Critical Practice in Social Work

This social work text is conceived as a complementary volume to "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 an overview both of the practicalities of social work and the principles underpinning practice.

What do social workers need to know in order to practise skilfully and effectively? The second edition of this highly respected text gives you the understanding to bridge the gap between social work theory and the challenges of day-to-day practice.

Critical Practice in Social Work is different from every other text for several reasons:
- Its unique combination of theory, values and practice
- The wealth of expertise its contributors bring to their subject
- The way the themes of critical practice and reflective practice are used to show how theories can be applied meaningfully
- The number of methods covered, in an 'easy reference' structure
- Its in-depth look at an unrivalled spectrum of professional situations, illustrated by rich case material
- Its systematic discussion of professional ethics and values, both as general principles for practice and as practical tools.

The book's simultaneous accessibility and depth make it suited for study at both qualifying and post-qualifying level. Conveying the versatility and thoughtfulness required to do social work well, it is an essential purchase for every aspiring and practising social worker's bookshelf. It is one of three interrelated books edited by the internationally renowned and widely published team, Robert Adams, Lena Dominelli and Malcolm Payne. The companion books are Social Work: Themes, Issues and Critical Debates (third edition) and Practising Social Work in a Complex World. Each book can be used alone or in combination with the other two as a uniquely flexible and comprehensive programme of study.