This book explores legal concepts, legal reasoning, and legal processes--illustrated with case vignettes from social work practice--in order to provide social work practitioners and students with practical and accessible legal knowledge. It introduces readers to scholarship about the law and to conceptual knowledge that can be applied to any interaction with the legal system. The volume features a discussion of recent reform movements, including Alternative Dispute Resolution, and an appendix of sources for legal information and research on the law.

Essential Law for Social Work Practice in Canada, second edition, is a guide to Canadian law and legal processes designed specifically for social workers. This core text examines all of the major legal situations social workers may encounter-from child abuse, family violence, and adoption issues to health care, mental illness, and immigration status-ensuring that students are well-versed in their own legal rights and obligations and know what to expect when testifying in court. Each chapter opens and closes with a realistic case example and provides a comprehensive list of legislation relevant to the area under discussion. New to this second edition is a chapter focused on adoption law as well as an expanded pedagogical program, which includes chapter-opening learning objectives, chapter-ending discussion questions, and a list of key terms with definitions.

This book addresses this relationship between the professions of social work and law and helps social workers develop the knowledge necessary to practice in a legal environment. The author focuses on how the law affects the day-to-day practice of social work; the creation, administration, and operation of social service agencies; and the ways in which social workers and attorneys collaborate to serve the public.

Trusted for over 25 years, 'Law for Social Workers' expertly guides students throughout their studies and into practice. The authors skilfully combine accessible legal explanation, real-life case studies, and valuable practice-focused advice.

This text offers comprehensive coverage of law relating to social work practise in an accessible format with an emphasis on application of law to practise. Case studies are used to help readers see how the law is applied to fictitious practical scenarious.

Essential Law for Social Work Practice in Canada addresses the need for an up-to-date, hands-on legal information guide that social workers can use as they interact with the Canadian federal and provincial legal system. It includes a helpful overview of Canadian law and the implications for social workers, and a description of the structure of the court system. It addresses topics of current and growing importance such as citizenship and refugees, human rights, family laws, child protection, health care issues including mental illness and youth criminal justice. Other important topics covered include ethics, federal and provincial privacy laws and the implications for record keeping, and preparing to appear in court. A clear writing style is enhanced by a lack of legal jargon and clear definitions where legal terminology is needed.