Social Work Education Research And Practice

This book addresses a range of key issues concerning social work education, research and practice in India and Australia from a cross-cultural perspective. The respective chapters focus on specific areas of social work regarding e.g. the status and recognition of the profession, regulatory mechanisms, roles and functions of social workers in different settings, and issues and challenges faced by the social work community. The book shares valuable perspectives to help understand the culturally sensitive practice of social work in various socio-cultural, economic and political contexts in both countries. Given the scope of its coverage, the book is of interest to scholars, students and professionals working in the areas of social work, social development and social policy practice.

Issues Around Aligning Theory, Research and Practice in Social Work Education provides a reflection on social work education with a slant towards an Afrocentric approach, aiming to facilitate strong reflective thinking and to address local realities about social work education on the African continent as well as in broader global contexts. This volume focuses on issues around aligning theory, research and practice in social work education. A significant contribution is made here to the scholarly understanding of opportunities to sustain the academic discourse on social work education. Social work as a profession and a social science discipline is dynamic, and it ought to meet the challenges of the realities of the societies in which it serves, given the history of the changing society of South Africa from apartheid to democracy. Over the years, social work education and training has undergone tremendous curricular changes with the enactment of the White Paper for Social Welfare and the national review, respectively, by the South African Council for Social Services Professions (SACSSP) and the Council on Higher Education (CHE) for the re-accreditation of all Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programmes in South Africa fulfilling the prescripts of the Higher Education Act (No. 101 of 1997, as amended) and Social Service Professions Act (No. 110 of 1978). It is worth mentioning that the curricular changes will also continue with the current reviewing of Social Service Professions Act (No. 110 of 1978), as amended, which is underway in South Africa. This book is really ground-breaking! The Afrocentric perspective on social work practice contributes to the current discourse on decolonisation of social work teaching and practice. From a methodological perspective, the book is premised on multi-, inter- and trans-disciplining in social sciences. It covers aspects of social work education and practice through research (narrative, qualitative, African methodology, secondary data analysis, etc.), engendering values and ethics, report writing, supervision in fieldwork as well as exchange programmes and international service-learning, addressing a number of concepts such as cultural competency, cultural awareness and sensitivity are addressed.

`This is a very useful introductory text...it is well structured, has a very accessible style, and guides students through exercises that are relevant and appropriate. The book is unique in that it goes beyond general textbooks and I will be very happy to recommend it to my students' - Beth Humphries, Reader in Social Work, Lancaster University The role of research in social work has become increasingly critical and relevant to training and practice. Social Work Research has been designed to address this and to demonstrate the importance of research for improving social work practice. Written in an engaging and accessible style, the book explains the links between practice, knowledge and research. It succeeds in bridging the gap between theory and reality by discussing a range of research paradigms and placing them in the context of professional social work. It also goes beyond other textbooks to discuss the political and ethical contexts that are intrinsic to social work practice. Other key features of the book include: · Fulfills QAA benchmarks in social work training - social work research is a required topic on undergraduate degrees. · Addresses topical issues such as the need for evidence-based practice and an awareness of ethics. · International in scope - draws upon international literature · Grounded in 'real-life' research through case studies · User-friendly and student-focused, it includes student exercises and further reading sections. Social Work Research will prove an invaluable resource for students, researchers and trainees undertaking research in social work.

During recent decades a strong interest has grown in actively involving service users in social work education, research and policy development. Drawing on a major European Social Fund project, this book presents an overview of inspiring collaborative models that have proven their efficacy and sustainability. Contributions from service users, lecturers and researchers from across Europe provide detailed case studies of good practice, exploring the value framework behind the model and considering their added value from a user, teacher and student perspective. The book concludes with a series of reflective chapters, considering key issues and ethical dilemmas.

While blatant forms of racism and discrimination have largely been condemned in our society, systematic oppression and racism can be manifested in a less obvious form, as 'microaggressions'. The term, originally developed in the 1970s by Chester Peirce to describe the ways in which Black people were "put down" by their White counterparts, has since been expanded to describe both conscious and unconscious acts that reflect superiority, hostility, and racially inflicted insults and demeanors to marginalized groups of people. This book provides a platform for social work researchers, scholars, and practitioners to present their research, ideas, and practices pertaining to ways in which microaggressions and other subtle, but lethal forms of discrimination impact marginalized populations within social work and human services. Contributors discuss the impact of microaggressions in social work as they relate to race; gender and gender expression; sexual orientation; class; and spirituality. The book also examines curriculum, pedagogy, and the academic climate as targets for intervention in social work education. This book was originally published as a series of special issues of the Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work.

Excellent social work education and training is vital for ensuring best practice, and it is important to understand the key approaches and methods in order to provide the best teaching and ensure effective learning. This volume provides an overview of social work education, including the background and current context. It covers the key debates surrounding social work education, such as the evaluation of social work education, the use of IT, research-mindedness, and the effectiveness of interdisciplinary education. The book also offers guidance on effective teaching and learning approaches tailored to the needs of social work educators, covering teaching within a higher education institution, on student practice placements, and in post-qualifying settings. This will be an indispensable text for educators and trainers in the field of social work.

Thisátext bridges the gap by offering learning activities that can be worked in both settings. The book is divided into four main parts that accounts for the major areas of social work practice. Part I covers the foundations of practice, including self awareness and knowing and learning about the community within one will practice. The second part deals with direct practice and covers individual assessment and group work. The third part focuses on agency practice and finally the last part covers special issues for consideration, including multicultural practice, law-informed practice, ethics, specialist and comparative practice.

"The 9th edition of School Social Work: Practice, Policy and Research marks the further development of school social work as a social work specialization, as well as this venerable textbook itself. American school social work is well into its second century now, and despite ever-present concerns about limited resources, budgets, and school social worker: student ratios, school social work continues to grow, both in the U.S. and internationally. Throughout the U.S. and globally, school social work is becoming increasingly essential to the educational process as families and communities strive to make schools safe and inclusive places for children to learn, to grow, and to flourish. This 9th edition strives to reflect how school social work practice in the third decade of the 21st century effectively impacts academic, behavioral, and social outcomes for youth and the school communities they serve"--