Using evidence from research with practitioners, integrated with wider material about virtue ethics in the helping professions, this book explores important types of virtue that are central to developing and sustaining excellence in social work. Comprised of ten chapters and drawing on extensive research with social workers as well as wider debates and analysis, the discussion carefully concentrates on everyday experiences and achievements. This approach enables the book to avoid an idealized and prescriptive approach by making clear that virtues vary between contexts and individuals, while at the same time clearly marking out qualities and characteristics of social work that are foundational to the development of practitioners and of the profession as a whole. It will be required reading for students on all BSc/BSW and MSc/MSW courses on professional ethics or preparation for practice. It will also be of interest to practitioners in other professions, including human services, health, education and social development or development studies.

Contemporary Feminisms in Social Work Practice explores feminism as core to social work knowledge, practice and ethics. It demonstrates how gender-neutral perspectives and practices obscure gender discourses and power relations. It also shows feminist social work practice can transform areas of social work not specifically concerned with gender, through its emphasis on relationships and power. Within and outside feminism, there is a growing assumption that equality has been won and is readily available to all women. However, women continue to dominate the ranks of the poor in developed and developing countries around the world; male perpetrated violence against women and children has not reduced; women outnumber men by up to three to one in the diagnosis of common mental health problems; and women continue to be severely underrepresented in every realm of power, decision-making and wealth. This worrying context draws attention to the ways gender relations structure most of the problems faced by the women, men and children in the day-to-day worlds in which social work operates. Drawing together key contemporary thinking about feminism and its place in social work, this international collection looks at both core curriculum areas taught in social work programs and a wide range of practice fields that involve key challenges and opportunities for future feminist social work. This book is suitable for all social work students and academics. It examines the nuanced nature of power relationships in the everyday and areas such as working with cross-cultural communities, mental health, interpersonal violence and abuse, homelessness, child protection, ageing, disability and sexuality.

This book demonstrates the central role of ethical character in effective social work practice. Showcasing select biographies of social workers, it reveals how skilled practitioners have developed such core virtues as compassion, love, commitment, prudence, respect for human dignity and a critical sense of social justice through the course of their working lives, and how they apply these virtues in a wide variety of settings and situations to enhance the well-being of the people and communities they work with. As such, the book offers a powerful and inspiring resource to help educators, students and practitioners understand the unbreakable link between what social workers and other social welfare and social development professionals do and who they are, and thereby cultivate core qualities that should be promoted. “Pawar, Hugman, Alexandra and Anscombe have found a novel and creative way to explore virtues in social work by examining the career contributions of a group of social work practitioners engaged in ‘virtuous action’. Their stories are inspiring and they provide much-needed role models for students and practitioners embarking on empowering practice” – Dr. Mel Gray, Professor of Social Work, The University of Newcastle. New South Wales, Australia. "In an age where the virtues of truth, cooperation and “doing the right thing” are increasingly being eroded in public life, this book serves as both an inspiration and invaluable resource to all social work practitioners seeking to reflect on, and improve their practice" - Dr. Martin Ryan, Social Worker, Counsellor/Community Educator, Jesuit Social Services, Melbourne. “The editors are to be commended for examining the virtuous characters of these ten professional social workers. The use of detailed biographies is an innovative and important approach which helps us to appreciate just what a tremendous impact the virtues can have." - Dr. Christian B. Miller, A. C. Reid Professor of Philosophy, Director, The Character Project, Wake Forest University, USA.

Reflective Social Work Practice demonstrates how social workers can creatively and consciously combine 'thinking, doing and being' when working with individuals, families, groups, communities and organisations, and when undertaking research. It discusses conceptual and theoretical aspects of reflective practice and presents a new, cohesive reflective social work practice model. It explores the themes of thinking (theory), doing (practice) and being (virtues). By defining 'being' in terms of virtues, the authors provide new perspectives for improved learning and practice in social work. Each chapter features reflective exercises, examples, review questions and activities to engage and challenge readers. Extended case studies throughout illustrate how a holistic approach to social work can enhance practice and enrich the quality of services delivered to people and communities. Written by authors with extensive professional experience in social work, Reflective Social Work Practice is an invaluable resource for social work, human services and welfare students, educators and practitioners alike.

Ethical Practice in Social Work' provides social work students and practitioners with the tools to develop ethical decision-making and problem-solving skills for the changing world of welfare practice. Through case studies in each chapter, the authors demonstrate how social work principles and values can be used to transform practice into an active, effective, inclusive and empowering process for both professionals and their clients. Exercises and discussion questions assist students in developing their ethical understanding.

