Professional Social Work
- Jonathan Parker - Bournemouth University, UK, University of Stavanger, Norway
- Mark Doel - Sheffield Hallam University, UK
If social work students are to flourish in their careers, and go beyond a basic sense of ‘competence’ in practice, it is essential to develop a sense of Professional Self. This book will help students develop critical understanding of their own social work practice, and the tools and skills required to become a professional social worker.
It includes:
- Chapters on practising Reflexivity and the importance of Relationships in social work
- Contributions from leading social work academics
- A focus on building a professional identity through learning and practice
The emphasis is on developing your professionalism, and how that journey translates into everyday practice. To help this growth there are further chapters on getting the best from continuing professional development, challenging poor practice and professionalism and ethics.
Professor Jonathan Parker is Deputy Dean for Research and Enterprise and Director of the Centre for Social Work and Social Policy at Bournemouth University. He is currently conducting cross cultural research on learning and practice with colleagues in Southeast Asia.
Professor Mark Doel is Professort Emeritus in the Centre for Health and Social Care Research at Sheffiled Hallam University, and a registered social worker. Mark's research experience is in the fields of practice education, social work practice methods, and service user involvement.
A useful addition for preparing students for first practice placement.
This book provides a useful overview of the expectations of professional social work today. It is perhaps most appropraite for social work students or anyone contemplating a career in professional social work.
A well written book that provides useful background reading but too much detail for the module I deliver to be essential reading
This book helps because a casts a vision of what a student social worker is aiming for post qualification and especially in their ASYE year. It also helps when training professionals to become practice educators. It gives a clearer picture of social work as a profession to be proud of.
Interesting and thought provoking. Recommended to Practice Educators - could be used as discussion/developmental prompts with students/NQSWs
Highlights some of the key themes and areas in relation to social work
I am aiming to use this in my working in organisations module. I like Parker's books as I feel that they are written to a level that is accessible by the diverse groups of studnets who currently enrol in social work education. The students agree so I aim to adopt this book.
This book due to its clear language and structure will be recommended to my students as core reading from year 2 until the completion of their studies across a number of modules. The discussion points and follow up reading has proven helpful in engaging students in discussion and directing their own learning.
The book contains important messages about the emerging identity of social work students as professional social workers. I will recommend this book across a number of modules across all years of the social work programme at the University of the West of Scotland as a facilitator on the learning journey and as a helpful companion on the transition from student to professional worker.
Excellent stuff!
An excellent source for exploring the importance of relationship and self in practice
