SpringerBriefs in Social Work – serie

​​​​Social workers, in whatever capacity they work, can expect to come into contact with women who have experienced/are experiencing violence and with women who are experiencing depression.  Therefore, a range of social work supports and interventions are required in order to meet the needs of diverse women and assist them in their recovery.  One of these methods is group work where women can share their experiences, learn from each other, reflect on their learnings and identify and achieve changes in their circumstances.  This book is based on original research by the author that sought to understand depression in women from a feminist and gender-informed perspective, develop a feminist-based group work response, and highlight the activities of consciousness-raising and resistance as methods for women to achieve change in their lives and in their selves.  An innovative and creative group work program, the Women’s Journaling Group Program, was developed from this research and provides a new method of working with women who have experienced/are experiencing violence and mild-moderate depression. The Women’s Journaling Group Program is research-informed, theoretically-grounded, practice-based and feminist and gender-focused. This book, and the program model within it, is an important contribution to the field of critical feminist social work practice.​

​Understanding Theology and Homosexuality in African-American Communities focuses specifically on helping mental professionals understand the scriptural and historical bases for the negative stance of some African American churches towards same-sex relations, and how that understanding is relevant within the context of mental health care. It provides a summary of the relevant professional literature and examples from clinical practice and/or research. This Brief is a basic reference for social workers, psychologists, counselors and other mental health professionals engaged in direct practice with African American clients and families.

This brief is a practical reference contextualizing social casework methodology in a specifically Caribbean cultural and historical context. It emerged from the experiences of human services workers and educators working in the Caribbean. The concepts of social welfare policy and programs are relatively new to the Caribbean as historically Christian-based organizations and local communities took the responsibility of caring for those in need. As social problems grew more complicated and threatened the security of the nation (e.g., gang violence), it became clear that governments of these small island states needed to provide a systematic approach in dealing with these social problems to help their citizens have a better quality of life. Social Casework Methodology: A Skills Handbook for the Caribbean Human Services Worker outlines a systematic approach that human services workers will find useful while working with clients in the Caribbean. It also is an easy-to-use text that defines social casework methodology, components of the methods, case histories, and exercises for social work students interested in working in the human services sector in the Caribbean.

This book offers an ecological foundation for social work and for care provision in general. It presents the ecosocial approach according to its origins, distinguishing it from other theoretical social work approaches and applying it to various areas of care for welfare. The ecological anchoring of social welfare and common care is an emerging topic in political, organisational, and person-related development of human services and social work. In an era of crisis, this anchoring is an essential contribution to the study of sustainable social provision. The book embeds the dispositions about it in the ecology of the protection and securing of common life.Ecology of Common Care: The Ecosocial Approach as a Theory of Social Work and Human Service is an essential text that should engage the academic community of educators and researchers in social work and other human services professions, as well as students in bachelor's and master's programmes in these professions.

This book describes the transformation of leadership and management in the context of selected newer leadership approaches in social work and human service organisations. It is an essential primer that focuses on the extent to which the approaches presented help managers in social enterprises deal with current challenges in depth and to develop suitable answers to questions such as: What is leadership? How does this differ from management? What leadership qualifications do executives currently need for long-term and future-oriented management?Leadership and management in social work and human service organisations are constantly confronted with various challenges: employees want to be supported individually; managers must be able to act in an entrepreneurial manner; the organizational culture should be developed from a holistic point of view. Self-management in self-organised work contexts is increasingly the focus. In addition, organisations and the employees working in these institutions must struggle with constant changes in the environment under volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) conditions.Based on an overview of classic and newer leadership approaches, this book introduces readers to selected concepts and theories relevant to the social economy, which various current textbooks in general business administration and specifically in social work management do not provide in a concise way. After introducing an innovative translational leadership framework, the book places leadership and management theories and approaches at the centre of the discussion that help to reflect on the application and adaptation of leadership styles in social work practice. Additionally, the book discusses changes taking place in the social and economic environment as well as in attitudes of agile leaders, in the practice of adaptive and digital leadership.Social Work Leadership and Management: Current Approaches and Concepts forSocial and Human Service Organisations is specifically geared to the needs of social work educators, students, researchers and practitioners in academic and agency (social and human service sectors) settings who can acquire knowledge and skills to support the viability and positive functioning of social work organisations, and to engage with other individuals, groups, and organisations.

