Focusing on what students really need to know, this book breaks down all of the key social work theory covered across a students' training, demystifying complex concepts by demonstrating their application to real-life practice. Multiple case studies highlight applied theory in different practice settings and across issues and challenges that students might face, while self-assessment exercises, practice notes, concise chapter summaries and discussion points help to consolidate their understanding.
New chapters bring the book right up to date and include Relationship-based Work, The Importance of Language, Political Perspectives and Environmental Intervention.
Written by two well-established and expert authors, this is the 'must-have' theory text for all social work students.
What This Book is About
Chapter 1: Introduction and Using This Book
Chapter 2: What Do We Mean by Social Work Theory?
Chapter 3: The Use and Abuse of Theory
Social Work Roles
Chapter 4: The Roles We Play
Chapter 5: Relationship-Based Work
Chapter 6: The Use of Authority and Power
Chapter 7: Advocacy and Empowerment
Chapter 8: Working with Others: Working in a Team
Chapter 9: Environmental Intervention
Past, Present and Future
Chapter 10: Which Way to Look?
Chapter 11: The Power of the Past
Chapter 12: Searching the Present
Chapter 13: Exploring the Future
Chapter 14: The Importance of Language
Chapter 15: Working with People towards becoming Unstuck
The Wider Context
Chapter 16: Systems and System Levels
Chapter 17: Families as Systems
Chapter 18: Groups and Communities
Chapter 19: Political Perspectives
It's All Very Well in Theory...
Chapter 20: The Question of Evidence and the Problem of Uncertainty
Chapter 21: Talk and Substance
Chapter 22: The Limits of Theory
Chapter 23: Current Contexts and Contemporary Models of Social Work Practice
