A Crisis in Care?

This text aims to provide an authoritative analysis of the issues facing social work in the 1990s, as well as an introduction to the state of social work in contemporary Britain. It contains a number of maps, diagrams and illustrations. Among the issues covered are challenges from the state in the form of inquiries, reviews and recent legislative initiatives, including the Children Act and community care legislation. Challenges posed through the criticisms of social workers, users and potential users about the ways in which power and control are exercised in social work are also considered, as are challenges in the social and cultural diversity of needs which social work must meet, including issues of gender, ethnicity, sexuality and disability. These various demands for change in social work are discussed in the context of source materials. The book examines aspects of the historical development of social work and their relationship to the present crisis, and assesses the prospects for the future of social work. This text is suitable for students and professionals in social policy, family studies, social welfare and social work, as well as students of sociology and psychology.