There can be a lack of understanding of the vulnerable situation of children with disabilities and their families, even among professional caregivers whose mission is to protect the health and wellbeing of these children. Their respectful treatment should include knowledge, empathy, humanity, and an open and sympathetic dialogue. This book provides an overview of knowledge and literature review of children and adolescents with special care needs that contribute to the respect and understanding of children with disabilities and their families. It also explains possible reasons for different outcomes in research studies and why there is a lack of knowledge in some areas concerning these children. Research on children with disabilities is considerable but often can be difficult to access on many levels, which means it does not always benefit those who need this knowledge. This compact book addresses this by presenting the international research in the field in an understandable way for people who work with children with disabilities and their families. The authors provide a broad picture of the background, reality of life, opportunities for professional help and support, as well as outlook of these children and families. Among the topics covered:The Health and Well-being of Children with DisabilitiesThe Health and Well-being of RelativesOccupationOn the Road to AdulthoodChildren with Special Needs: An Overview of Knowledge on Disability is pertinent reading for students in all areas of health care (including nursing and psychology), social work, sociology, and education aimed at children and young people. The text also would be of interest to those who practice in these areas and/or encounter children with disabilities in their daily work.

This compact book is constructed using psychological theory and research to empower university faculty to facilitate student engagement and address student resistance to diversity and social justice education more effectively. University faculty teaching diversity and social justice have traditionally encountered various forms of student resistance. Recent cultural trends of political opposition to teaching critical race theory and other forms of increased polarization and scapegoating with decreased levels of social tolerance have exacerbated challenges in promoting student engagement in diversity and social justice education in universities and colleges. In contrast to traditional models that tend to be confrontational in addressing student biases, the new Moving Towards Social Justice (MTSJ), Relational Partnership Development Model (RPDM) and process theoretical models seek to build on appropriate pre-existing strengths, interests,values, and the developmental readiness of students who might otherwise oppose learning about the contexts, lives, and predicaments of marginalized persons living in various intersections of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity and ability/disability status. Emphasis is placed on the development of professional and life skills, such as wisdom and intercultural competence, which provide incentives and remove barriers to learning about social justice and diversity. Project-based learning approaches grounded in a developmental framework to foster the thriving and well-being of diverse students, collaborative partners in the community, and diverse persons served by the community partners are emphasized. The role of empirical assessment, feedback, and program refinement over time is also delineated within the models.Subverting Resistance to Social Justice and Diversity Education: Constructive Approaches with Undergraduate Students is an indispensable and timely resource for university and college instructors who teach courses or have significant portions of a class that involve education around social justice, diversity, and intersectionality issues, such as cross-cultural psychology, multicultural psychology, social work, sociology, intercultural communication, and counseling or clinical practice with individuals or families from diverse social locations. University officers of diversity, faculty development providers, and other administrators interested in empowering university faculty to increase student engagement in social justice and diversity education also would find the book a useful reference.

