Drawing on the authors' extensive experience as educators, this book puts forward a new model of social work practice that both supports and protects service users across the life course.
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
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Part 1: Introduction to the Framework and our Approach
Setting the Scene
Theoretical Perspectives Informing our Framework
Part 2: Applying our Support and Protection Framework in Practice
Safeguarding, Protection and Support
Enlisting Family and Social Support
Empathy, Resilience and Social Support
Transitions Across the Lifecourse
Managing and Challenging ‘Disrupted Development’
Activating the Framework at Exo- and Macro-Level Interactions in Practice
Part 3: Bringing it Together
Practical Ways Forward for Social Work Theory and Knowledge
Binding our Learning Together and Looking Forward
About the Author :
Caroline McGregor is Professor at the School of Political Science and Sociology at National University of Ireland Galway.
Pat Dolan is UNESCO Chair in Children, Youth and Civic Engagement and Director of the Institute for Lifecourse and Society at National University of Ireland Galway.
Review :
"This book makes an important contribution to how students are supported to think about the lifecourse from both the perspective of their service users and their own practise." Professor John Devaney, University of Edinburgh
"This is an ambitious and important book. Drawing on Ecological and Lifecourse approaches it develops and applies a very helpful framework for informing the policy and practice of social work and the 'social professions' more generally. It will prove invaluable to students, practitioners. managers and educators." Nigel Parton, University of Huddersfield
