Originally published in 1980, this seminal work was the first to introduce an ecological perspective into social work practice. The third edition expands and deepens this perspective, further developing the basic premise that, by being situated within the people:environment interface, the social work profession is distinct from other service professions. The book presents the "what" (theories and concepts) and the "how" (practice methods) to help people with their life stressors and, simultaneously, to influence communities, organizations, and policymakers to be more responsive to them. In this edition, Gitterman and Germain examine major changes to our socioeconomic and political landscape. They restore a chapter on the history of social work practice, offering a view of the limited services for African Americans provided by settlements and charity organization societies. Building on the African American self-help and mutual aid traditions, this chapter traces the replication of a parallel social service system by African American leaders for their own communities. The chapter also addresses the impact of contemporary societal trends, including the global economy, immigration, cultural changes, and the technology revolution. In addition, it discusses current professional contexts of managed mental health care, evidence-based practice, and the professional uses of technology. A new chapter explores issues and processes embedded in assessment, practice monitoring, and practice evaluation. The volume continues to feature innovative schema for assessment and intervention with respect to stressful life transitions and traumatic events, environmental pressures, and dysfunctional interpersonal processes. Practice illustrations offer reflections of today's major social issues, such as AIDS, homelessness, and modern forms of violence.

Social Work Practice

Originally published in 1980, The Life Model of Social Work Practice was the first textbook to introduce the ecological perspective into social work practice. This fourth edition brings the text up to date by expanding and deepening this perspective. Integrating contemporary theory and research findings with numerous case illustrations drawn from a wide range of practice contexts, this textbook provides students with an invaluable introduction to the real world of social work practice and includes knowledge, methods, and skills for advanced practice. The authors detail the theoretical foundation of the ecological perspective and the life model’s emphasis on evidence- and ethics-guided practice, culturally competent and diversity-sensitive practice, and the multiple sources of accountability that social workers face. The text features an extensive discussion of the principles of trauma-informed practice and their implications for social work practice. Its discussion of cultural competence and sensitivity to diversity incorporates contemporary concepts such as cultural humility and privilege, intersectionality, and critical race theory and presents their application to practice. The authors integrate current research throughout the text and provide numerous research applications to underscore and model the importance of evidence-guided practice. The fourth edition reflects the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and the Council on Social Work Education’s most recent set of competency standards, which accredit social work schools and programs. It is accompanied by a teachers guide that provides chapter summaries, recommended teaching methods and skills, questions for discussion, and suggested assignments and identifies where in the text the nine EPAS competencies and their associated practice behaviors are addressed.

While ego psychological theory still holds a pre-eminent position in clinical social work practice, the field has changed in many ways. This revised edition addresses these major changes, bringing the reader up to date.

A practical approach to understanding social work concepts in action that integrates theory and practice In this updated edition of the classic social work text, students and instructors have access to real-world demonstrations of how social work theories and concepts can be applied in practice. The case studies in this book bridge the gap between the classroom and the field by allowing students to discover the when, why, and how of social work principles. Brief but comprehensive topic overviews are brought to life by case studies that apply general theories to the work of social work. Each of the book's nine sections cover an essential area of social work, encompassing the micro, mezzo, and macro levels Highly readable explanations are followed by 3-5 case studies relating theory to the living practice of real social workers Topics include Generalist Practice; Family Therapy, Treatment of Adults; and Diversity Approaching each topic from a variety of different theoretical bases, this essential text allow students to learn by concrete example, experiencing social work concepts as they are applied in the profession today.

An Introduction to Using Theory in Social Work Practice equips the reader to use fourteen key social work theories to guide each phase of the planned change process, from engagement through to evaluation. Suitable for a generalist approach, this book illustrates the value of applying theory to practice in a variety of social work roles, across diverse fields and facing assorted challenges. The first section provides a practical foundation for beginning to use theory in your social work practice. Section two looks at how you can translate and integrate fourteen theories commonly found in social work across each phase of the planned change process. The theories discussed are: behavioural, interpretive anthropology, psychodynamic, evolutionary biology, cognitive, symbolic interactionism, strengths, social constructionism exchange economics, role, ecological, critical, feminist, and systems theory. The final section addresses some key issues for real life social work practice, including common barriers to using theory in practice, the potential for multi-professional communication and theory-sharing, and developing an integrative theoretical model for your own personal practice. Linking to core competencies identified by the Council of Social Work Education, this text supports social work students and practitioners in developing vital skills, including critical thinking, applying theory and the effective use of the planned change process.

A lifespan approach presenting evidence-informed interventions for working with individuals and families Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families covers assessment of and intervention with children, adolescents, adults, the elderly, and families. It offers an array of pedagogical features within each chapter, as well as online resources and review questions at the conclusion of each chapter to help guide critical thinking about topics. Reflecting the current state of evidence-informed social work practice, each chapter's contributors emphasize the incorporation of wider forms of systematically collected data such as case studies, best or promising practices, and consumer-focused data. Reading this book will not only give readers the tools to work effectively with individuals and families, but also develop their skills in evidence informed practice. Comprehensive and insightful, Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families is a student- and practitioner-friendly text identifying the best assessment tools and strategies available for social workers to successfully serve individuals and families facing a broad range of challenges.