This book informs social work students about the context and potential for burnout in their field experience, their first work with clients, and equips them to recognize, prevent, and address it. With its emphasis on role ambiguity and self-care based on current research, the volume uniquely fills the gap in available texts and prepares them for successful professional practice with personal mental health. Job burnout and self-care have received attention in research and education in social work and other caring professions, but social work students must successfully complete managed learning assignments in the field before they can become social workers, and those experiences can put the student at risk for burnout. Until very recently, however, student burnout has been a 'silent' issue in the profession and the literature.With this compact book, readers learn the risks of burnout in field assignments for students and new professionals, the organizational andpersonal factors that contribute to it, appropriate self-care strategies to reduce its incidence, and effective coping strategies to limit its effect. Stakeholders gain understanding about burnout incidence, prevention, and self-care that prepares them to take appropriate preventive and prescriptive action. Burnout in Social Work Field Education: Mitigating the Risk is a timely and essential resource for social work instructors, students, field interns, instructors, and supervisors. It can serve as a supplementary text to aid students in understanding what factors will increase their risk of burnout and help them identify which coping strategies are most likely to be effective, based on research. It is a highly desirable complementary text for adoption in social work courses and in-service education in early social work practice. The book also should interest administrators in social service agencies and presenters of in-service education opportunities for social workers and social work educators.

This book discusses the need to establish social work for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) with an emphasis on the emerging role of effective and sustainable social interventions for the control and elimination of NTDs.NTDs are a group of infectious diseases prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, causing significant morbidity and mortality to the world's poorest populations but receiving relatively lesser attention. They significantly affect communities with poor financial resources, inadequate sanitation and limited healthcare facilities, indicating their social dimension. Addressing NTDs requires multifaceted strategies that consider environmental, social, and economic factors, with socioeconomic factors emerging as a critical determinant.The global battle against NTDs has seen significant progress, yet social workers’ involvement remains limited, particularly in high-prevalence regions like India. This stems from undefined roles and a lack of focus within existing NTD frameworks. Integrating social work into NTD intervention is crucial for addressing the diverse challenges associated with these diseases, especially the social dimensions. Social workers, by advocating for health equity, engaging communities, addressing social determinants, and collaborating with healthcare professionals, can contribute significantly to the broader efforts in mitigating the impact of NTDs on vulnerable populations. This book builds on the social nature of NTDs to argue for the case of NTD social work. Establishing NTD social work requires efforts in training, standardising practices, research, advocacy, infrastructure development, and partnerships. Among the topics covered:Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Brief Introduction to the Global ScenarioNeglected Tropical Diseases and the Social Dimension of Illness in IndiaSocial Work for the Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical DiseasesTowards Sustainable Impact: Future Directions in Social Work for NTD Control and EliminationSocial Work with Populations Vulnerable to Neglected Tropical Diseases helps readers to understand the intersectional nature of health inequities and effectively work towards the control and elimination of diseases of poverty, specifically NTDs. The book is useful reading for health social workers, social work educators, healthcare professionals, medical and public health educators, and public policy and health policy researchers.

This book is a comprehensive study of the intersection of religion, Indigenous culture, and community life, featuring an in-depth examination of the Orang Asli in Malaysia and the Santals in Bangladesh that aims for a socially inclusive, harmonious, and peaceful society. It dives into the impact of conversion on Indigenous identities, employing extensive ethnographic and phenomenological methodologies. The authors explore the conversion process attentively, revealing hidden isolation.This compact volume offers intriguing insights into Southeast and South Asia's rich tapestry, including nuance to discussions concerning religious pluralism, human rights, and the pursuit of social justice. Readers gain a better understanding of varied religious communities and Indigenous perspectives in order to promote a more inclusive and fair society. In the book, the authors provide real-life experiences, extensive analysis, and practical solutions for Indigenous populations in Malaysia and Bangladesh. They blend together thoughts and narratives, encompassing sociopolitical and historical themes. With visuals, case studies, and varied views, the volume builds respect for global variety while driving societal inclusion with the spirit of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).The Intersection of Faith, Culture, and Indigenous Community in Malaysia and Bangladesh addresses pressing social justice and human rights issues, pushing for rights-based society and diversity, while balancing academic rigor and accessibility. The book is intended for scholars and researchers interested in Indigenous peoples, religious conversion, social justice, and human rights. It offers detailed insights into the conversion experiences of Malaysian Orang Asli and Bangladeshi Santal groups, and provides commentary on civil freedoms following conversion and reveals complex views of these communities, making the volume useful for scholars researching intersectionality in religious conversions and the dynamics surrounding Indigenous populations. Policymakers in Malaysia, Bangladesh, and other Asian countries dealing with comparable concerns with converted Indigenous people might benefit from the book's evidence-based insights and challenges, promoting more inclusive and culturally sensitive policies and urging Malaysian and Bangladeshi governments to recognize conversion-related issues.

