Adrian Ward works is the Programme Director of the qualifying MA in Social Work at the Tavistock Centre, London. His background is in residential child care and he has written extensively about residential care, group care and therapeutic approaches to social work, and co-edited several books in this field; he was editor of the journal Therapeutic Communities from 1999 to 2005.

In the current climate for child and family social work, it has never been more important to underpin practice with relevant theoretical knowledge that can be applied by practitioners in their everyday tasks. This book provides an accessible way of doing this. I will be making sure this valuable resource is available as essential reading across our organisation.

• Foreword, David Howe, Emeritus Professor of Social Work, University of East Anglia, UK. Introduction. Adrian Ward, The Tavistock Centre, UK, Gillian Ruch, University of Southampton, UK, and Danielle Turney, University of Bristol, UK. Section 1. Setting Out the Terrain: Historical Trends, Conceptual Models and Frameworks. 1. The Contemporary Context of Relationship-Based Practice. Danielle Turney and Gillian Ruch. 2. Theoretical Frameworks Informing Relationship-Based Practice. Gillian Ruch. 3. The Use of Self in Relationship-Based Practice. Adrian Ward. Section 2. Working with the Relationship in Practice. 4. Brief Encounters: Working in Complex, Short-Term Relationships. Ravi KS Kohli, University of Bedfordshire, UK and Jane Dutton, NHS Trust, UK. 5. Sustaining Relationships: Working with Strong Feelings I: Anger, Aggression and Hostility. Martin Smith, Buckinghamshire Social Services, UK. 6. Sustaining Relationships: Working with Strong Feelings II: Hopelessness, Despair and Depression. Clare Parkinson, University of East London, UK. 7. Sustaining Relationships: Working with Strong Feelings III: Love and Positive Feelings. Danielle Turney. 8. Long-Term Complex Relationships. Linnet McMahon, retired from University of Reading, UK. 9. Endings are Different from Outcomes: Working with Endings in Relationship-Based Practice. Robin Solomon, formerly of The Tavistock Centre, UK. Section 3. Sustaining, Supporting and Developing Relationship-Based Practice in a Reflective Context. 10. The Learning Relationship: Learning and Development for Relationship-Based Practice. Adrian Ward. 11. Service-User Perspectives on Relationships. Jeremy Walsh, South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust. 12. Relating and Relationships in Supervision : Supportive and Companionable or Dominant and Submissive. John Simmonds, CoramBAAF, UK. 13. Professional Leadership for Relationship-based Practice, Anna Fairtlough, Goldsmiths University of London. 14. What Future? Organisational Forms, Relationship-Based Social Work Practice and the Changing World Order. Andrew Cooper, The Tavistock Centre, UK. Conclusion, Danielle Turney, Adrian Ward and Gillian Ruch. Bibliography. About the Contributors. Index.