Textbooks
Explore our diverse range of digital textbooks designed for course adoption and recommended reading at universities and colleges. We publish over 140 textbooks across the social sciences, and an annual subscription to digital textbooks is possible via BUP Digital.
Our content is fully searchable and can be accessed on and off-campus through Shibboleth, OpenAthens or an institutional authenticated IP. For any questions on digital textbook pricing and subscription information, please contact simon.bell@bristol.ac.uk.
We are happy to provide digital samples of any of our coursebooks by completing this form. To see the full collection of all our core textbooks, browse our main website.
Books: Textbooks
Crossing the traditional divide between social work with children and families and adults, this text applies a lifecourse perspective, within an ecological frame. Based on the principle that practice drives theory, a practical approach for social work is put forward using five interconnected themes:
• duality of support and protection
• life transitions and life events
• intergenerational relations
• civic partnership and engagement
• health and wellbeing
Designed for students and practitioners, this text takes an enquiry-based approach using Critical ART (analysis, reflection and thinking). The book features:
• case studies
• research examples
• tips for Critical ART in practice
• further reading and resources
This is an essential, practical guide to best practice in adult safeguarding which supports students and practitioners to develop the skills, knowledge and ethical awareness to confidently address the challenges of adult safeguarding across a wide range of practice contexts in the UK.
The authors explore the current context of adult safeguarding in the UK, together with the legislation, rights and principles that are the basis of best practice, and with a focus on developments in practice following the implementation of the Care Act (2014).
Practitioners are supported to develop their practice by exploring new research and innovative ways of working within the field, while promoting the importance of learning from experience and building resilience in adult safeguarding work. This book includes:
• helpful case studies and examples of professional decision making from experienced adult safeguarding practitioners;
• top tips and models to enable confident application of knowledge to practice;
• tools for reflection to extend the practitioner’s development.
Practitioners must be able to listen, talk, communicate and engage with children and young people if they are going to make a real difference to their lives. The key principles of collaborative, relational, child-centred working underpin all the ideas in this bestselling, practice-focused textbook.
Using an innovative ‘Knowing, Being, Doing’ model, it features reflective exercises, practice examples, vignettes, cutting-edge research findings and theoretical perspectives.
This new edition includes:
• Updated references to policy, legislation, professional requirements, practice tools and research, including around unaccompanied young refugees and asylum seekers, and child sexual exploitation;
• New learning from ethnographic and observational research of social workers’ direct practice with children;
• Added focus on the context for practice, including the role of supervision and organisational containment in developing practitioners’ emotional capabilities.
With detailed coverage of key skills, this book will equip students and practitioners with the critical thinking and tools needed for effective practice in order to promote the welfare, protection and rights of children and young people.
In this uniquely vivid and compelling textbook, the authors reflect on eight challenging situations they have faced in the world of child protection social work. Their candid accounts provide in-depth case studies in how to work reflectively, using theory and research in situations of pressure and dilemma. They cover many common aspects of practice, including:
• assessing risk;
• managing different professional perspectives;
• working with uncooperative clients;
• dealing with organisational change.
Throughout the book, the authors pause at intervals to reveal their thoughts and feelings, either as reflections in the moment or afterwards, and they invite the reader to do the same. Their detailed analysis will allow you to understand why particular decisions might be made, and how you can overcome similar predicaments using the tools of reflective practice. Annotated further readings lists and a glossary of terms offer further resources for study.
The realities of child protection social work can be intimidating for even the most seasoned practitioners. This book is designed to empower both students and qualified professionals to practise safely, responsibly and confidently.
Adult social care has emerged as a distinct policy area in the UK and one which has come under increasing scrutiny by government and other bodies. With the expectation that in future many more adults will need care and support, ideas have emerged about a ‘transformation’ of adult social care.
The focus of this wide-ranging book is on the major themes in policy and provision including personalisation, integration, user participation, the cost of long term care, risk and safeguarding, care quality and workforce issues and is one of the first texts to deal with adult social care as a distinct entity and is an up-to-date source on contemporary government policies, debates and research. The book encourages readers to think critically about decisions being made and about the direction of future policy.
The accessible book will be a valuable resource for undergraduate students in Social Policy, Health and Social Care, and Social Work, those taking advanced vocational qualifications in social care and practitioners.
Social work and social care services should treat older people as citizens with the same humanity and rights as every other citizen. That means services of all kinds engaging older people in a fulfilling, creative life in the mainstream of each community. Informed by a wide international literature, Malcolm Payne, a leading social work author, develops a critical and creative social work practice focused on social inclusion to achieve a high quality of life for all older people and explores how advance care planning allows older people to influence the space they live in and the quality of care that they need, and support at the end of life. He shows how integrated services can provide a secure place for older people, with opportunities for personal development and creativity in their lives and that groupwork should be a crucial part of any service to facilitate mutual support and advocacy for older people and their carers.
This clearly written and well-structured textbook uses case examples and reflective points to illustrate concepts and will be essential reading for all social work students.
