Social Work Skills and Knowledge: A Practice Handbook

Part One: Theories and Theorists

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Theoretical knowledge
Chapter 3 Factual knowledge
Chapter 4 Practice knowledge
Chapter 5 Understanding human beings

Part two: Skills and Interventions

Chapter 6 Communication, observation, listening and assessment skills
Chapter 7 Interviewing skills
Chapter 8 Providing help, direction and guidance
Chapter 9 Empowerment, negotiation and partnership skills
Chapter 10 Professional competence and accountability

APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Behaviourist approaches

Appendix 2: Cognitive approaches

Appendix 3: Ecological approach in social work

Appendix 4: Crisis intervention

Appendix 5: Feminist perspectives in social work

Appendix 6: Motivational interviewing

Appendix 7: Person-centred approaches

Appendix 8: Psychosocial approaches

Appendix 9: Radical perspectives

Appendix 10: Strengths perspectives

Appendix 11: Task-centred approaches

Appendix 12: Stages of change

References

Index

Since its first publication in 2000, this best-selling text has been an invaluable resource for thousands of social workers preparing for life in practice. Written by an influential academic-practitioner, it is widely regarded as the leading book in its field.

The fourth edition has been thoroughly updated to include sections on theoretical, factual and practice knowledge. Key features include:

• Explanation of how theory and practice can be integrated in a Knowledge and Skills
Framework or ‘map’ of professional practice
• Updated case examples exploring issues that have become important since the third edition
• 80 essential social work skills and interventions including communication, empowerment, counselling skills and many more.

Social Work Skills is essential reading for all social work students and a valuable reference tool for practising social workers, social services managers and human service professionals.


Dr Pamela Trevithick is Visiting Professor in Social Work at Buckinghamshire New University, UK and the Chair of GAPS, a membership organisation promoting relationship-based approaches, and psychodynamic and systemic thinking in social work. She lectures widely in the UK and abroad on a range of issues relating to effective social work practice.