Mark Lymbery is Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Nottingham. He previously worked as a Social Worker for many years and is a member of the British Association of Social Workers.

• PART 1: INTRODUCTIONSocial Work in Challenging Times - Mark Lymbery and Karen PostlePART 2: CONTEXTSThe Political, Societal and Economic Context of Practice - Bill JordanThe Place of Values in Social Work Education - Richard HugmanUncertainty: The Defining Characteristic of Social Work? - Jan FookSocial Work and the Use of Self - Kaeren Harrison and Gillian RuchOn Becoming and Being a Social WorkerWhy Bother? The Truth about Service User Involvement - Advocacy in ActionResearch Mindedness - Beth HumphriesThe Rise and Rise of Interprofessional Education? - Colin WhittingtonSocial Work in an International Context - Steven M ShardlowPART 3: REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESSESSocial Work Law - Robert JohnsThe Process of Social Work - Jonathan ParkerAssessment, Planning,Intervention and ReviewCommunication Skills in Social Work - Juliet KoprowskaUnderstanding the Lifecourse - Paul BywatersPartnership Working: The Interdisciplinary Agenda - Malcolm PaynePractice Learning In Context - Vicky Harris and Martin GillSocial Work in a Digital Society - Jackie Rafferty and Jan SteyaertPART 4: THRIVING IN PRACTICESocial Work in Its Organisational Context - Mark LymberyContinuous Professional Development - Helen Gorman and Mark LymberyProfessional Development in the Workplace - Tina EadiePartnership Working - Peter Beresford, Fran Branfield, Munir Lalani, Brian Maslen, Anna Sartori and Jenny, Maggie and Manny, All Service Users from Shaping Our LivesService Users and Social Workers Learning and Working TogetherUsing Supervision - Jeremy Peach and Nigel HornerSupport or Surveillance?Management - Vicky White and John HarrisValue Conflicts in Practice - Karen PostlePART 5: CONCLUSIONOpportunities and Threats: Social Work in The 21st Century - Karen Postle and Mark Lymbery

`a comprehensive account of the issues related to social workers′ personal development and latest developments in social work practice. I have no doubt that this book will provide an invaluable reference guide for social workers who are interested in the development of the profession′ - Social Policy and Social Work (SWAP)`[An] excellent book, abounding with conceptual insights, bursting with research and evidence-based reasoning, and pretty comprehensive in the spread of topics. [It] contains plenty of though-provoking material in nice sized chunks that challenged me to think about my practice in different ways and also made me want to find out more. The range of contributors is impressive and students could do a lot worse than digest and reference their work in assignments′ - Professional Social Work`[This] book is put together in an accessible and engaging way, which serves to stimulate the reader by posing questions, and creating opportunities for reflecting on the key learning points of each chapter. [It] should be an essential reading item on the book list of every social work student and act as a training resource to those training future social workers, and those already established within the profession′ - Health & Social Care in the Community`In recent years, social work has been devalued by politicians and the media. However it requires practitioners equipped with key skills to empower individuals and communities and rooted in values which stimulate them to promote social justice. It is heartening that social work educators are at the forefront of equipping social workers with the skills and values to promote a better society. This book will open hearts and minds to achieve these ends′ - Bob Holman, former Community Worker and Professor of Social Policy

Mark Lymbery is Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Nottingham. He previously worked as a Social Worker for many years and is a member of the British Association of Social Workers.

• PART 1: INTRODUCTIONSocial Work in Challenging Times - Mark Lymbery and Karen PostlePART 2: CONTEXTSThe Political, Societal and Economic Context of Practice - Bill JordanThe Place of Values in Social Work Education - Richard HugmanUncertainty: The Defining Characteristic of Social Work? - Jan FookSocial Work and the Use of Self - Kaeren Harrison and Gillian RuchOn Becoming and Being a Social WorkerWhy Bother? The Truth about Service User Involvement - Advocacy in ActionResearch Mindedness - Beth HumphriesThe Rise and Rise of Interprofessional Education? - Colin WhittingtonSocial Work in an International Context - Steven M ShardlowPART 3: REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESSESSocial Work Law - Robert JohnsThe Process of Social Work - Jonathan ParkerAssessment, Planning,Intervention and ReviewCommunication Skills in Social Work - Juliet KoprowskaUnderstanding the Lifecourse - Paul BywatersPartnership Working: The Interdisciplinary Agenda - Malcolm PaynePractice Learning In Context - Vicky Harris and Martin GillSocial Work in a Digital Society - Jackie Rafferty and Jan SteyaertPART 4: THRIVING IN PRACTICESocial Work in Its Organisational Context - Mark LymberyContinuous Professional Development - Helen Gorman and Mark LymberyProfessional Development in the Workplace - Tina EadiePartnership Working - Peter Beresford, Fran Branfield, Munir Lalani, Brian Maslen, Anna Sartori and Jenny, Maggie and Manny, All Service Users from Shaping Our LivesService Users and Social Workers Learning and Working TogetherUsing Supervision - Jeremy Peach and Nigel HornerSupport or Surveillance?Management - Vicky White and John HarrisValue Conflicts in Practice - Karen PostlePART 5: CONCLUSIONOpportunities and Threats: Social Work in The 21st Century - Karen Postle and Mark Lymbery

