-timers in this Practising differently 168 Grassroots youth work study identified some managers as supportive and willing to listen, while others were seen as authoritarian and lacking in understanding of grassroots practice. Managers themselves have limited room for manoeuvre in current policy contexts: they have little time for face- to-face practice, and are themselves held accountable to inflexible targets and financial imperatives (Spence and Devanney, 2006; Davies and Merton, 2009, 2010). In this context, Voice of Youth provides a counter
33 THREE Practising the field Can we find common ground? Talk? Love? Create something together? (Irigaray, 1993, p.178; in Rose, 1996, p.61) In this chapter I wish to expand on the fieldwork story through enhanced reflexive analysis of my practices in Kopčany. Beyond just reflecting on what I have done, a much more fragile account of what constituted the fieldwork is presented, that is, practices of mine and of others, and the ‘in-between’ and ‘additional’ that they formed. Against the coherence that the notion of ‘methodology’ might imply, this chapter
97 6 Practising social work Guy Shennan Introduction: a practitioner’s account Given the nature of social work, with all its messiness, it might be fitting to begin a chapter on changes in social work practice since 1970 with something of a paradox. The logician Irving Copi presented the philosophical problem of identity (in the sense of sameness) across time via the following two statements about change, each of which appears to be true, but inconsistent with the other. 1. If a changing thing really changes, there can’t literally be one and the same thing
This edited book provides a hard-hitting and deliberately provocative overview of the relationship between evidence, policy and practice, how policy is implemented and how research can and should influence the policy process. It critiques the notion of ‘evidence-based practice’, suggesting instead a more inclusive idea of ‘knowledge-base practice’, based in part on the lived experience of service users. It will be of interest to everyone in health and social care policy, practice and research.
Developing reflective practice is an invaluable resource, employing a unique ‘bottom-up’ approach to learning. Vivid examples of social work practice with children and families are presented, providing real life illustrations of the dilemmas and challenges facing practitioners.
Educators and practitioners provide analytic commentaries on course work submitted by social workers studying on a post-qualifying programme, indicating what went well, what didn’t go well, and where improvements might have been made.
Implications for policy and practice from the perspective of the middle manager are provided, along with a list of learning points.
Developing reflective practice is essential reading for students (on how to realise practice in a course work context), teachers (on how to assess course work and enhance practice performance), practitioners (on how to approach specific pieces of work) and managers/supervisors (on how to promote best practice), providing standards for both training and practice rooted in the reality of the workplace.
In this second edition of a bestselling book, the authors’ unique, holistic and radical perspective on participatory practice has been updated to reflect advances in thought made in the past decade, the impact of neoliberalism and austerity and the challenge of climate change. Their innovative approach bridges the divide between community development ideas and practice to offer a critical praxis.
The authors argue that transformative practice begins with everyday stories about people’s lives and that practical theory generated from these narratives is the best way to inform both policy and practice.
The book will be of interest to academics and community-based practitioners working in a range of settings, including health and education.
theory’s salience it would seem, nor of the competence of social workers to apply it. This clearly leaves social workers in a somewhat unsafe position. In this case, the care order was discharged. These two judgments illustrate one of our primary themes in this book. Attachment theory is a shape shifter and there is nothing it cannot plausibly explain, yet its basic premises seem as taken for granted as light and air. The use of theory in social work practice Payne ( 2005 ) argues that theory is used in practice for four main reasons: application, relevance
This innovative and timely book examines the nature and meaning of ‘empowerment’ in child welfare and protection, using the family group conference (FGC) approach to decision making as an example. In response to the growing clamour for ‘evidence-based practice’, the book addresses the central question of how the idea of empowerment can be operationalised and evaluated.
One of the aims of FGCs is to empower children and their families by enabling them more effectively to participate in the decision-making process and by affording them greater control over the outcomes of that process. Empowering practice? critically assesses the available evidence on the empowerment potential of FGCs and examines the implications of the approach for professionals, their agencies and the children and families involved.
Empowering practice? is essential reading for academics and professionals working in a wide range of health, education and social care areas.
