First published in 1998, this volume explores the Australian welfare system in the 1980s through the lens of being ‘bushed’: lost, tired, confused and don’t know which way to go. Numerous key factors have hindered the development of Australia’s welfare system along with the ability of rural Australians to access formal welfare services which have frequently been inappropriate to their needs and lifestyles. These include a fragmented and centralised policy and service system for decision making, information, control and accountability, a highly professionalised welfare workforce and a ‘provision’ approach to social care built on the assumption that it is best provided by a network of formal services which are largely disconnected from natural sources of support.

This book gives voice to the direct practice experience of social workers working in rural and remote contexts using Australia as the primary case-study. The authors undertake a qualitative research project, conducting in-depth interviews to examine social work theory and practice against the reality of rural and remote contexts. Practice examples provide the reader with an insight into the diverse and complex nature of social work in rural and remote Australia and the role of contemporary social work. Through placing rural and remote social work in its historical, theoretical and geographical contexts, this work explores a range of considerations. These include isolation; ethical dilemmas when working with small and closely linked communities; climate, disaster relief and the environment; community identity and culture; working with indigenous communities in remote contexts; and social work education. Based on direct practice research, this book challenges existing theories of practice and reframes those to reflect the reality of practice in rural and remote communities. As social work must continue to critically reflect on its role within an ever changing and individualistic society, lessons from rural and remote settings around engagement, sense of place and skillful, innovative practice have never been more relevant.

Intends to significantly extend previous research work on the rural impacts of national welfare reform and position it in a broader context. This title provides a comprehensive and comparative account of the rural dimensions of welfare in a number of developed countries.

In much of the West the concerns of rural people are marginalised and rural issues neglected. This stimulating book draws upon a rich variety of material to show why rural social work is such a challenging field of practice. It incorporates research from different disciplines and places to provide an accessible and comprehensive introduction to rural practice. The first part of the book focuses upon the experience of rurality. The second part of the book turns to the development of rural practice, reviewing different ways of working from casework through to community development. This book is relevant to planners, managers and practitioners not only in social work but also in other welfare services such as health and youth work, who are likely to face similar challenges.

Zusammenfassung: This book draws together writers from various backgrounds to discuss issues that affect those working in rural social work settings, on themes ranging from current issues that are common to rural localities (including those arising from the Covid-19 pandemic) to future challenges. Common themes that run through all the chapters and hold them together include community and place, stigma and alienation, inequality and social justice, and the environment. Several of the chapters include a strong user voice and challenge cis-heteronormative and other stereotypes of rural life by celebrating diversity in these communities. The book will therefore be invaluable to rural practitioners, students studying to work in rural settings and their educators, as well as rural sociologists and policy makers. Colin Turbett was a front line social worker and manager in the West of Scotland for 40 years. He has authored various papers and a book on rural social work, as well as other published work on critical/radical social work themes. Jane Pye is a Lecturer in Social Work at Lancaster University, UK

This ground-breaking new work provides a detailed and extensive comparison of how the physical environment has been conceptualized in social work and other professions, and offers a new and attractive foundational metaphor for social work. The author acknowledges the need for greater awareness and action regarding environmental impacts and the book promotes more comprehensive notions of responsibility, identity, and stewardship that lead to a dynamic metaphor of people as place as the foundation for relevant social work practice in the early 21st century. Why is that a profession with a declared focus on ""person-in-environment"" has been so silent on the environmental crisis? Mainstream social work theory has narrowed the understanding of environment to include merely the social environment, but this approach is no longer sufficient for participation in multi-disciplinary efforts to tackle urgent environmental issues. Transformative notions of responsibility, identity, and stewardship have been developed on the fringes of our professional community: rural/remote social workers, Aboriginal social workers, and international and spiritual social workers. They must now move to the core of the profession.

There has been a rebirth of interest in bringing community back into social work, but what does community social work mean when applied to practice? What are the opportunities in a landscape dominated by shrinking budgets with their attendant procedural and risk-obsessed assessment and care management models? In this accessibly written book, Colin Turbett explores the erratic history of community social work. He goes on to demonstrate through contemporary examples how this preventative and relationship-based model can work for the individuals and communities served, and also provide an answer to the recruitment and retention issues adversely affecting mainstream settings.

Spirituality is an area of thought and practice that is attracting an increasing amount of attention and interest from social work practitioners, theorists, and instructors. This book explores the history, practice, and diversity of faith traditions with which spirituality and social work are intertwined.

Modern globalisation is producing far-reaching changes for communities, regions and nations, and creating new types of social, political and economic challenges and opportunities. More than just being an economic phenomenon, this globalisation is quickly reaching into new areas of human activity, and creating new contexts for individuals.

Workers in the service industry face unique types and levels of stress, and this problem is worsening. Many workers and organizations are now recognizing work stress as a significant personal and organizational cost, and seeing the need to evaluate a range of organizational issues that present psychosocial hazards to the workers. Occupation