Caring and Coping

Caring and Coping provides a clear and accessible explanation of the history, politics, management, funding and day-to-day work of the social services in Britain. Social Care now encompasses a wide range of increasingly specialised professions. Caring and Coping aims to improve the practitioner's (and the general public's) understanding not only of what these various professions do, but also what the legal, political, ethical and financial constraints are upon them. It succinctly addresses issues such as: - the terms and effects of the Children Act and the Community Care Act - the role of charities in the modern welfare state - the role of management - relationships with other agencies - and the place of social work within the community Social services are so often portrayed in the media in a sensationalist way and this book counterbalances the hype by providing solid research and a more down-to-earth picture. It is an ideal introductory text for those training to be social workers.

Douglas, Anthony; Philpot, Terry

Notes on authors, Foreword, Introduction, 1. From charity to social work: a history, 2 On the statute book: the law and social services, 3. The nuts and bolts of care: politics and organisation, 4. For the child's sake: services for children, 5. Does the community care?: social services today, 6. Whose service is it, anyway?: involving service users, 7 Home from home?: residential care, 8. Something special: specialist services, 9. More than a piece of paper: social work training, 10. The manager's tale: management of social services, 11 Acts of charity: the role of the voluntary sector, 12. All in it together: working with different agencies, 13. Across the borders: Scotland and Northern Ireland, 14. Conclusion: into the future, Notes, Bibliography, Index