The Rise and Rise of Interprofessional Education? - Colin Whittington Social Work in an International Context - Steven M Shardlow PART 3: REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESSES Social Work Law - Robert Johns The Process of Social Work - Jonathan Parker Assessment, Planning, Intervention and Review Communication Skills in Social Work - Juliet Koprowska Understanding the Lifecourse - Paul Bywaters Partnership Working: The Interdisciplinary Agenda - Malcolm Payne Practice Learning In Context - Vicky Harris and Martin Gill Social Work in a Digital Society - Jackie Rafferty and Jan Steyaert PART 4: THRIVING IN PRACTICE Social Work in Its Organisational Context - Mark Lymbery Continuous Professional Development - Helen Gorman and Mark Lymbery Professional Development in the Workplace - Tina Eadie Partnership Working - Peter Beresford, Fran Branfield, Munir Lalani, Brian Maslen, Anna Sartori and Jenny, Maggie and Manny, All Service Users from Shaping Our Lives Service Users and Social Workers Learning and Working Together Using Supervision - Jeremy Peach and Nigel Horner Support or Surveillance? Management - Vicky White and John Harris Value Conflicts in Practice - Karen Postle PART 5: CONCLUSION Opportunities and Threats: Social Work in The 21st Century - Karen Postle and Mark Lymbery