This book introduces social work audiences to the current field of countering violent extremism (CVE), offering an international perspective on its theories, approaches, and prevention and intervention practices.Addressing CVE from a social work perspective is an innovative and timely undertaking. Across the globe, social workers are key stakeholders in the field of CVE and many CVE programs employ social workers to practice in different intervention programs. On a theoretical and conceptual level, due to how the field of CVE has emerged in many countries, social work has to date been largely absent from CVE research and knowledge production. This book fills this gap by covering the following areas:Bridging the Gap between Social Work and Countering Violent ExtremismAn Overview of Radicalization and Extremism Terminology and TheoryDisengagement and Exiting from Violent Extremism: Holistic Assessment, Case Management, and Clinical PracticeMulti-Agency Collaboration, Youth Radicalization, Family Interventions, and Justice SettingsOutlook and Opportunities for Social Work and BeyondSocial Work and Countering Violent Extremism: Case Management, Direct Practice and Multi-Sectoral Collaboration offers the first in-depth orientation for social workers involved in CVE efforts. Designed for social workers and other practitioners directly engaged in CVE, this book illustrates how core CVE intervention methods—such as casework, assessment, case management, and community practice—are rooted in social work principles. It is equally relevant for professionals across sectors who might encounter radicalization in their work, including those in schools, community organizations, local agencies, mental health, and other frontline settings. By highlighting social workers’ unique skills in clinical practice, social reintegration, and building community resilience, this book positions the profession at the forefront of preventing and addressing violent extremism. This book contributes to the professionalization of the field and is an essential resource for social work and CVE scholars, practitioners, and policymakers alike.

This book provides a contemporary and practical resource for exploring critical social work practices in mental health. It explores how a power analysis can be enacted, through a variety of skills and actions, in order to navigate complex organisational and social contexts and make a difference in the mental health field. Mental health social work is contested and complex. While it is widely accepted that social workers should bring a social justice lens to their practice, it is often unclear how an analysis of power influences and is applied in the minutiae of everyday practice.  Social workers might settle into complacency, making rhetorical commitments to ‘person-centred’ and ‘trauma-informed’ approaches that are not meaningfully connected to actions, or they might find themselves complying with dominant colonial and biomedical agendas in an attempt to gain professional legitimacy within healthcare teams. Beyond naming the tensions and competing values faced by social workers in mental health contexts, the book explores concrete examples of working towards justice in solidarity with people and communities experiencing distress. Through a collaboration between three social work researchers and six social workers currently working in the field, the book offers a unique perspective. Areas covered include: the complexities of working in biomedical and neoliberal environments; noticing and responding to epistemic injustices; multidisciplinary teamwork; systemic advocacy; the politics of language; elevating socio-political contexts and lived experience knowledges; navigating risk paradigms; and addressing White privilege. Social Work in the Mental Health Field: From Power Analysis to Practice is relevant to social work students and educators, as it moves beyond micro-macro binary thinking, through exploring how social workers have aimed to enact practices that are informed by a power analysis in mental health settings. Examples are provided across the contexts of individual direct practice, groupwork, community work, systems change, and private practice. The book is pertinent to new and experienced social workers who are seeking an accessible and contemporary resource to reflect on their practice and to explore ways of working toward social justice in the mental health field.

