Management in Social Work, Third Edition

Management in Social Work is widely recognised as an indispensable guide to the subject. This third edition retains the book's characteristic strengths - accessibility, comprehensive coverage and a down-to-earth style - while bringing its treatment of legislation, policy and procedure right up to date in light of central government's modernising agenda for social work and including important new material to develop readers' confidence and skills in the context of learning organisations. All social workers are required to manage and be accountable. Effectiveness and value for money are part of the social worker's contract of trust with the public, but this does not mean abandoning compassion, integrity or the determination to uphold the humane purposes of social welfare organisations. Taking their stand in daily life as it really is for social workers on the ground, the authors explore the links between social work and current management approaches and values. They show how management theory itself is moving towards a more open and cooperative model and demonstrate that it can serve an agenda of empowerment, equipping social workers at every level to question procedures, shape policy and improve services. This book is essential reading for students and practitioners alike, particularly those who need to understand organisation and management theory for study purposes and those who aspire to move into social work management or have been recently promoted. Book jacket.

VERONICA COULSHED, Head of Applied Social Studies at the University of Sunderland, was the original author of Management in Social Work. AUDREY MULLENDER is Principal of Ruskin College, Oxford. DAVID N. JONES is a government adviser on service improvement. NEIL THOMPSON is a Director of Avenue Consulting Ltd.