Exploring various aspects of social work from an anthropological perspective, this original book uses an ‘outsider’ position to develop a reflexive dialogue with social workers from England and elsewhere in Europe. Bell, an anthropologist, worked alongside social work educators and social workers for many years. She widens our insights into social work by offering thought-provoking examples suggesting how social work practitioners view their occupation and their practice, and how wider society views them. Blending research and personal reflection to critically examine social workers’ preoccupations and contributions to society, the author explores identities and definitions in social work, making this book refreshing reading for academics, researchers, students and practitioners.

Exploring Boundaries in Social Work Practice: The Space In Between is designed to create opportunities for social work students and professionals to explore and expand their awareness about boundary development and expression in the context of professional helping. The book is focused on the client-social worker relationship and presents a universally understood definition of professional boundaries. Readers learn about the factors that inform how boundaries are interpreted by clients, discover opportunities to explore and clarify boundary expression, and receive practical guidance on ethical decision-making according to the NASW Code of Ethics. Discussion is interwoven throughout the book regarding the practice of ongoing self-assessment, supervision, and consultation to ensure self-awareness as the foundation for maintaining healthy professional boundaries. The book underscores the benefits of clear boundaries and also highlights how unhealthy or unclear boundaries can potentially harm clients, influence professional burnout, and have far-reaching implications for the social work profession. The text features self-reflection opportunities, practice exercises, discussion questions, and case examples to inspire self-inquiry, critical thinking, problem-solving, group discussion, and consultation. Emphasizing self-awareness and practical application, Exploring Boundaries in Social Work Practice is an essential resource for social work students and professionals.

Taking a new and innovative angle on social work, this book seeks to remedy the lack of holistic perspectives currently used in Western social work practice by exploring Indigenous and other culturally diverse understandings and experiences of healing. This book examines six core areas of healing through a holistic lens that is grounded in a decolonizing perspective. Situating integrative healing within social work education and theory, the book takes an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from social memory and historical trauma, contemplative traditions, storytelling, healing literatures, integrative health, and the traditional environmental knowledge of Indigenous Peoples. In exploring issues of water, creative expression, movement, contemplation, animals, and the natural world in relation to social work practice, the book will appeal to all scholars, practitioners, and community members interested in decolonization and Indigenous studies.

An introductory guide with real-life examples on using AI to help homeless youth, diabetes patients, and other social welfare interventions.

This book was written to help social work educators make pedagogically sound, rational, practical, and ethical decisions about integrating technology into their social work programs and across the curriculum. It covers a range of essential topics, from understanding digital literacy skills to ethical implications for technology in social work practice; from technology in the traditional classroom to fully online teaching environments. Case studies, real-world examples, and technology tips are part of each chapter, and checklists show how technology is integrated with the Council on Social Work Education's EPAS competencies, the NASW's Code of Ethics, and other social work practice standards and guidelines. Appendices provide a wealth of practical materials.

Drawing on her experience as a social work instructor in Ghana and field research conducted for her doctoral thesis, author Linda Kreitzer addresses the history of social work in African countries, the hegemony of Western knowledge in the field, and the need for culturally and regionally informed teaching resources and programs. Guided by a strong sense of her limitations and responsibilities as a privileged outsider, Kreitzer utilizes Participatory Action Research methodology to move the topic of culturally relevant practises from rhetoric to demonstration. Social Work in Africa is intended as a framework for the creation of culturally relevant social work curricula in African countries and other contexts.

"'Why I am a social worker' describes the rich diversity and nature of the profession of social work through the 25 stories of daily lives and professional journeys chosen to represent the different people, groups and human situations where social workers serve. Many social workers of faith express that they feel 'called' to help people--sometimes a specific population of people such as abused children or people who live in poverty. Often they describe this calling as a way of living out their faith. 'Why I am a social worker' serves as a resource for Christians in social work as they reflect on their sense of calling, and provides direction to guide them in this process. 'Why I am a social worker' employs a narrative, descriptive approach, allowing the relationship between faith and practice to emerge through the professional life stories of social workers who are Christians. As such, it provides a way to explore integration on personal, emotional and practical levels."--Back cover.