Today’s practitioners and researchers are looking, now more than ever, at the ethical issues that are raised through the practice of social work and social services. As such, it is crucial that they are up-to-date on the latest data on how to address, manage, and overcome ethical issues in their practice. Ethical Issues in Social Work Practice is a pivotal reference source for the latest research on the role of moral values within social work and the ethical dilemmas that arise in the profession. Highlighting extensive coverage among a variety of applicable perspectives and themes, such as governing principles of social work practice, ethical analysis of social work cases, and individual and social responsibility in social services, this book is ideally designed for professionals and researchers working in the field of social work and social services as well as academics and upper-level students seeking cutting-edge research on ethics in the practice of social work.

Applying values and ethics to social work practice is taught widely across the qualifying degree programme, on both Masters and BA courses. This book is a clear introduction to this subject and will help students develop their understanding by showing social work students how ethics can have positive impacts on the lives of vulnerable people. There are chapters on how social workers can make good ethical and value-based decisions when working with risk, and how the role of the social worker as professional can impact on service users. Above all the book is a timely and clear introduction to the subject, with an emphasis on advocacy and empowerment and how the beginning social worker can start to apply these concepts.

This reference work addresses the ideas that shape social work. Much of the social work literature addresses questions of theory and ethics separately, so that the body of thought that is represented in social work scholarship and research creates a distinction between them. However, the differences between these categories of thought can be somewhat arbitrary. This volume goes beyond this simple separation of categories. Although it recognises that questions of theory and ethics may be addressed distinctly, the connections between them can be made evident and drawn out by analysing them alongside each other. Social work's use and development of theory can be understood in two complementary ways. First, theory from the social sciences and other disciplines can be applied for social work; second, considered, systematic examinations of practice have enabled theory to be developed out of social work. These different approaches are usually referred to as 'theory for practice' and 'practice theory'. The advancement of social work theory occurs often through the interplay between these two dimensions, through research and scholarship in the field. Similarly, social work ethics draw on principles and concepts that have their roots in philosophical inquiry and also involve applied analysis in the particular issues with which social workers engage and their practices in doing so. In this way social work contributes to wider debates through advancement of its own perspectives and knowledge gained through practice. Social Work Theory and Ethics: Ideas in Practice offers a unique approach by bringing together the complementary dimensions of theory with each other and at the same time with ethical research and scholarship. It presents an analysis of the ideas of social work in a way that enables connections between them to be identified and explored. This reference is essential reading for social work practitioners, researchers, policy-makers, academics and students, as well as an invaluable resource for universities, research institutes, government ministries and departments, major non-governmental organisations, and professional associations of social work.

A framework of ethics and values forms the foundation of social workers' professional identities. Ethics and values should shape the way that social workers practice and how they impact upon the lives of the service users they work to support. In a fast-moving world influenced by shifting policy, tight budgets and changing practice standards, students and practitioners need to anchor their understanding of themselves to clear principles for ethical practice. Ethics, Values and Social Work Practice is a brand new text offering students and social work practitioners a contemporary and relevant introduction to the central role of ethics and values in their work. In addition to a grounding in the major trends in ethics applied to social work, this book also provides perspectives on: How to situate ethics and values in social work practice How to understand ethics as part of reflective practice as both student and practitioner How ethics and values link to concepts of power, diversity and social justice The role of ethics and values in interprofessional and partnership working The guiding principles and ethics inherent in relationship-based social work. The book supports student learning by providing: Discussion points to allow time for individual reflection or ethical debates Case studies based on likely scenarios from practice, with reflection points to help social workers engage with the issues raised Chapter summaries and key points for social work practice to reinforce the relevance of your learning to real social work practice A glossary of key terms as a reference for key ethics terms and concepts. Contributors: Pat Cartney, Jean Dillon, Souzy Dracopoulou, Ann Flynn, Alison Higgs, Mina Hyare , Colin Whittington, Margaret Whittington and Tom Wilks “This is an excellent edited reader providing students and practitioners with a grounding in ethics and values whilst linking these to specific practice and the development of professional identity, inclusion and reflective practice. This book will be an essential reader for those in qualifying social work programmes, ASYE staff, practitioners and academics.” Hugh McLaughlin, Professor of Social Work, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK “This book provides an exceptional exposé of ethics and values in social work practice. Conceptual clarity and critical presentations of contemporary debates are presented in a systematic text. It is written in an accessible style and the content will prove valuable to social work students, practitioners and researchers alike. This is one of the most comprehensive books on ethics and values in social work practice available in the market.” Professor Lambert Engelbrecht, Department of Social Work, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Social Work Innovations and Insights critically reflects on social work education, research and practice. Experienced educators and practitioners offer fresh insights into the conceptualisation of social work, exploring virtues in social work, culturally responsive practice, post-conventional and eco-social paradigms. Creative approaches to pedagogy, curriculum development and delivery in social work education are also presented, in the context of field education, human rights, international mobility and wellbeing. In addition, examples of innovative, applied social work practice are explored including mental health, ageing, multicultural practice, wellbeing at work and the role of hope in crises and service provision.