Diversity, Difference and Dilemmas: Analysing Concepts and Developing Skills

Kish Bhatti-Sinclair is a Reader in Social Policy and Social Work and Head of Social Work Programmes at the University of Chichester. Kish is known for her work on social work, race and racism, including researching border controls and IT in the EU; globalization in relation to social work values, troubled families, and black and minority ethnic children in care; and inter-professional working in a culturally-appropriate way.

Chris Smethurst is Head of the Department of Childhood, Social Work and Social Care at the University of Chichester. Chris previously worked in a range of social work and social care settings: in community work, youth work, residential child care, day services, and in learning disability and community mental health teams. This experience informed a keen interest in the impact of social attitudes on social policy and on the day-to-day work of practitioners and organizations. 

How has the increasing diversity of service user groups transformed the practice of social work?

Social workers are increasingly working in complex and diverse situations with a wide variety of groups including those disadvantaged by social class, race, ethnicity, disability, religion, culture, gender and sexual orientation. This book is therefore for social work professionals, students, academics and practice educators.

The editors and authors draw on specialist knowledge, tools and methods regarding working with diversity to support the development of practice skills and behaviours along with positive attitudes. Readers are encouraged to analyse and reflect on dilemmas in social work arising from marginalisation and discrimination, while case studies and summaries highlight assumptions, stereotypes and labels faced by diverse service user groups such as Roma people, black and ethnic minority groups, and deafblind people.

Topics covered include:

• Diversity and difference
• Inequality and social work
• Cultural competence in social work practice
• Being white and feeling guilty
• Professional social work identities
• Religion and spirituality

This book forms part of the Social Work Skills in Practice series. The series focuses on key social work skills required for working with children and adult service users, families and carers. The books offer both theoretical and evidence-informed knowledge, alongside the application of skills relevant for day-to-day social work practice.  They are an invaluable resource for pre-qualifying students, newly-qualified social workers, academics teaching and researching in the field, as well as social work practitioners, including practice educators, pursuing continuous professional development.