Social Work in a Changing Scotland

Scotland has changed, politically and culturally, in recent years, with persistent demands for independence culminating in a referendum in 2014. On this fluid political landscape, social welfare can be co-opted towards a wider ‘nation-building’ project. As a result, social work in Scotland is increasingly divergent from the rest of the UK. This book offers a comprehensive, critical and timely account of the profession in these changing times, charting its historical development, current practice and future directions.

Bringing together a range of academic and practice experts, it considers social work as it is currently but also as it might be. Divided into three parts, the first part sets a context, identifying historical, philosophical, policy and legal influences on current practice. The second part picks up on current themes in policy and practice, addressing key issues of professional identity in an increasingly integrated policy context. The final part contains chapters on current domains of practice, identifying key areas of legislation, policy and practice.

Social Work in a Changing Scotland is essential reading for social work students, offering an accessible yet critical overview of the profession. It will also inform current practitioners to understand better the changing contexts within which they practise, while prompting further academic debate about Scottish social work.

Viviene E. Cree is Professor of Social Work Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Before becoming an academic and researcher, she worked as a social worker in both statutory and voluntary settings, predominantly with children, young people and families. She has written extensively on social work and social workers.

Mark Smith is Professor of Social Work at the University of Dundee, having held previous academic positions at the Universities of Strathclyde and Edinburgh. He has extensive practice experience in residential child care settings, an area in which he has published widely. Other interests are in social work ethics and in exploring the role of social work in the changing political and cultural landscape in Scotland.