This book has emerged in response to social service workers' vivid descriptions of changes in the practice of their craft during the past 15 years and to the scanty literature that addressed their concerns. Few works have attempted to explore the interplay between the recent broader changes affecting the welfare state (fiscal crisis, cost containment, privatization, etc) and the restructuring of social service work. Yet, it is clear that the fiscal decisions of the 1980s profoundly affected both the context and content of social service practice. "The Welfare State Crisis and the Transformation of Social Service Work" explores how these larger forces have created significant changes for the line practitioner. The greater push for caseload volume in the face of resource scarcity is redefining service encounters in ways that are more likely to meet the fiscal needs of the agency rather than the service needs of clients and the professional concerns of the worker. In short, the fiscal crisis of the past two decades has placed the enterprise of social services at risk. After empirically documenting the seriousness of the risk, "The Welfare State Crisis and the Transformation of Social Service Work" concludes with an exploration of new social service practice strategies that have the potential to integrate the individual, organization, communal, and social changes necessary for effective service interventions.

Transforming Social Work Practice shows that postmodern theory offers new strategies for social workers concerned with political action and social justice. It explores ways of developing practice frameworks, paradigms and principles which take advantage of the perspectives offered by postmodern theory without totally abandoning the values of modernity and the Enlightenment project of human emancipation. Case studies demonstrate how these perspectives can be applied to practice.

Same time, the glaring systemic deficiencies of extant welfare systems-and the psychological toll of welfare dependency--became increasingly apparent, even to welfare's supporters.

Presents an assessment of the historical, sociopolitical, and economic factors that have influenced social work policy and practice in the United States.

De literatuur over welvaartsstaten richt zich vaak op beleidsveranderingsprocessen en de mechanismen die deze veranderingen veroorzaken of tegenwerken. De werkelijke verandering wordt vaak geïnterpreteerd als gevolg van externe crises of als gevolg van de meer geleidelijke beleidsveranderingsprocessen. Dit boek heeft een ander uitgangspunt: de auteurs onderzoeken de bewering dat de sociale en economische veranderingen als gevolg van de overgang naar een postindustriële samenleving de sociale fundamenten van de verzorgingsstaat hebben verzwakt.

The Times They Are Changing? Crisis and the Welfare State presents a series of readings from international policy researchers that examine the effects of the recent financial crisis on welfare states around the world. Provides comprehensive and in depth coverage of changes in welfare states as a result of the financial crisis Reveals how the financial crisis is changing our perception of the welfare states Features contributions from policy researchers and academics from around the world

This third edition deploys its distinctive model of how policies develop to include an analysis of the social policy initiatives of the Obama administration. With more graphics, updated charts, and sidebars to highlight main points, this book explains the evolution of US social policy.

This book looks at the nature of management in the human services sector and examines the prevailing issues affecting both the UK and USA. Contradictory forces affect the act of management, such as the imperatives driving the introduction of new control systems which exist alongside the requirement to cut resources. In this book, contributors present both the problems and opportunities associated with the growth of management in the social care sector. They cover key topics including the implementation of change in the childcare sector; diversity - looking at the ways in which care managers can more effectively serve a growing multicultural and global society; performance measurement; the impact of electronic technologies and telecommunications; risk and safety in the workplace; and ethics in making personnel decisions, managing finances, planning and maintaining key relationships. This will be essential reading for social workers and human services managers, and students in health and social welfare internationally.