The first year of practice can be a particularly challenging time for newly-qualified social workers. This book is therefore essential reading not only for NQSWs entering the workplace but for students on qualifying programmes who wish to develop their skills beyond graduation. This new edition draws upon recommendations from the Social Work Reform Board and includes material on the Assessed Year in Practice and how new practitioners working in both Adults and Children and Families settings can get the very best out of supervision.

The first year of practice can be the most challenging for newly qualified social workers. This book takes a practical look at the transition from student to practitioner and covers applying for a first post and managing the first years of practice, including specific guidance on topics such as induction, supervision and Post-Qualifying awards. Also covered are court skills, team working, report writing and record keeping. Each of these sections within the book contains critical commentary from both an employer’s and newly qualified social worker’s perspective, bringing alive the importance of these issues.

Formal education has finally ended, you've passed your exams and you're getting started as a newly qualified social worker (NQSW). As you make the transition from student to fully fledged practitioner, you'll soon discover a whole host of challenges as you hit the ground running in your new career. This handbook will guide you through the initial hurdles you will face in this transitional phase, helping you to fully understand your role and how to meet the requirements of NQSW status. The book explores the practicalities of starting work in a new organisation and the professional demands particular to adult and mental health services, such as working jointly with other professions and maintaining your professional identity. A range of strategies are provided for staying motivated, managing stress and developing support networks. The authors also explore the role of supervision and critical reflection, and give advice on continuing professional development. This survival guide is an essential support to students, newly qualified social workers, practice educators and post-qualification practitioners specialising in adult and mental health services.

This book gives social workers everything they need to know to succeed in the workplace as they move from student to newly qualified worker. Easy to read and practical it tackles the key challenges they are likely to face.

So, you've passed your degree and have started your first job. But are you confident about translating the theory into practice? Are you prepared to juggle the workload of a busy social worker? Do you have a plan for your continuing professional development? This practical guide provides a wealth of suggestions to help you to hit the ground running in the early stages of your new career. The book will guide you over the initial hurdles you will face in the transitional phase from student to employee. The Survival Guide for Newly Qualified Child and Family Social Workers provides a range of strategies for managing your time and workload, and offers suggestions for finding support, coping with stress and maintaining job satisfaction. Ways of handling difficult situations – with colleagues, managers and other professionals, as well as service users – which may be new and challenging are also explored. Each chapter concludes with a checklist of key points as a ready reference for practitioners preparing to face the daily challenges of their new professional status. This invaluable guide will be an essential support for all students, post-qualification and returning practitioners specialising in the fields of child and family social work in sustaining their commitment to their chosen profession and working successfully within it.

Many students and qualified workers in all areas of social work feel apprehension at the prospect of writing a formal report for a court or tribunal. Writing may be a fundamental skill, but it is one that students and practitioners cannot afford to take for granted. Recent reviews (Baby P, Serious Case Review processes) highlighted the need for clear reports, recording and written communication between professionals. This practical and accessible textbook presents the report writing process in a clear and straightforward way. From methods of collecting and presenting evidence, to drawing conclusions and writing up a final report.

This new text will build on Courtroom Skills for Social Workers, by updating the legal and research content and strengthening the material on recording. There will also be additional contributions from service users and more practice examples, so as to make the book interesting and relevant for qualified social workers. It will assist social workers in meeting their CPD requirements for continuing registration and also offer a framework for short in-service training courses on court skills and recording, both areas in which social workers′ performance comes under the scrutiny of other professionals.

The Handbook of Health Social Work provides a comprehensive and evidence-based overview of contemporary social work practice in health care. Written from a wellness perspective, the chapters cover the spectrum of health social work settings with contributions from a wide range of experts. The resulting resource offers both a foundation for social work practice in health care and a guide for strategy, policy, and program development in proactive and actionable terms. Three sections present the material: The Foundations of Social Work in Health Care provides information that is basic and central to the operations of social workers in health care, including conceptual underpinnings; the development of the profession; the wide array of roles performed by social workers in health care settings; ethical issues and decision - making in a variety of arenas; public health and social work; health policy and social work; and the understanding of community factors in health social work. Health Social Work Practice: A Spectrum of Critical Considerations delves into critical practice issues such as theories of health behavior; assessment; effective communication with both clients and other members of health care teams; intersections between health and mental health; the effects of religion and spirituality on health care; family and health; sexuality in health care; and substance abuse. Health Social Work: Selected Areas of Practice presents a range of examples of social work practice, including settings that involve older adults; nephrology; oncology; chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS; genetics; end of life care; pain management and palliative care; and alternative treatments and traditional healers. The first book of its kind to unite the entire body of health social work knowledge, the Handbook of Health Social Work is a must-read for social work educators, administrators, students, and practitioners.

Offering a unique focus on evidence-based interventions, critical thinking, and diversity, School Social Work: A Direct Practice Guide covers the foundations of working with children and adolescents in the schools. Each chapter reviews a basic concept and then provides two in-depth activities that allow readers to apply the concepts to real life practice situations. Practical, hands-on experiences, best practice approaches, and case examples throughout the book demonstrate assessments and techniques in action with vulnerable populations and help readers to understand the nuances and complexities of working in a school environment. The book begins with an overview of theory important to social work in the school setting, then covers a wide array of topics, including a typical day in the life of a school social worker; skills and techniques; special education; crisis intervention; collaboration and school consultation; current issues in education; ethical dilemmas; policy, program development, and evaluation; and global issues in school social work.

"A valuable resource for all those engaged in post-qualifying social work practice, ... It is impressive in its coverage of contemporary social work practice across the four countries of the UK" Professor Jackie Powell, University of Southampton "The PQ landscape is complex and changing fast, so the reader will be grateful to Pat Higham and her colleagues for this clear and comprehensive analysis of PQ" Professor Mark Doel, Sheffield Hallam University. " a comprehensive introduction to social work education at post-qualifying level. It identifies the key issues qualified social workers need to consider in contemporary practice and enables them to engage in critical reflection through the development of their post-qualifying expertise." Professor John Harris, University of Warwick This core textbook provides an authoritative overview of the post-qualifying awards in social work. Written in response to recent policy and training guidelines, the book will enhance social workers′ post-qualifying knowledge, skills and values within specialist areas of practice. The book will: - Use critical self-appraisal to construct different ways of thinking about and doing social work - Encourage reflection on their practice - Enable social workers to build confidence in their professional identity - Move from competence to increased capability and to expertise - Help social workers to explore values dilemmas - Increase social workers′ knowledge for practice - Promote learning and career development. This book examines core assumptions about post qualifying practice - that values and relationships (including partnerships with service users) are essential to good practice, that social workers will work in diverse organisational structures and that social workers in the United Kingdom should become aware of European models of social work.