`a comprehensive account of the issues related to social workers′ personal development and latest developments in social work practice. I have no doubt that this book will provide an invaluable reference guide for social workers who are interested in the development of the profession′ - Social Policy and Social Work (SWAP)`[An] excellent book, abounding with conceptual insights, bursting with research and evidence-based reasoning, and pretty comprehensive in the spread of topics. [It] contains plenty of though-provoking material in nice sized chunks that challenged me to think about my practice in different ways and also made me want to find out more. The range of contributors is impressive and students could do a lot worse than digest and reference their work in assignments′ - Professional Social Work`[This] book is put together in an accessible and engaging way, which serves to stimulate the reader by posing questions, and creating opportunities for reflecting on the key learning points of each chapter. [It] should be an essential reading item on the book list of every social work student and act as a training resource to those training future social workers, and those already established within the profession′ - Health & Social Care in the Community`In recent years, social work has been devalued by politicians and the media. However it requires practitioners equipped with key skills to empower individuals and communities and rooted in values which stimulate them to promote social justice. It is heartening that social work educators are at the forefront of equipping social workers with the skills and values to promote a better society. This book will open hearts and minds to achieve these ends′ - Bob Holman, former Community Worker and Professor of Social Policy

Mark Lymbery is Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Nottingham. He previously worked as a Social Worker for many years and is a member of the British Association of Social Workers.

• PART 1: INTRODUCTIONSocial Work in Challenging Times - Mark Lymbery and Karen PostlePART 2: CONTEXTSThe Political, Societal and Economic Context of Practice - Bill JordanThe Place of Values in Social Work Education - Richard HugmanUncertainty: The Defining Characteristic of Social Work? - Jan FookSocial Work and the Use of Self - Kaeren Harrison and Gillian RuchOn Becoming and Being a Social WorkerWhy Bother? The Truth about Service User Involvement - Advocacy in ActionResearch Mindedness - Beth HumphriesThe Rise and Rise of Interprofessional Education? - Colin WhittingtonSocial Work in an International Context - Steven M ShardlowPART 3: REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESSESSocial Work Law - Robert JohnsThe Process of Social Work - Jonathan ParkerAssessment, Planning,Intervention and ReviewCommunication Skills in Social Work - Juliet KoprowskaUnderstanding the Lifecourse - Paul BywatersPartnership Working: The Interdisciplinary Agenda - Malcolm PaynePractice Learning In Context - Vicky Harris and Martin GillSocial Work in a Digital Society - Jackie Rafferty and Jan SteyaertPART 4: THRIVING IN PRACTICESocial Work in Its Organisational Context - Mark LymberyContinuous Professional Development - Helen Gorman and Mark LymberyProfessional Development in the Workplace - Tina EadiePartnership Working - Peter Beresford, Fran Branfield, Munir Lalani, Brian Maslen, Anna Sartori and Jenny, Maggie and Manny, All Service Users from Shaping Our LivesService Users and Social Workers Learning and Working TogetherUsing Supervision - Jeremy Peach and Nigel HornerSupport or Surveillance?Management - Vicky White and John HarrisValue Conflicts in Practice - Karen PostlePART 5: CONCLUSIONOpportunities and Threats: Social Work in The 21st Century - Karen Postle and Mark Lymbery

`a comprehensive account of the issues related to social workers′ personal development and latest developments in social work practice. I have no doubt that this book will provide an invaluable reference guide for social workers who are interested in the development of the profession′ - Social Policy and Social Work (SWAP)`[An] excellent book, abounding with conceptual insights, bursting with research and evidence-based reasoning, and pretty comprehensive in the spread of topics. [It] contains plenty of though-provoking material in nice sized chunks that challenged me to think about my practice in different ways and also made me want to find out more. The range of contributors is impressive and students could do a lot worse than digest and reference their work in assignments′ - Professional Social Work`[This] book is put together in an accessible and engaging way, which serves to stimulate the reader by posing questions, and creating opportunities for reflecting on the key learning points of each chapter. [It] should be an essential reading item on the book list of every social work student and act as a training resource to those training future social workers, and those already established within the profession′ - Health & Social Care in the Community`In recent years, social work has been devalued by politicians and the media. However it requires practitioners equipped with key skills to empower individuals and communities and rooted in values which stimulate them to promote social justice. It is heartening that social work educators are at the forefront of equipping social workers with the skills and values to promote a better society. This book will open hearts and minds to achieve these ends′ - Bob Holman, former Community Worker and Professor of Social Policy