Social Work: Theory and Practice for a Changing Profession

Social work is facing fundamental changes and challenges.Neo-liberalism, globalization, corporate management and the mixedeconomy of welfare have transformed the profession by underminingformer certainties of practice. 'Clients' have added their ownvoice to the need for new models of service delivery. Social Workengages with the dilemmas and opportunities emanating from thecontested nature of practice. Using a broad range of theories, thisbook outlines the knowledge, skills and values that enablepractitioners to respond more effectively to the demands of workingin fluid and constantly changing contexts. Underpinning theapproach that it takes is the idea that 'clients' are citizens withsocial and human rights which have to be respected. This providesthe intellectual basis for a practice rooted in the ideas ofcitizenship, solidarity and reciprocity, thus reformulating therelationship between 'clients' and society.





This important new textbook provides a comprehensive introductionto the dilemmas and tensions that practitioners are compelled toresolve in their daily work. It will be invaluable for studentstaking courses in social work, social welfare and applied sociologyas well as nursing and health professionals, social workpractitioners and policymakers.