Advocacy, Counselling and Mediation in Casework

Preview, Yvonne Craig. Part 1 The social construction of advocacy, counselling and mediation - service and process comparisons: Advocacy, Vera Ivers; Counselling, Tim Bond (University of Durham); Mediation, Marian Liebman (United Bristol Healthcare Trust). Part 2 The social use of advocacy, counselling and mediation - casework contrast: Child care/adoption advocacy, Christine Piper (Brunel University); Student counselling, Ann Heyno; School bullying/conflict mediation, Val Carpenter (National Coalition Building Institute, Leicester); Disability advocacy, Colin Barnes; Marital/sexual counselling, Gillian Walton; Family and elder mediation, Yvonne Craig; Mental health advocacy, David Brandon (Anglia University); Addiction counselling, Gras Kowzun (Morley College, London); Victim-offender mediation, Jean Wynne (West Yorkshire Probation Service); Healthcare advocacy, Stephanie Ellis; AIDS/HIV/bereavement counselling, Bill Kirkpatrick (Reaching Out centre, London); Medical practice mediation, Yvonne Craig, Masana de Souza; Advocacy, empowerment and the development of user-led outcomes, Peter Beresford (Brunel University) et al;; Stress/post traumatic counselling, Stephen Palmer (Centre for Stress Management, London); Cross-cultural mediation, Masana De souza, Yvonne Craig.

This book claims to be ""the first study to compare advocacy, counselling and mediation as social processes of empowerment"" and in that respect it generally succeeds. As might be expected from a collection of papers presented by a large number of authors from different backgrounds (e.g. social work, law, counselling, health, psychotherapy, higher education and the church), Part II is a very mixed bag, which is its strength... In general, this book is a useful addition to the literature. It is well researched and full of up to date, useful and relevant references (most of the chapters also include lists of useful addresses and suggestions for further reading). Part II is a mine of useful information, and some of the chapters... stand out for their straightforward and delicate touch. On the whole, this is a worthwhile book that is excellent to dip into and reflect upon. It is a useful resource for case worker and student alike and provides a valuable starting point for further academic enquiry.