Introducing Social Work

Prof. Dr. Jonathan Parker of the Health Sciences University, UK, is Professor Emeritus at Bournemouth University, Professor Emeritus at the University of Stavanger, Norway, Visiting Professor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Doctoral programme team member at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan. He was one of the founders and director of the Family Assessment and Support Unit, a placement agency attached to the University of Hull and Head of the Department of Social Work.  He was Chair of the Association of Teachers in Social Work Education until 2005, Vice Chair of the UK higher education representative body, the Joint University Council for Social Work Education from 2005- 2010, and is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. He has published widely (over 200 scholarly papers and chapters and 43 books): on disadvantage, marginalisation and violence, Southeast Asia, social work and welfare education internationally. He is author of the best-selling book Social Work Practice (Sage, 2025) and series editor for the highly successful Transforming Social Work Practice series (Sage).

• PART I: SOCIAL WORK THEORY AND METHODSChapter 1: The history and context of contemporary social work (including global social work) - Jo Finch & Jonathan ParkerChapter 2: Social work values and ethics - Steven ShardlowChapter 3: Theories and methods of social work practice - Barbra Teater and Katrina HannanChapter 4: Social work and the law - Robert JohnsChapter 5: Human growth and development in social work - Janet WalkerChapter 6: The social work process: assessment, planning, intervention and review - Jonathan ParkerPART II: SOCIAL WORK SKILLSChapter 7: Anti-oppressive practice skills - Prospera TedamChapter 8: Writing skills for social workers - Lucy RaiChapter 9: Critical thinking and reflective practice - Joanna RawlesChapter 10: Communication and interpersonal skills - Juliet KoprowskaChapter 11: Courtroom skills for social workers - Allan NormanChapter 12: Group work skills - Timothy B. Kelly and Toby Berman-RossiChapter 13: Leadership and management skills in social work - Trish Hafford-LetchfieldChapter 14: Using research in social work - Brian J. TaylorChapter 15: Looking after yourself as a social worker - Jo FinchChapter 16: Creative skills for social workers - Jonathan ParkerPART III: SOCIAL WORK INTERVENTIONS IN PRACTICEChapter 17: Social work and safeguarding children - Nancy KellyChapter 18: Social work with children and young people in need - Melanie Watts & Nick FrostChapter 19: Working with unaccompanied refugee minors - Deborah Hadwin, Helen Guizani & Gurnam SinghChapter 20: Social work and youth justice - Roger Smith & Sean CreaneyChapter 21: Social work and mental health (children, young people and adults) - Toby Brandon, Carole Southall and Steve O′DriscollChapter 22: Social work and disability (children, young people and adults) - Sally LeeChapter 23: Social work and learning disability/difficulties (children, young people and adults) - Emma Evans & Sally LeeChapter 24: Social work, fostering and adoption (working with children and adults) - Lucille Allain & Siobhan O′Farrell-PearceChapter 25: Social work with asylum seekers and refugees - Kim RobinsonChapter 26: Social work and substance use - Orlanda HarveyChapter 27: Social work with older people - Ann AnkaChapter 28: Social work at the end of life: death, dying, bereavement and loss - Sue Taplin and Denise TurnerChapter 29: Working with communities - Keith Popple

The text provides an overall understanding of the role.