Book review
Title: Using the law in social work
Editors: Robert Johns
Year: 2008
Edition: 3
Number of pages: 176
Publisher: Learning Matters
ISBN: 9781844451142
Price: £15.00
Reviewer: Caroline Morris, Chief Verifier for OCR for the Health and Social Care Suite of NVQs, incorporating Drugs and Alcohol National Standards (DANOS)
Review date: 22/01/2009
Table of contents and more information
The book is intended for student social workers who are beginning to develop their skills and understanding of the requirements for practice. For all social workers the law provides the framework within which services are offered therefore it is impossible to practise without coming up against the law, and it is impossible to practise effectively without an in-depth understanding of how the law affects everyday social work practice. This book provides students with an understanding of the legal framework within which social workers must work. A range of chapters provides students with an overview of the legal system and the law relating to the key client groups they will deal with. This book is designed to be used as an interactive resource, with activities throughout the text, as well as summaries of contemporary cases to illustrate and draw out key points, aiding and reinforcing learning.
The books’ main strength is that it reinforces the message that social workers cannot ignore the law. The case studies used throughout are well-chosen with a view to getting social work students to identify the legalities relevant to social work practice. In addition the activities start to apply knowledge to practice in a variety of relevant ways, including asking students to carry out some additional research and putting themselves in the shoes of certain individuals facing issues they are having difficulty addressing. There are also suggested responses to the activities and links to useful websites and resources.
It is a book that will be useful both for the novice to this area providing a good overview and explanation of basic concepts as well as for the more expert reader for whom it will provide an excellent resource relevant guidance and information. This book represents a valuable source of information for students and provides clarity in an area where perhaps this has been lacking to date.
