Values-Based Practice

Neil Thompson is a well-known and highly respected author in social work and the human relations field more broadly. He is currently a visiting professor at The Open University and Wrexham University. His online platform, The Neil Thompson Academy, offers a range of learning opportunities, including leadership qualifications. Bernard Moss was Emeritus Professor of Social Work Education and Spirituality at Staffordshire University, where he began working with social work students in 1993. His particular teaching interests focused on communication skills, studies in death, dying and bereavement, and mediation studies.

'Too many manuals mistake best practice for the mastery of techniques and so relegate the role of values to a perfunctory preface. Values-Based Practice, however, re-opens the door to another view, in which values are at the core of our being and doing – "the blood that courses through our veins" – for all critical and ethical practitioners addressing the impact of complex forms of oppression in the lives of the people they work with and for.'Dr Phillip Ablett, Queensland University of Technology, Australia'Students and practitioners in a range of settings will benefit from the fresh light this thought-provoking manual throws on the nature and importance of values in "people work". Easy to read and full of opportunities for the reader to reflect on their own journey into practice, to see more clearly "who they are", it will provide readers with an invaluable anchor point for professional practice and for decision making in the future.'Iolo Madoc Jones, Professor of Criminal and Social Justice, Wrexham University'In this updated manual, Thompson and Moss present the centrality of values in working with people, bringing together and developing a range of pertinent ideas. They usefully introduce key concepts and offer ideas for reflection and development in a coherent flow. I enjoyed going through this edition, as it enabled me to look in a mirror at whether I can be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. It offers an invaluable resource for people ranging from students to experienced practitioners in remembering the important core underpinning our work.'Abyd Quinn Aziz, Reader in Social Work, Qualified Social Worker and Board Member, Social Care Wales

• 1. What’s this got to do with me? 2. Making sense of values 3. Confidentiality 4. Tackling discrimination and oppression 5. Working in partnership 6. Rights and choice 7. Individuality and identity 8. Valuing diversity 9. Values at work 10. Practising ethically 11. Promoting recovery 12. Identifying people’s needs and strengths 13. Providing person-centred care 14. Making a difference 15. Promoting safety and positive risk taking 16. Values today and tomorrow 17. Conclusion 18. Guide to further learning