Are you a social work student looking to understand how the law, ethics and social policy interrelate in practice? Then look no further! Whether you a student or Newly Qualified Social Worker working with children and families or adults at risk of harm, this practical guide will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to fulfil your professional responsibilities and practice with confidence. This book covers all the areas of law you need to know: social work with children and families, vulnerable adults and social issues such as welfare and homelessness. Each section concludes with a discussion of how social policy and ethics relate to each area of social work law. This gives real-world context to what you have learnt, alongside thought boxes, exercises and case studies in each chapter to further encourage reflection and put theory into practice.

Law and ethics are two vital aspects of social work – all social workers need to practise according to the law and their codes of ethics and conduct. However, the relationship between the law and social work values and ethics is not without its tensions and this book takes a problem-based approach to explore the dilemmas and challenges that can arise. The first part of the book sets out frameworks for thinking about the law and ethics, and how they relate to social work. It also introduces some of the big philosophical and sociological questions about the purposes of law and of ethics and how they relate to society more generally. In the second part, the book explores a series of areas where profound dilemmas arise – such as end-of-life decisions, respecting peoples’ choices but ensuring their safety and that of others, responsibility and blame, making allowance for different cultural traditions and breaking confidentiality. In each of the problem-based chapters, this accessible text: outlines the relevant law discusses court judgments in leading cases considers the implications of different ethical frameworks pulls out key ethical questions and challenges for social work. Social Work, Law and Ethics highlights what the law says and what it offers, what ethical principles are at stake, and what these imply for social work policy and practice. In this way, it uses real-life scenarios to analyse the dynamic interactions of social work, law and ethics. It is essential reading for all social work students.

How do social workers in the UK legal context act ethically? What do we understand by ethics and how does social work law relate to it? Social work practice in all countries incorporates a clear, unstinting commitment to social justice, but what is social justice? Using an applied, practice-based and refreshingly ′real′ approach, this text bridges the gap between law and ethics. Each chapter opens with a case study which considers ethical dilemmas in real life practice. Chapters have been designed to help students strengthen their critical reflection skills, encouraging consideration of the legal and ethical dimensions of social work generally and in personal practice. Topics such as care proceedings, adoption, community care, youth justice, mental capacity and accountability explore how understanding and application are equally important.

An understanding of social policy is vital for engaging practically with social work values, and dealing with political and ethical questions about responsibility, rights and our understanding of ‘the good society’. This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to social policy, tailored to the needs of a social work audience. The new edition of this popular and accessible text analyses current policies and policy themes relevant to social work, and locates them in the context of fundamental social policy principles and debates. It discusses the nature of social policy and its relationship to social work, and covers essential themes such as: - service user participation and involvement - the balance between individual, societal and state responsibility for people’s wellbeing - the interactions of the state, the private sector, voluntary organisations and the family - the relationships between needs, rights and choices - the purposes and challenges of professional social work - the meanings of ‘equality’, ‘prevention’ and ‘personalisation’. Each chapter ends with activities for reflection and analysis, and suggestions for further reading. Social Work and Social Policy is invaluable for students undertaking social work qualifying courses, all of whom are required to demonstrate an understanding of the social policy contexts of practice.

Social Workers Affecting Social Policy is the first book to undertake a cross-national study of social worker engagement in social-policy formulation processes. At its core, it asks how social workers influence social policy in various national settings. It offers insights into social worker involvement in policy change, the social work discourse, and education in different countries. It will be of interest to social work practitioners, students, educators, and researchers, as well as to social-policy scholars.

The second edition of Social Work Policy Practice: Changing Our Community, Nation, and the World demystifies policymaking for social work students and demonstrates why policy practice is a critical dimension of social work. The text provides a comprehensive introduction to political advocacy, the political process, and how laws are enacted to inspire social work students to enter the field with a mind for political advocacy and social justice. The book is divided into three parts. In Part I, students learn a brief history of social welfare legislation in the United States and the role of social workers in policy development. Part II provides concrete information on how policies become law. It includes an overview of the levels and branches of government, in-depth descriptions of the policy change process, and various strategies advocates employ to enact change. Part III consists of real-world stories of advocates and advocacy organizations that have attempted to change policies on behalf of vulnerable populations. This edition includes up-to-date information regarding policy issues in child welfare, aging, healthcare, mental health, poverty and income equality, rights for racial minorities, and immigration. New material addresses policy issues pertaining to gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter social movements. Engaging and accessible, Social Work Policy Practice is an ideal resource for courses that introduce policymaking to students of social work.

Are you a social work student looking to understand how the law, ethics and social policy interrelate in practice? Then look no further! Whether you a student or Newly Qualified Social Worker working with children and families or adults at risk of harm, this practical guide will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to fulfil your professional responsibilities and practice with confidence. This book covers all the areas of law you need to know: social work with children and families, vulnerable adults and social issues such as welfare and homelessness. Each section concludes with a discussion of how social policy and ethics relate to each area of social work law. This gives real-world context to what you have learnt, alongside thought boxes, exercises and case studies in each chapter to further encourage reflection and put theory into practice.