TERENCE O'SULLIVAN is Principal Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Lincoln, UK. An experienced practitioner, academic and researcher, he has taught and written extensively on decision making in social work practice.

'...a valuable tool for anyone involved in making social work decisions.' - Community Care Magazine REVIEWS OF PREVIOUS EDITION 'A unique multidisciplinary approach to the understanding and explanation of decision making in social work practice.' - British Journal of Social Work 'Decision Making in Social Work provides a comprehensive analysis of the subject, which re-emphasis the skill of the social worker, who makes (at least) half a dozen impossible decisions before lunchtime.' - Rachel Wooller, Community Care 'Terrence O'Sullivan's work provides a timely focus on decision making, as we seek ways to embrace research findings and risk management concepts more fully into professional practice. It will be particularly valued by social workers undertaking their Post Qualifying Award, who are seeking a theoretical framework for decision making to underpin and develop their practice.' - Brian Taylor, Northern Health and Social Services Board, Northern Ireland '[T]his book is definitely a significant contribution to social work literature, and is written with clarity and a lucid style, without over-simplification. Readers will find the decision-making framework that Terence O'Sullivan has developed, instrumental in helping them arrive at a sound decision. It will undoubtedly be essential reading to a wide audience including students in the health and social care fields, academics, frontline social workers and managers.' - Chui Wing Hong, Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work 'Decision making, with all its associated perils, is such a fundamental part of social work practice that it is remarkable that it has not received more attention in the social work literature. Decision-Making in Social Work provides a comprehensive analysis of the subject, which re-emphasises the skill of the social worker, who makes (at least) half a dozen impossible decisions before lunchtime.' - Community Care

• PrefaceIntroductionMaking DecisionsPractice ContextsInvolving Service Users and CarersWorking TogetherUsing Knowledge and Managing EmotionsFraming SituationsAnalysing OptionsUsing SupervisionDecision Making and Decision OutcomesGlossary