Social Science : Social Work

Anti-Oppressive Social Work: A Guide for Developing Cultural Competence aims to improve social work training and practice by arguing that a thorough understanding of people’s values, social norms, and family arrangements are crucial to achieving culturally sensitive practice. The book moves beyond traditional conceptions of anti-oppressive and anti-racist practice by exploring the cultural heritages of some of the main ethnic minorities living in the United Kingdom, and by identifying the many forms that racism can take. Key Features Provides an introduction to the context and history of ethnic minorities living in Britain Discusses the nature of racism Includes individual chapters on: communities with roots in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Caribbean, and China Offers a separate chapter on economic migrants, refugees and asylum seekers Presents a range of practice examples which encourage students and practitioners to identify general principles which underpin cultural competence Critical, yet accessible, the book opens up possibilities for more culturally aware and more effective social work practice. It is essential reading for all those training to become social workers as well as practitioners wishing to engage with fresh perspectives on anti-oppressive practice. more...

Price: $42.95

The importance of 'evidence based practice' in health and social work has been emphasised by recent policy and legislative initiatives, but how do professionals decide which research findings are valuable and relevant to them? This accessible introduction provides social work students and practitioners with the knowledge they need both to evaluate research and to apply it to their own practice. Exploring the range of research methodologies used in health and social care, from randomised control trials to surveys, interviews, experimental designs and ethnographic approaches, Michael Sheppard discusses the strengths and limitations of each and shows the reader how to identify the assumptions underlying them. Sheppard uses case examples from practice to demonstrate how research messages can be applied in a range of situations, from developing social services for ethnic minority groups to working with an individual suffering from mental illness. Each chapter includes exercises and questions to test the reader's understanding of key concepts in each chapter, as well as examples of research articles for guided discussion. Appraising and Using Social Research in the Human Services is both a core textbook for social work undergraduates and a useful resource for all trainers, practitioners, service managers and postqualifying students in health and social care. more...

Price: $36.95

Exposes the problem of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) using alcohol as a coping mechanism to deal with everyday life. This book provides an overview of ASDs and of alcohol abuse, and explores the knowledge about where the two overlap. It is useful to professionals working with people with ASDs, as well as individuals with ASDs. more...

Price: $19.95

Drawing on in-depth interviews with social workers and their managers, and families and young people themselves, the authors of this important book show how the principles embodied in the Assessment Framework have been applied to social work practice. Revisiting the principles outlined in the legislative context and the Assessment Framework, they show how the focus on assessment has affected the work with children, and the experiences of children and families themselves. The authors identify a range of issues that influence the implementation of the Assessment Framework, including the key areas where support and training are needed. They review social workers' and other professionals' appraisal of how the Assessment Framework affects individual practice and inter-agency collaboration, as well as exploring how satisfied young people and their parents are with the assessments they are involved in. Finally, they examine the cost to social services of undertaking a core assessment. Emphasising the importance of a joined-up child care service, the authors' findings have been taken into account in the development of the Integrated Children's System. This book should be read by all those professionals who are working to promote the welfare and well-being of children. more...

Price: $36.95

Asylum to Action offers an alternative history of a libertarian therapeutic community at Paddington Day Hospital in West London in the 1970s. Helen Spandler recaptures the radical aspirations, as well as the conflicts, of the early therapeutic community movement, radical psychiatry and the patients' movement. The author's account of the formation of the Mental Patients' Union, the first politicised psychiatric survivors group in the UK, raises questions about the connections between the service user movement, therapeutic communities, critiques of psychiatry and psychoanalytic models of intervention. In particular, Spandler challenges Claire Baron's dominant account of the subject in her influential book Asylum to Anarchy . She points out that some of the key difficulties that beset Paddington Day Hospital persist in modern therapeutic community practice and, indeed, in mental health services in general. Arguing that these dilemmas require sustained attention, Asylum to Action also informs a wider analysis of the significance of social movements, social action and critical social theory. This book will be of interest to practitioners, researchers and service users in the mental health sector and to anyone with an interest in therapeutic communities. more...

Price: $39.95