In 2006, Social Work Education produced the first special edition (vol. 25, no. 4) on service user and carer involvement in social work education, with all of the articles coming from the United Kingdom. In 2015, a mixed group of service users and social work academics wondered how, and if, the field had moved on since 2006. This publication confirms that it has. Since 2006, service user and carer involvement in social work education has become embedded internationally – this book contains contributions from Australia, Israel, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, the Republic of Ireland and Sweden, as well as all four nations of the United Kingdom. Many of the contributions are jointly written with service users and carers, highlighting the innovative practices which challenge social work academics, students, social workers and managers to think how we can all benefit from learning with, and from, service users and carers. This book ably demonstrates that service users and carers can be effectively involved in social work curriculum planning, delivery, assessment and management. This is not to say that these issues are not without their tension, challenges or struggles, but working with these helps to ensure that the social workers and managers of the future can practice more effectively, meeting service user and carer priorities and needs. The chapters in this book were originally published as a double special issue of Social Work Education.

During recent decades a strong interest has grown in actively involving service users in social work education, research and policy development. Drawing on a major European Social Fund project, this book presents an overview of inspiring collaborative models that have proven their efficacy and sustainability. Contributions from service users, lecturers and researchers from across Europe provide detailed case studies of good practice, exploring the value framework behind the model and considering their added value from a user, teacher and student perspective. The book concludes with a series of reflective chapters, considering key issues and ethical dilemmas.

To become a competent social worker it is essential to know the perspective of the service users. Therefore, service users are more and more included in field research projects and the instruction of social workers to-be. However, they are usually reduced to the role of informants and not actively taking part as co-partners. For the first time, this anthology gives an overview of courses in which service users and students share their experiences and work together on the same level using gapmending methods. The applications and evaluations of these courses in different European countries are discussed in this volume.

This is the first text to examine the principal elements of service user involvement and participation across both adult and children′s services. A valuable learning resource, it draws together information from research, service users, carers and practitioners across both groups. In addition, it gives an overview of the specific knowledge, attitude and skills that social workers need for training at qualifying level and integrates theory with evidence to inform everyday social work practice. Furthermore, case studies and activities encourage reflection and the application of this knowledge to practice situations.

During recent decades a strong interest has grown in actively involving service users in social work education, research and policy development. Drawing on a major European Social Fund project, this book presents an overview of inspiring collaborative models that have proven their efficacy and sustainability. Contributions from service users, lecturers and researchers from across Europe provide detailed case studies of good practice, exploring the value framework behind the model and considering their added value from a user, teacher and student perspective. The book concludes with a series of reflective chapters, considering key issues and ethical dilemmas.

Worldwide, there has been a growth in service user involvement in education and research in recent years. This handbook is the first book which identifies what is happening in different regions of the world to provide different countries and client groups with the opportunity to learn from each other. The book is divided into five sections: Section One examines service user involvement in context exploring theoretical issues which underpin service user involvement. In Section Two we focus on the state of service user involvement in human services education and research across the globe including examples of innovative practice, but also identifying examples of where it is not happening and why. Section Three offers more detailed examination of such involvement in a wide range of professional education learning settings. Section Four focuses on the involvement of service users in research involving a wide range of service user groups and situations. Lastly, Section Five explores future challenges for education and research to ensure involvement remains meaningful. The book includes forty-eight chapters, including seventeen case-studies, from all regions of the world, this is the first book to both highlight the subject’s methodological and theoretical issues and give practical examples in education and research for those wishing to engage in this field. It will be of interest to all service users, scholars and students of social work, nursing, occupational therapy, and other human service subjects.

This Handbook provides an authoritative account of international fieldwork education in social work. It presents an overview of advances in research in social work field education through in-depth analyses and global case studies. Key features: * Discusses critical issues in teaching social work and curriculum development; health care social work; stimulated learning; field education policies; needs, challenges, and solutions in fieldwork education; reflexivity training; creativity and partnership; resilience enhancement; integrated and holistic education for social workers; student experience; practice education; and ethical responsibility of social work field instructors. * Covers social work field education across geographical regions (Asia and the Pacific; North and South America; Australia and Oceania; Europe) and major themes and trends from several countries (U.S.A.; Canada; Australia; China; Hong Kong; Sweden; Aotearoa New Zealand; England; Ukraine; Spain; Estonia; Italy; Ireland; Slovenia; Poland; Romania; Greece; Norway; Turkey; and the Czech Republic). * Brings together international comparative perspectives on fieldwork education in social work from leading experts and social work educators. This Handbook will be an essential resource for scholars and researchers of social work, development studies, social anthropology, sociology, and education. It will also be useful to educators and practitioners of social work in global institutions of higher studies as well as civil society organisations.

Skills lie at the heart of all actions of a social worker, and inform all aspects of practice – from drawing on vital theoretical and ethical frameworks to applying the law and research findings to particular situations. This user-friendly and logically organised text book brings together in one place all the vital skill sets which students need to acquire in order to qualify as social workers. It reflects current practice frameworks and addresses a wide range of skills including communication and relationship building, professional writing, ethical practice, assessment and reflection. his engaging and practical book is essential reading for social work students taking skills and practice modules as well as being a critical tool for practitioners looking to enhance their skills in social work practice.

This handbook addresses the issues and challenges of the delivery of social work education in the contemporary world. It provides an authoritative overview of the key debates, switching the lens away from a Western-centric focus to engage with a much broader audience in countries that are in the process of modernization and professionalization, alongside those where social work education is more developed. Chapters tackle major challenges with respect to curriculum, teaching, practice, and training in light of globalization, providing a thorough examination of the practice of social work in diverse contexts. This handbook presents a contribution to the process of knowledge exchange which is essential to global social work education. It brings together professional knowledge and lived experience, both universal and local, and aims to be an essential reference for social work educators, researchers, and students.

Service user and carer engagement in health and social care, and in the education of practitioners in this area, is emerging as one of the most important new drivers within government policy in a number of countries. However, beyond the rhetoric, there are few guides that address the practicalities of setting up and running such a project. This book is unique in that it will appeal to practitioners, policy makers, and commissioners in health and social care practice and education who buy in to the principles of service user engagement, but who find it hard to know how to progress the practicalities. Based on the set up and running of the unique and very successful Comensus project, this practical and accessible text will provide a framework for building authentic and sustainable community engagement in health and social care education and practice.