Mark Smith

Viviene E. Cree

Scotland has changed, politically and culturally, in recent years, with persistent demands for independence culminating in a referendum in 2014. On this fluid political landscape, social welfare can be co-opted towards a wider ‘nation-building’ project. As a result, social work in Scotland is increasingly divergent from the rest of the UK. This book offers a comprehensive, critical and timely account of the profession in these changing times, charting its historical development, current practice and future directions. Bringing together a range of academic and practice experts, it considers social work as it is currently but also as it might be. Divided into three parts, the first part sets a context, identifying historical, philosophical, policy and legal influences on current practice. The second part picks up on current themes in policy and practice, addressing key issues of professional identity in an increasingly integrated policy context. The final part contains chapters on current domains of practice, identifying key areas of legislation, policy and practice. Social Work in a Changing Scotland is essential reading for social work students, offering an accessible yet critical overview of the profession. It will also inform current practitioners to understand better the changing contexts within which they practise, while prompting further academic debate about Scottish social work.

Social Work in a Changing Scotland

This is a book about what it is to work in social work today. This new edition tells new stories about social workers from both the UK and around the world, describing what brought them into social work and what has kept them in it since.

Global Narratives

Becoming a Social Worker

How does a social work student make the connection between sociological knowledge and day-to-day social work? Sociology for Social Workers and Probation Officers provides an introduction to sociological ideas and research and places them firmly into the context of actual social work practice. It encourages readers to develop critical awareness and reach their own judgements about the usefulness and implications of holding certain conceptual positions and shows how social work can be better informed and improved by doing so. Fully revised and updated throughout, this second edition examines sociology in relation to key areas of social work and probation practice, and includes one new chapter. Areas covered are: Family Childhood Youth Community Care and Caring Health and Illness Crime. Essential reading for all social work and probation studies students, this text looks beyond individual and psychological explanations and solutions to develop a sociological knowledge base for social work practice.

Sociology for Social Workers and Probation Officers

This is a book about social workers and social work. It tells the story of the journey into and through social work of people from around the world living and working in social work today. We hear what has brought them into social work and what has kept them in it since. Their lively accounts demonstrate that commitment and passion remain at the heart of social work today. This new edition of Becoming a Social Worker is made up of entirely new stories. It describes what it is like to be a social worker in a range of different practice settings in different countries. While many of the narratives are from practitioners and educators who either grew up in, or came as adults to, the UK, half of the narratives explores the experiences of social workers and educators working in different parts of the world in countries as diverse as Australia and New Zealand, India and Bangladesh, Ireland, Sweden and Eastern Europe, Nigeria, the USA and Canada. The book ends with a commentary, which argues that social work is truly a global profession. Some of the contributors will be recognised as those who have played a key part in shaping social work over the years and they provide valuable insights into how the profession has developed over time. Other contributors, less well known but no less interesting, give a vivid account of the challenges that social work education and practice face, and the shared values that underpin social work wherever it is located. Social work is a demanding and difficult job that goes largely unseen within society. We only ever hear about social work and social workers when something goes wrong and a vulnerable adult or child is hurt. Becoming a Social Worker sets out to change that – to make social work visible, so that those considering a career in the caring professions across the world can make an informed choice about whether social work is the career for them.

This fully revised new edition of Becoming a Social Worker is made up of entirely new stories. Providing a 'glocal' frame of reference, the book describes the personal and professional narratives of a diverse range of people working in social work in the UK, what brought them into the field and what has kept them in it ever since. The lively accounts reveal what it is like to be a social worker in a range of practice settings today and, at the same time, demonstrate that commitment and passion remain at the heart of social work. Some contributors will be recognised as people who have played a key part in shaping social work over the years; they provide insights into how the profession has developed over time. Other contributors, less well known but no less interesting, give a vivid account of the ongoing challenges that social work education and practice face, and the values that underpin social work. Social work is a demanding and difficult job that goes largely unseen within society. We only ever hear about social work and social workers when something goes wrong and a vulnerable adult or child is hurt. Becoming a Social Worker sets out to change that - to make social work visible, so that those considering a career in the caring professions across the world can make an informed choice about whether social work is the career for them. It is relevant for all induction courses at the beginning and prior to coming on social work programmes including all relevant HNC and HND courses as well as preparation for practice courses on all undergraduate and postgraduate social work programmes.

Scotland has changed, politically and culturally, in recent years, with persistent demands for independence culminating in a Referendum in 2014. On this fluid political landscape, social welfare can be co-opted towards a wider 'nation-building' project. As a result, social work in Scotland is increasingly divergent from the rest of the UK. This book offers a comprehensive, critical and timely account of the profession in these changing times, charting its historical development, current practice and future directions. Bringing together a range of academic and practice experts, it considers social work as it is currently but also as it might be. Divided into three sections, the first sets a context, identifying historical, philosophical, policy and legal influences on current practice. The second section picks up on current themes in policy and practice, addressing key issues of professional identity in an increasingly integrated policy context. The final section contains chapters on current domains of practice, identifying key areas of legislation, policy and practice. Social Work in a Changing Scotland is essential reading for social work students, offering an accessible yet critical overview of the profession. It will also inform current practitioners to understand better the changing contexts within which they practise, whilst prompting further academic debate about Scottish social work.

How does a social work student make the connection between sociological knowledge and day-to-day social work procedures? Sociology for Social Workers provides an introduction to sociological ideas and research and places it firmly into the context of social work practice. It takes the issues that sociology addresses and uses them to show how social work can be better informed and improved. Each chapter provides full referencing, so that students and social work practitioners can follow up on primary sources to pursue and develop the most useful specific themes and ideas.

This book describes what it is like to be a social worker in a range of different settings in different countries. While many of the narratives are from practitioners and educators who either grew up in the UK, half of the narratives explores the experiences of social workers and educators working in different parts of the world in countries as diverse as Australia and New Zealand, India and Bangladesh, Ireland, Sweden and Eastern Europe, Nigeria, the USA and Canada.

Viviene E. Cree

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