In Defence of Social Work

In Defence of Social Work is a comprehensive introductory text for students, showing how the profession began, how it has changed, and how a positive vision of the future can be recreated. Part One of the book traces the trajectory of social work as a profession from the heady days of the Seebohm Report in the1960s to the managerialism of the 1990s, introducing the conflicts, issues and problems facing social work today. Part Two reviews some major controversies that have beset social work during this period: community care and child protection; feminism and racism; the new social movements and the challenge of radical social work. Part Three critiques contemporary trends in social work and proposes some ways forward. This excellent text will act as guide to inform and inspire a new generation of social workers.