An understanding of social policy is vital for engaging practically with social work values, and dealing with political and ethical questions about responsibility, rights and our understanding of ''the good society''. This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to social policy, tailored to the needs of a social work audience.
The new edition of this popular and accessible text analyses current policies and policy themes relevant to social work, and locates them in the context of fundamental social policy principles and debates. It discusses the nature of social policy and its relationship to social work, and covers essential themes such as:
- service user participation and involvement
- the balance between individual, societal and state responsibility for people''s wellbeing
- the interactions of the state, the private sector, voluntary organisations and the family
- the relationships between needs, rights and choices
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