Providing guidance on how to apply a version of solution-focused therapy tailored to the public service environment, this text also describes a range of real-life situations across a range of settings.

"Walsh's book is not only thorough, thoughtful, and clearly written, it is also timely because as SF practice applications with their parallel knowledge bases continue to multiply, the questions Walsh addresses so competently are cutting edge for adopting a SF approach to practice in human services." Peter De Jong, Solution-focused Therapist, Trainer, and Consultant and Emeritus Professor of Social Work, Calvin College, USA Based in part on original research with over 50 practitioners, this absorbing book provides a practice model for solution-focused helping, developed from real-life experiences across a number of settings. The book begins by reviewing the original De Shazer and Berg practice model, establishing a case for change and then introduces a new concept for the solution-focused helper. Case examples are used to demonstrate the application of this new model in five different practice settings: Healthcare Learning disability Services for older people and end-of-life care Community development Services for globalised diverse communities Reflective exercises and research reviews are included for each setting as well as sections on policy contexts and ethical dimensions. The Solution-Focused Helper will support students and practitioners who are already familiar with the basic concepts and principles of solution-focused work and who wish to develop their practice and deepen their knowledge.

Exploring creative ways to implement solution focused practice, this book is packed full of ideas to inspire ways of working with clients which focus on their strengths as a means to finding solutions. Outlining how and why strengths-based interviewing for solutions is effective, the book provides a wealth of different ways to apply key solution focused techniques. With exercises, sample questions and top tips for tricky situations, the authors show how to apply creative methods in a variety of different settings and with different service user groups. Suitable for use with children and adults, this accessible book will offer exciting ideas for those new to solution focused working as well as more experienced practitioners looking for inspiration.

The Solution Focused Approach with Children and Young People: Current Thinking and Practice brings together leading figures and innovative practitioners from different professions, contexts and countries to provide a unique overview of Solution Focused work with children and young people. Presenting a range of applications in individual, group and community work, it puts the spotlight on diverse fields, exploring how the Solution Focused approach can work in real-world contexts. This book showcases a powerful, engaging approach which helps children and young people find the resources and strengths to manage difficulties and make the most of their lives. It contains interesting case studies, narrative descriptions of original practice, programmes of work developed using Solution Focused principles, and thought-provoking discussions of key elements of practice. With chapters presenting perspectives from coaching, therapy, consultancy and education, and applications including learning assessments, child protection, bereavement, edge of care, and youth offending, the book provides an overview of the current state of practice and provides pointers to potential new developments. The Solution Focused Approach with Children and Young People will help both experienced practitioners and those new to the approach to develop and update their knowledge and skills, as well as introducing them to creative and cutting-edge tools to inspire fresh ideas and thinking. It will be essential reading for Solution Focused practitioners and students, as well as coaches, social workers, school counsellors and mental health professionals working with children and young people.

The Routledge Handbook of Social Work Theory provides an interdisciplinary and international introduction to social work theory. It presents an analytical review of the wide array of theoretical ideas that influence social work on a global scale. It sets the agenda for future trends within social work theory. Separated into four parts, this handbook examines important themes within the discourses on social work theory, as well as offering a critical evaluation of how theoretical ideas influence social work as a profession and in practice. It includes a diverse range of interdisciplinary topics, covering the aims and nature of social work, social work values and ethics, social work practice theories and the use of theory in different fields of practice. The contributors show how and why theory is so important to social work and analyze the impact these concepts have made on social intervention. Bringing together an international team of leading academics within the social work field and newer contributors close to practice, this handbook is essential reading for all those studying social work, as well as practitioners, policymakers and those involved in the associated fields of health and social care.

Nursing is about growth, yet it spends so much time focusing on disease and entropy. While the nursing role is expanding into advanced practice roles, and twenty-first century nursing is almost unrecognisable compared to its nineteenth century roots, at the heart of nursing is growth. Sometimes called “caring”, growth requires nurturing, and, while it is difficult to define, without it nurses are merely medical technicians. In the context of nursing, health is about change, change from a less healthy state to a more healthy state and the nurse’s role is to promote that change whenever possible. However, change is difficult; we are creatures of habit, afraid of change, and preferring the illusion of safety with the “devil we know rather than the devil we don’t know”. However, when someone is ready to change, they have already grown. This book combines the author’s twenty-five years of experience in Solution Focused Interactions and empirical evidence derived from his PhD research to argue that Solution Focused Interactions provide a means for nurses, in all domains of nursing and midwifery, to provide care that promotes growth and change in the people they work with, while restoring and maintaining their enthusiasm for practice. This book serves as an eminently practical introduction to how Solution Focused Interactions can be used across nursing practice, making use of transcripts and case studies to illustrate the ways in which nurses can help their patients to grow and change, while also growing and changing themselves.

“Blundo and Simon have successfully outlined how a solution-focused perspective can be a powerful tool for case managers. Their understanding and presentation is based upon practice scenarios that are real and applied...They clearly demonstrate the impact of ‘thinking and language’ and the importance of building a collaborative relationship with clients. Their work challenges the traditional theory-driven interventions that focus on problems and arrive at a diagnosis . They encourage a ‘shift’ to a co-constructive partnership that requires a practitioner to respect that clients are ‘experts of their own lives’...They provide a clear step-wise discussion of techniques and strategies that can be employed working with individuals and families in case management settings. This book is a must read.” -Lawrence T. Force, PhD. LCSW-R Professor of Psychology, Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY From the Foreword Solution-focused practice is a paradigm that stresses client abilities, strengths, and individual goals rather than disability. Written by a team of educator/practitioners noted for their expertise in solution-focused therapy, this “how-to” text for social work, counseling, and psychology students guides current and future case managers in learning this strengths-based, collaborative approach to case management. It discusses both the philosophical basis for solution-focused casework and demonstrates how it is ideally suited for the case management process. The book is based on teaching materials the authors have developed and used in their classes and workshops with undergraduate and graduate students and professionals. The text incorporates new research and theoretical developments in solution-focused therapy as well as actual practice scenarios demonstrating the process of building a collaborative relationship with individual clients and families. Replete with strategies and tools for practicing solution-focused case management, the text describes such essential skills as identifying goals, monitoring progress, working with other agencies, and transitioning out of treatment. It discusses issues related to ethical practice and presents strategies for self-care. Additionally, the book addresses diversity and social justice and their relationships to solution-focused practice. Student exercises help to reinforce knowledge. The text will assist case managers in a variety of settings—hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, community-based mental health agencies, schools, prisons, court systems, and shelters for the homeless and victims of domestic violence—to partner with their clients towards finding strengths-based and solution-focused approaches to resolving issues in a positive way. Key Features: Authored by noted experts in solution-focused education and practice Facilitates a reframing of casework and case management around client strengths and resources Provides specific case examples that allow readers to troubleshoot and apply solution-focused principles to practice Includes student exercises throughout the book