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The Routledge Handbook of Social Work Practice Research is the first international handbook to focus on practice research for social work. Bringing together leading scholars in the field from Europe, the USA and the Asia Pacific region, it provides an up-to-the minute overview of the latest thinking in practice research whilst also providing practical advice on how to undertake practice research in the field. It is divided into five sections: State of the art Methodologies Pedagogies Applications Expanding the frontiers The range of topics discussed will enhance student development as well as increase the capacity of practitioners to conduct research; develop coordinating and leadership roles; and liaise with multiple stakeholders who will strengthen the context base for practice research. As such, this handbook will be essential reading for all social work students, practitioners and academics as well as those working in other health and social care settings.

This lively book provides an essential introduction to the critical analysis of social problems and the policy process. It argues that policy does not just have an impact of people's lives, but that people can and should have an impact on policy. Rather than assuming that social policies reflect an inevitable response to pre-existing givens, the author adopts a more proactive position to show how a 'problem' is fabricated and how a particular response to a 'problem' is legitimated. He goes on to demonstrate how the struggle over the meaning and desirable response to a range of social issues continues to take place not only in Parliament, but across broadcast and print media and the numerous internet channels. The book provides students, practitioners and activists with a rationale for and means to read, write and perform policy analysis. Drawing on the notion of policy literacy, readers will be introduced to a range of resources to enable them to further develop the ability to both read (comprehend), write (create, design, produce) and perform (influence and shape) policies. The book is illustrated throughout with examples from historical and contemporary representations of social problems and local, national and global policy making and practice. Each section will make reference to a toolkit that tutors, student and activists can access to help inform their practice. Presented in an accessible format, the book demonstrates that making sense of social issues and the policy process, also means making sense of some of the fundamental questions, values and assumptions of how is / should society be organised and our own role in the shaping of society. In this way the book not only provides practical and critical insights into the policy process, but is also an intellectually challenging and stimulating read.

An essential text for all those undertaking a social work degree within higher education, providing study support and skills development for critical thinking, reading and writing.

As a practice educator, do you sometimes encounter difficulties in supporting individual students through placement? This book is a handy companion of innovative practice to help you through those times.

This is an unchanged republication of the first historical account of the social work profession in Australia. It traces the development of social work education and professional social work in the larger, more industrialised societies overseas before the same developments began in Australia in the late 1920s, and it notes the part played by overseas influence in the subsequent 30-odd years. The book concentrates on the development of training bodies and their courses, the spread of qualified social workers into various fields of employment in Australia’s expanding health and welfare services, and the growth of professional associations and their programmes. The author assesses the occupational group in terms of accepted attitudes towards the established professions. He concludes with a discussion of major contemporary issues facing the Australian social work profession.

Mindfulness and social work values go hand in hand and this book is the perfect guide in self-care for social workers who want to incorporate mindfulness into their working lives to positive effect. Looking after your mental health in your working life is so important so that you can do the best job you can and learning mindfulness is a great way to incorporate this. Studies have suggested that mindful social workers can have greater emotional awareness with less emotional reactivity, develop stronger interpersonal skills, and other valuable skills that are important for a relationship-based practice. The Mindful Social Worker gives the reader mindfulness guidance to not only improve themselves but also see how this can have an impact on their work. In this book, the reader will be provided with practice tools such as meditation and relaxation techniques to help the practitioner to be more present and have a stronger propensity to reflection. Case study reflection and self-assessments are also used in this book to enable any practitioner from students and the newly qualified to the experienced social worker or care professional. This is all done within the framework of professional standards for Social Work education and practice, showing how much mindfulness can relate to the social work profession.

Developed specifically for the social work degree apprenticeship, this book guides apprentices through the unique requirements of this new qualifying route. With contributions from academics, employers and students, it provides a broad and inclusive perspective to build effective working relationships.   The social work degree apprenticeship is unlike any other qualifying route to become a professional social worker. Apprentices have to juggling a number of competing demands, balancing their work and learning commitments, the expectations of their employer and those of their university. It can be intense, high-paced and stressful, and very often apprentices are mature students who may not have been in formal learning environment for many years.  This book has been written specifically with apprentices in mind and by a range of stakeholders, not just academics, who draw upon their experience and expertise to help apprentices successfully navigate this qualification. Key theoretical concepts are introduced throughout, practical advice given and learning features encourage reflection and application, making this a go-to textbook, whether it's your first time taking a degree or you're a mature student returning to study - this is an essential companion to your learning journey, helping you manage your relationship with your university and employer.  

The younger generation—those under the age of 25—accounts for more than a quarter of Hong Kong’s population. A much-misunderstood group, these people have special characteristics and needs, and some are particularly vulnerable. Substance abuse among young people is on the rise, and juveniles make up a third of total arrests every year. Extra effort and attention is required of policy-makers, educationalists and social workers to help this group make a positive contribution to society. This book seeks to promote understanding of Hong Kong’s young generation and offers strategies for working with them and their families towards healthy and productive development. Divided into three parts—youth in general, youth-at-risk, and young offenders—the book draws on international literature and empirical studies from within Hong Kong. Its focus is on action, always stressing the practical question of how to build a new model for working effectively with them. This book will be essential reading for seasoned professionals as well as undergraduate students in criminology, social policy, and social work, and postgraduates intending to practise in these areas.

All of us, as Canadians, are touched throughout our lives by some aspect of social welfare, either as recipients, donors, or taxpayers. But despite the importance of the social network in our country, there has been no single source of information about this critical component of our society. Even professionals in the field of social work or social services have not had a comprehensive volume addressing the myriad features of this critical societal structure. The Encyclopedia of Canadian Social Work fills this need. Over five hundred topics important to Canadian social work are covered, written by a highly diverse group of social workers covering all aspects of the field and all areas of the country. Practitioners, policy makers, academics, social advocates, researchers, students, and administrators present a rich overview of the complexity and diversity of social work and social welfare as it exists in Canada. The principal finding from this project underscores the long-held perception that there is a Canadian model of social work that is unique and stands as a useful model to other countries. The Encyclopedia of Canadian Social Work will be an important source of information, both to Canadians and to interested groups around the world. The Encyclopedia of Canadian Social Work is available in e-book version by subscription or from university and college libraries through the following vendors: Canadian Electronic Library, Ebrary, MyiLibrary, and Netlibrary.

The Routledge Handbook of Critical Pedagogies for Social Work traverses new territory by providing a cutting-edge overview of the work of classic and contemporary theorists, in a way that expands their application and utility in social work education and practice; thus, providing a bridge between critical theory, philosophy, and social work. Each chapter showcases the work of a specific critical educational, philosophical, and/or social theorist including: Henry Giroux, Michel Foucault, Cornelius Castoriadis, Herbert Marcuse, Paulo Freire, bell hooks, Joan Tronto, Iris Marion Young, Karl Marx, Antonio Gramsci, and many others, to elucidate the ways in which their key pedagogic concepts can be applied to specific aspects of social work education and practice. The text exhibits a range of research-based approaches to educating social work practitioners as agents of social change. It provides a robust, and much needed, alternative paradigm to the technique-driven 'conservative revolution' currently being fostered by neoliberalism in both social work education and practice. The volume will be instructive for social work educators who aim to teach for social change, by assisting students to develop counter-hegemonic practices of resistance and agency, and reflecting on the pedagogic role of social work practice more widely. The volume holds relevance for both postgraduate and undergraduate/qualifying social work and human services courses around the world.