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Complexity in Social Work
- Rick Hood - Kingston University, UK
March 2018 | 240 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
Complexity lies at the heart of social work practice and this book is designed to help students and newly-qualified social workers plan for and manage complex cases in an increasingly complex environment. Split into two parts, this book reflects the journey of qualifying social work students from preparation for practice in an educational context to learning ‘on the job’ through working with service users in practice settings, and eventually assuming a more senior role in management, administration and training. Key topics covered in the chapters include managing volatility and uncertainty, making judgements and decisions, building and maintaining relationships, using reflection and supervision, working interprofessionally, managing risk, exploring cause and effect.
Introduction: What is complexity?
PART ONE: WORKING WITH COMPLEX CASES
Chapter 1: Understanding complex needs
Chapter 2: Managing uncertainty, volatility and drift
Chapter 3 : Making decisions and judgements
Chapter 4 : Building and maintaining relationships
Chapter 5: Reflecting on practice
Chapter 6 : Working interprofessionally
PART TWO: ENGAGING WITH COMPLEX SYSTEMS
Chapter 7: Addressing complexity in research and evaluation
Chapter 8 : Organising services to manage complexity
Chapter 9: Developing policies for social problems
Conclusion: Final reflections
