An Introduction to Using Theory in Social Work Practice equips the reader to use fourteen key social work theories to guide each phase of the planned change process, from engagement through to evaluation. Suitable for a generalist approach, this book illustrates the value of applying theory to practice in a variety of social work roles, across diverse fields and facing assorted challenges. The first section provides a practical foundation for beginning to use theory in your social work practice. Section two looks at how you can translate and integrate fourteen theories commonly found in social work across each phase of the planned change process. The theories discussed are: behavioural, interpretive anthropology, psychodynamic, evolutionary biology, cognitive, symbolic interactionism, strengths, social constructionism exchange economics, role, ecological, critical, feminist, and systems theory. The final section addresses some key issues for real life social work practice, including common barriers to using theory in practice, the potential for multi-professional communication and theory-sharing, and developing an integrative theoretical model for your own personal practice. Linking to core competencies identified by the Council of Social Work Education, this text supports social work students and practitioners in developing vital skills, including critical thinking, applying theory and the effective use of the planned change process.

Social work is rooted in the values of service, social justice, and strong interpersonal relationships, but as the profession evolves, so must the approach to education. Michael E. Sherr and Johnny M. Jones have created an introductory textbook written for the future of social work. The second edition integrates the knowledge of practice, policy, research, HBSE, and field work with the skills and practice behaviors necessary for students to become fully competent social workers by the time they graduate. Students are introduced to social work through a "Why We Do, What We Do" model that emphasizes how and why social workers commit to their careers. 41 case vignettes, 16 of which are new, engage students and present a clear picture of the profession to help them become invested in enhancing and restoring the well-being of individuals, groups, and communities. Visit www.oup-arc.com for student and instructor resources.

Help your students make the best starts in their careers as a Social Worker. Covering everything they need to know in their first year and beyond, this very practical book will guide them through their degree and into practice. Packed full of case studies, activities and tools for real-life practice, it will: Help students get to grips with and build the essential knowledge and skills base Support them to develop a range of tools for practice with different service user groups Develop their critical thinking and help them to apply their learning in practice Provide them with a springboard for further learning and development.

Introduction to Social Work Practice orients the students to the role of the professional social worker. The first chapter delineates the differences between being a good friend and being a good clinician in terms of social/emotional factors, professionalism, and self-disclosure. The second chapter covers techniques for building a trusting working environment that is conducive to processing sensitive issues along with an overview of key therapeutic communication skills. The remaining five chapters detail an easy-to-remember five-step problem-solving model to guide the clinical process: 1. Assessment, 2. Goal, 3. Objectives, 4. Activation, 5. Termination. Key features include: - role-play exercises - brief essay and response questions to build and test key communication skills - discussion points - glossary of terms - diagrams and charts that graphically represent the flow of the helping process. The workbook presumes no prior clinical experience and uses no technical psychological jargon. It teaches fundamental communication skills while emphasizing key social work values, ethics, and issues of multicultural populations and diversity throughout.

The Social Work Practitioner: An Introduction to Fundamentals of the Social Work Profession emphasizes the practical over the theoretical to give students a deep understanding of fundamental concepts of the social work profession. Organized into four primary sections, it begins with a realistic examination of the social work profession. Students then learn about the practice of social work, the importance of cultural competence, and strategies for serving various client populations. Specific chapters are devoted to topics such as the goals and roles of social work, specializations within the field, professional ethics, and the role of one's own race or ethnicity in achieving cultural competence. The book also discusses poverty and at-risk communities, working with older adults and children, and the future of the social work profession. Each chapter frames the instructional content with learning objectives that help students read with focus and attention, exercises that allow them to apply what they read, and scenarios that bring the concepts to life. Foundational in coverage, and thoughtful in approach The Social Work Practitioner is well-suited to introductory courses in the field, as well as those in social or human services.

The award-winning Introduction to Social Work: An Advocacy-Based Profession takes students on an exploration of what social work is, what it was historically, and how to be an effective advocate as a social worker moving forward. Built on a unique advocacy practice and policy model comprised of four components—economic and social justice, a supportive environment, human needs and rights, and political access—the book provides a crucial lens for viewing today’s social issues. Best-selling authors Lisa E. Cox, Carolyn J. Tice, and Dennis D. Long emphasize advocacy throughout all sectors of social work, with a focus on environmental, international, and military social work. The Third Edition closely aligns with the latest Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); references the 2018 Code of Ethics from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW); and includes profound discussions of societal impacts on areas of public health, policy, juvenile justice, race, inequality, social movements, and self-care. This title is accompanied by a complete teaching and learning package.

There are certain questions that all students considering social work ask. Who are social workers? What is it that social workers do? How is the social work profession changing? What does it take to become a social worker? Ira Colby and Sophia Dziegielewski bring their decades of experience in social work practice and education to answer these questions. This engaging text gives readers a practical guide to the many ways in which social workers effect change in their communities and the world. The authors offer an overview and history of the profession; introduce readers to the practice of social work at the micro, mezzo, and macro level; and finally look closely at the many settings and populations that social workers work with. While realistically portraying the pressures and obstacles that social workers face, Colby and Dziegielewski communicate their own passion for social work.