This compact book is a guide for social workers and social work students to integrate climate resilience and adaptation into their work in order to cope with a degenerating climate and increasing vulnerability. It is a forward-looking, practical, and ethically grounded manual designed to prepare social workers for the escalating challenges posed by climate change and societal instability. It explores how climate breakdown reshapes both the profession and its foundational mission -- supporting the most vulnerable.Drawing on climate science, social work theory, and frontline practice, the book addresses how warming, extreme weather, resource scarcity, and even societal collapse could transform who is considered vulnerable, how services are delivered, and what new roles social workers may need to adopt. It guides readers through understanding the most realistic future scenarios, and what those mean for practice on the ground. The book emphasizes building both personal and professional resilience, helping social workers not only survive but also lead with clarity and care in a world of uncertainty. Chapters include practical tools for assessing local risks, cultivating emotional and psychological strength, ensuring food and service continuity, and acting ethically in crisis conditions. Among the topics covered are:Reimagining Prevention: Integrating Climate Adaptation into Everyday Social Work PracticeHow the Natural World Fits into Social Work Climate ResilienceRisk Assessment in PracticePractising Social Work Amid Societal BreakdownMaintaining Mental Health amid Ongoing Eco-Anxiety and Climate Grief: Being the rock in the stream With a focus on justice, community care, and adaptive thinking, Climate Resilience Guide for Social Workers ultimately empowers social workers to act as stabilizing forces and advocates in their communities -- prepared not just to respond to climate-driven disruption, but also to shape a more compassionate and resilient future. The book is an essential resource for social work practitioners, students, and educators.

This brief provides an overview of the emerging field of Electronic Therapy, E-Therapy, with a specific focus on alcohol and substance abuse. Understanding barriers that prevent individuals from seeking necessary mental health treatment is at the center of the development and analysis of practice models of care. Geographic location, transportation, language barriers and other situations contribute to difficulties in obtaining adequate treatment for mental illness. E-Therapy eliminates these barriers by administering counseling and mental health services through audio or audiovisual means. This brief examines E-Therapy best practices as they apply to alcohol and substance abuse intervention and prevention.

This book serves as a reference for social workers, psychologists, counselors, and other mental health professionals who utilize therapeutic farm therapy with their children or adult clients. The Brief is also valuable for policy makers at state mental health agencies and legislators, who must decide how to best utilize limited funding for mental health care. Chapters focus on the development of the therapeutic farm approach, various models of therapeutic farms in the U.S. and Europe, and case studies of specific therapeutic farms.

This book is a reference for mental health professionals who utilize sandplay therapy with their child and/or adult clients. The Brief consists of case studies that are drawn from composite situations occurring in actual practice. Although some of the ethical issues raised and addressed are specific to sandplay therapy, others are generalizable to other modalities of mental health practice. Each chapter draws on ethical principles of clinical practice and research. The Brief includes relevant portions of professional ethics codes governing mental health professionals from an array of English-speaking countries—Australia, Canada, the U.K., the U.S., and New Zealand—to maximize the relevance of the text to sandplay therapists globally, whether they are licensed psychologists, marriage and family therapists, counselors, or social workers.

This accessible resource coordinates what we know about the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment (ITCM), with a specific focus on prevention in context. Cutting through facile cause-and-effect constructs, the authors review and critique the recent literature on the complicated nature of the phenomenon and weigh different approaches to its conceptualization. The book identifies child and parental risk factors linked to ITCM as well as protective factors involved in its reduction, while examining complex relationships between family, parenting, and social contexts that can provide keys to understanding and healing traumatized families. This close attention to crucial yet often overlooked details will aid professionals in creating the next wave of salient research projects and effective interventions, and enhance current efforts to break longstanding patterns of abuse and neglect. Among the topics covered:•Theoretical frameworks conceptualizing intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment.•Empirical studies on intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment.•Risk factors associated with ITCM.•Protective factors associated with breaking the cycle of maltreatment.•Methodological challenges in studying ITCM.•Recommendations for evaluation of intervention and prevention strategies.Geared toward novices and veterans alike, Intergenerational Transmission of Child Maltreatment is a solution-focused reference of singular importance to practitioners and research professionals involved in improving children’s well-being.