Social Work: The Basics is an insightful introduction to the often misrepresented world of social work. This accessible book presents a broad view of contemporary social work, exploring its roots and its possible future. It dispels myths surrounding social work, addresses media debates, and offers a balanced account of what social workers do. The book argues for a social work that is partisan in support of social justice. Questions covered include: How did social work arise? How and why do people come into contact with social workers? What are the true aims of social work - to help or to control? What is the relationship between social work and social policy? How and why do people become social workers? What’s it like to be a social worker? Can social work cross borders? Drawing examples from the full range of social work practice, this book is valuable reading for all individuals interested in the field of social work. It will provide a helpful introduction for students considering a career in social work, those beginning social work courses, and other professionals whose work brings them into contact with social workers and who want to find out more about what social work is.

This book presents a broad view of contemporary social work, exploring its roots and its possible future. It dispels myths surrounding social work, addresses media debates, and offers a balanced account of what social workers do. The book argues for a social work that is partisan in support of social justice.

Fundamentals of Perinatal Social Work: A Guide for Clinical Practice provides perinatal social work students and beginning practitioners with an overview of the basics of perinatal social work theory and practice, allowing you to identify and promote a healthy social and emotional environment for pregnant women and/or infants. This book covers the knowledge bases of obstetric and neonatal medicine--and other specialized topics--as applied to social work practice that you’ll need to be familiar with in order to provide effective care for mother and child. As a guide for new workers, students, and experienced social workers in perinatal settings, Fundamentals of Perinatal Social Work is the only book to approach the topic with the necessary overview of medical information. Beyond the history and basics of perinatal and medical social work, you’ll also learn about such related topics as: adoption postpartum depression mental illness diabetes Often, students and new workers find themselves overwhelmed with the medical information and technology they must understand in order to function in perinatal social work. The literature that guides the social work practice is shared with medicine, nursing, public health, and others, and the busy student and new worker do not have the time to gather a body of literature to use as a reference. Fundamentals of Perinatal Social Work provides such a reference and illustrates the depth and breadth the field of perinatal social work has come to encompass today. Perinatal social workers are no longer employed only in hospital settings, but work in AIDS clinics, public health settings, ethics centers, and private practice. Whatever the setting, the goal of perinatal social work is still the same--to maximize the potential of every infant and every family. This book helps you achieve that goal.

Provides a superb introduction to the nature of social work: its legal and policy base, the knowledge, skills and values involved, and the challenges and pitfalls practitioners face. This new edition has been updated to include recent developments in the f.

Essential Skills of Social Work Practice, Third Edition presents the basics of effective social work practice and helps students develop competence in assessment, intervention, and evaluation. Its broad coverage explores the counseling, case management, and research skills necessary to implement evidence-based practice in contemporary social work. Part I of the text includes three chapters that address the core foundations of social work practice: how assessment, intervention and evaluation are linked; the role of theory and research in practice; and a chapter on ethics. Part II, in addition to explaining how to conduct sound assessments and treatment planning, also examines client supportive/engagement skills, cognitive-behavioral skills, and case management skills. Part III focuses on integrating these skills into evidence-based practices with common mental health disorders and problems-in-living with adults, children, and families. Case studies, inspired by real clients, are accompanied by a psychosocial assessment, intervention, and evaluation plan. Appendix B, "The Comprehensive Service Plan," is incorporated throughout the text.

This open access book outlines the intersections between social work and the methods of sociometry and psychodrama. Different sections offer essential practice wisdom for both trauma-focused and trauma-informed experiential work for individuals, groups, organizations, and communities. This text enriches the understanding of various action-based approaches and highlights how to enliven social work practice. The chapters include clinical vignettes and examples of structured sociometric prompts with diverse populations, topics, and social work settings to enhance the understanding of group practice, individual practice, and community practice. It provides social workers and other professionals with dynamic tools to improve assessment, intervention, activism, and leadership. Strength-based practical tools are offered to readers, along with guidance for theoretical conceptualizations. This integrative book is an essential read for students, practitioners, leaders, and scholars within the fields of social work, psychodrama, the creative art therapies, group therapy, community organizing, and social activism.