Why I Am A Social Worker

"'Why I am a social worker' describes the rich diversity and nature of the profession of social work through the 25 stories of daily lives and professional journeys chosen to represent the different people, groups and human situations where social workers serve. Many social workers of faith express that they feel 'called' to help people--sometimes a specific population of people such as abused children or people who live in poverty. Often they describe this calling as a way of living out their faith. 'Why I am a social worker' serves as a resource for Christians in social work as they reflect on their sense of calling, and provides direction to guide them in this process. 'Why I am a social worker' employs a narrative, descriptive approach, allowing the relationship between faith and practice to emerge through the professional life stories of social workers who are Christians. As such, it provides a way to explore integration on personal, emotional and practical levels."--Back cover.

Ruben Martin is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Kent, where he was previously Director of Studies for the BA (Hons) Social Work programme for seven years. Since his retirement from his full-time post, he has continued work as a part-time lecturer, consultant, freelance practice educator and writer. What is your optimal role in a team environment? How do teamworking skills differ between various contexts and groups? Written by a highly-experienced lecturer and practitioner of social work, this book explores the dynamics of teamworking in the context of social work, whether in collaboration with colleagues or professionals from other fields. It provides a practical and applied overview of the different types of teams that social workers encounter and outlines in an accessible format the core teamworking skills social workers must develop in order to practice effectively. This is achieved by way of specific links to the Professional Capabilities Framework, checklists for self-evaluation and reflective social work practice, activities and case examples. Together, these resources make this guide to teamworking a must-have for students of social work and practitioners involved in continuous professional development. Topics covered include: The characteristics of individuals within a team, including the formal and informal roles they play and leadership. Emotional intelligence and resilience. The application of teamworking skills to working in organisations, multidisciplinary teams, and interagency collaboration and partnership. *** This book forms part of the Social Work Skills in Practice series. The series focuses on key social work skills required for working with children and adult service users, families and carers. The books offer both theoretical and evidence-informed knowledge, alongside the application of skills relevant for day-to-day social work practice. They are an invaluable resource for pre-qualifying students, newly-qualified social workers, academics teaching and researching in the field, as well as social work practitioners, including practice educators, pursuing continuous professional development. *** 'At a time when social workers are being castigated for failures in team-working in recent child abuse enquiries, this book is extremely timely. I am not aware of a similar book which is able to convey the basic tenets of team-working as well as the necessary skills to do team working well. It is an important book which should be on the course lists of all early stage social workers. The book brings together social work theory relating to team work within an ecological framework. Students are given activities to reflect on their current level of skills. Excellent case studies illustrate the issues. The book is totally up-to-date, linking into recent material from the College of Social Work. I strongly recommend this book. I think students will find the material engaging and accessible, but they will also learn much about the essential team working skills for social work.' Ann Buchanan, Emeritus Professor of Social Work, University of Oxford, UK

One of the most respected texts in the field, The Social Work Interview is the standard guide for students and professionals, providing practical strategies for interviewing a wide range of clients in both routine and exceptional situations.

Originally published in 1964, this was an introduction to social casework, that is social work with individuals and families. It was written for students at the beginning of their training and, while intended for the social worker, it would also prove useful to other students of the social sciences and interesting to the ordinary citizen who wanted to know what social work could offer either to people in trouble or to those who adopted it as a career. The book was both authoritative and up-to-date at the time, in a field in which methods of training had evolved quite rapidly. To this its origin bears witness: the preparatory work was done by Miss Florence Mitchell, an experienced social worker and teacher of social casework. The book was shaped in consultation with other practitioners and teachers, including Dr Younghusband and Miss K. M. Lewis of the National Institute whose work had done so much to shape modern methods of training. The first chapter gives a picture of people who need the social worker’s help. It is followed by a brief survey of methods, by three chapters of case studies and by a final chapter on social work in the social services. The book thus combines a philosophy with practical guidance.

After introducing three kinds of social workers, i.e. group, case and community, the author defines social work as a profession. She then goes on to tell what social workers do and give details concerning training required, salary ranges, opportunities for advancement and other vocational information about this profession.

If social work students are to flourish in their careers, and go beyond a basic sense of ‘competence’ in practice, it is essential to develop a sense of Professional Self. This book will help students develop critical understanding of their own social work practice, and the tools and skills required to become a professional social worker. It includes: Chapters on practising Reflexivity and the importance of Relationships in social work Contributions from leading social work academics A focus on building a professional identity through learning and practice The emphasis is on developing your professionalism, and how that journey translates into everyday practice. To help this growth there are further chapters on getting the best from continuing professional development, challenging poor practice and professionalism and ethics. Professor Jonathan Parker is Deputy Dean for Research and Enterprise and Director of the Centre for Social Work and Social Policy at Bournemouth University. He is currently conducting cross cultural research on learning and practice with colleagues in Southeast Asia. Professor Mark Doel is Professort Emeritus in the Centre for Health and Social Care Research at Sheffiled Hallam University, and a registered social worker. Mark′s research experience is in the fields of practice education, social work practice methods, and service user involvement.

Social work is being constantly shaped by external forces such as new information technology, managerialism, increased public accountability and programme risk management. Although an appreciation of how these forces impact on direct service is required, an exclusive focus on them can prevent social workers from genuinely embracing current practice opportunities. Existentialism – a philosophy that emphasises our existence in the world as free and responsible agents helping to shape our own experiences through the choices we make – has influenced the development of social work almost from its origins. This ground-breaking text highlights social work's existential heritage and the existential threats and challenges to current social work practice, and explores how existential philosophy can help direct service social workers find purpose and meaning in their daily practice in a radically uncertain and alienated twenty first century world. This is a fascinating read from one of the leading scholars in existentialist social work, and an essential guide for today's student and practitioner in the application of existential social work practice.