Using The Law In Social Work

A core function of social work is to assist, empower and protect the most vulnerable in society. Every day social workers make difficult decisions in complex and challenging situations. They work in organisations that have clear statutory duties. It is essential therefore, that social work students know what their responsibilities are. Familiarity with law, legislation and legal processes is consequently fundamental to sound social work practice. This bestselling book helps social work students gain this foothold in understanding law as it applies to social work practice. It avoids complicated legal jargon remote from the everyday realities of practice, offering instead a grounding in legally-appropriate, rights-based social work. It covers the full range of social work law, including services for children and families and child protection, adult care law, youth justice, court work, professional regulation and human rights.

Puzzled by terminology, skills, law, or theory? Revising for your placement or exam? Then look no further! This series of concise and easy-to-use A-Zs will be your guide. Designed for both students and newly-qualified social workers, this book will introduce you to over 300 key laws, legal terms, and legal processes in a concise and no-nonsense way. It covers all areas of social work practice - adults, children and families, mental health, and youth justice - ensuring you have the knowledge you need to apply the law appropriately, ethically and with confidence.

This contemporary and creative textbook takes the fear out of learning law, and enables students to apply it to their social work practice with confidence. Social Work Law is an exciting new textbook that supports students who are often intimidated by law as a subject. It helps them remember all the relevant Acts and legislation, and illustrates how the law can be applied in practice. Learning features such as mindmaps, end of chapter tests, and personal reflection boxes provide powerful tools for understanding and recall. It also explores key study skills to help students with essay preparation and taking a social work law exam. Mapped to modules and based on teaching needs, it supports lectures too with up to date content and worked examples to follow throughout. Accessible and engaging, this introduction guides readers through the modern professional and legal context of Social Work, equipping them with the tools they need to be able to think critically and adapt to whatever situation they may encounter in their practice. Whether a qualifying student on an undergraduate degree course, an Social Work degree apprentice, or a newly qualified social worker, this is the go-to textbook for being able to understand , think critically, and apply law to your social work practice.

Trusted for over 25 years, Law for Social Workers expertly guides students throughout their studies and into practice. The authors skilfully combine accessible legal explanation, real-life case studies, and valuable practice-focused advice.

"This is the first book to give social workers the tools to understand their clients' legal needs and rights and to address them collaboratively and effectively. Lyn Slater and Kara Finck ground their text in a comprehensive grasp of the legal system and the inequities of race, class, and gender that shape clients' experiences. Social Work Practice and the Law is a powerful call for social workers to be passionate and skillful advocates for their clients. Essential reading for social workers and lawyers alike who serve low-income people entangled in systems that so often fail them." Dorothy Roberts, JD Kirkland & Ellis Professor, Northwestern University School of Law Author, Shattered Bonds: The Color of Child Welfare Based on the author's innovative and nationally recognized prototype for inter-professional work at Fordham University, this is the only volume about social work and the legal system that is written from the social worker's perspective. Devoid of "legalese," the book is designed to help social workers develop the ability to reappraise, question, and challenge the law to best serve their clients. It aims to promote the development of a more strategic relationship with the legal system-a partnership that can achieve more creative and just solutions to social problems. Exhaustive in scope, Social Work and the Law identifies current national and international trends and legal movements that support and invite inter-professional, critically competent social work participation. The book also identifies and explains the essential knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes necessary for the attainment of collaborative critical competence when interacting with the legal system. Each chapter includes vivid case studies based on actual collaborations that illustrate the application of theory to practice. Chapters also include legal, social work, and evidence-based resources. Key Features: Promotes a proactive approach to the ways in which social workers can use law to promote clients' best interests Addresses all domains of social work practice-child welfare, housing law, educational access, disability law, benefits, and more Offers abundant case studies taken from the authors' real-life work Devoid of "legalese" and written from a social worker's perspective

This new edition gives a clear and up-to-date picture of how the Children Act 1989 is working. All chapters have been updated with the latest case law, legislation and guidance.

Essential Law for Social Work Practice in Canada addresses the need for an up-to-date, hands-on legal information guide that social workers can use as they interact with the Canadian federal and provincial legal system. It includes a helpful overview of Canadian law and the implications for social workers, and a description of the structure of the court system. It addresses topics of current and growing importance such as citizenship and refugees, human rights, family laws, child protection, health care issues including mental illness and youth criminal justice. Other important topics covered include ethics, federal and provincial privacy laws and the implications for record keeping, and preparing to appear in court. A clear writing style is enhanced by a lack of legal jargon and clear definitions where legal terminology is needed.