Social work with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and families has received scant attention, for a variety of reasons, including long-term historical and societal factors. Consequently, the needs of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children in the care system have largely been overlooked. In this complex area of social work, how can practitioners work effectively and constructively with these communities? How can we better understand Gypsy, Roma and Traveller cultures and traditions, and develop culturally competent practice to inform work with these groups? How can we improve the outcomes for looked after children from these families, and help foster carers and adopters to provide the best placements for them? Will be of immense help to all those working with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and looked after children, including children's social workers, adoption and fostering practitioners, Children's Guardians and Independent Reviewing Officers.

This edited collection draws together contributions from various social scientific fields and explores the mechanisms and strategies that Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities employ to preserve identities and cultural practices in different situational and national contexts. The book has a global focus with case studies from different European nations, as well as from Australia, North and South America. While several chapters acknowledge the power of cultural maintenance in the preservation of identity, others take a critical stance towards those aspects of inwardly focused and self-regulated examples of cultural isolation and highlight the implications that cultural marginality can have for members of these groups. The book is therefore essential reading for students in professional fields such as social work, education and community development. It is also relevant to academics with interests in anthropology, ethnography, migration studies, politics, public administration, sociology and social policy. Many of the book’s themes have a cross-disciplinary and transnational relevance and will be of interest to a range of international audiences.

There has been a rebirth of interest in bringing community back into social work, but what does community social work mean when applied to practice? What are the opportunities in a landscape dominated by shrinking budgets with their attendant procedural and risk-obsessed assessment and care management models? In this accessibly written book, Colin Turbett explores the erratic history of community social work. He goes on to demonstrate through contemporary examples how this preventative and relationship-based model can work for the individuals and communities served, and also provide an answer to the recruitment and retention issues adversely affecting mainstream settings.

This is the story of an anti-racist campaign staged by social workers and allied health professionals which encourages readers to consider their own possibilities for anti-racist action. The murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and subsequent expression of anger, frustration and grief at the continued existence of racism led to more sophisticated and honest conversations about racism and its impact. Social work also started to recognise its own problem with racist systems and its failure as a profession that strives for social justice to have addressed this in any meaningful way. The Anti-Racist Social Worker describe a successful campaign of anti-racist direct action that was staged by a small group of social workers and occupational therapists. The opening chapter tells the story of the campaign from the coming together of the campaign group to the concluding day of action. Subsequent chapters are written by campaign members at different stages of their career, from student social worker to Chief Social Worker for England. Each describes journeys to and stories of anti-racist activism. These stories are about either the writers’ experiences of racism and how this translated into action or their growing understanding of the impact of racism and subsequent decision to take personal action. Importantly, each chapter offers a personal case study and therefore a suggestion of individual anti-racist action that can be taken by social workers. The Anti-Racist Social Worker is a call for action told through individual stories. It shows how those in social care and allied health professions can contribute in a meaningful way to the creation of the change we need and encourages everyone to consider their own roles in dismantling racism.

Understanding how to work with racially and ethnically diverse populations is crucial to effective social work practice and planning, and it will only become more so as society continues to become more diverse. This textbook brings together academics and practitioners, who draw on real-life scenarios and detailed case studies to help social workers consider the many dimensions of working in a diverse society and to enable them to uncover innovative, well-tailored ways to ensure successful delivery of essential services.

Now more than ever the issues of accommodation, education, health care, employment, and social exclusion for British Gypsy and Traveller communities need to be addressed. This book looks at Gypsies and Travellers in British society, touching on topics such as media and political representation, power, justice, and the impact of European initiatives for inclusion. In doing so, it offers important new insights for students, academics, policy makers, journalists, service providers, and others working with these groups.

Grounded in principles and values of fairness and equality, anti-oppressive practice (AOP) lies at the heart of social work and social work education. This book will equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to address the concepts of diversity, oppression, power and powerless, and practice in ethically appropriate ways for contemporary social work practice.