social work methods

Local and National Information Requirements for Social Work inScotland : Joint StatementAugust 2000

This document concludes the first stage of a serious and systematic attempt to address the deficiencies in the social work information base in Scotland. Senior social work managers, the wider local government community, the Scottish Executive and the Accounts Commission for Scotland have all demonstrated their commitment to working together, through the Social Work Information Review Group, to define a list of information about social work that will meet the needs of all the organisations.

Care Skillsbase website

This website provides specially designed tools to help social care workers. The tools are quick, easy to use, and do not require any specialist skills expertise. All social care staff use information and communicate in their jobs. To do this they need: speaking and listening skills; reading and writing skills; number skills. Care Skillsbase helps managers in the care sector take constructive action on communication & number skills.

The potential of migrant and refugee community organisations to influence policy

A report on a partnership set up to test how migrant and refugee community organisations could change policies and practices that are crucial to the lives of their communities. 'Change from Experience' addresses the ways in which migrant and community groups can use their own history and experience to develop the skills to bring about change. It challenges ideas about these organisations as ‘comfort zones’ and places them at the centre of debates about identity, gender, migration and cohesion.

Task Centred Casework

This multimedia learning object provides an introduction to the "task-centered" model of social work intervention. This model was based on the work of Sigmund Freud and the psychoanalysts. Psychoanalytic social work emphasised relationship-focused intervention with the professional adopting the role of the 'expert'.

'Social evils' and 'social problems' in Britain, 1904–2008

In a contribution to the JRF's 'social evils' series, Jose Harris examines social problems and changing perceptions of them since 1904. Social evils, such as hunger and destitution, were seen by the Victorians as unavoidable. Joseph Rowntree's more positive philosophy promoted social research and intervention to transform 'social evils' into less malign 'social problems' that could be cured. However, some of these problems have subsequently reappeared.

The pariah profession (Radio 4 news and current affairs)

In a series of three documentaries for Radio 4, Jenny Cuffe reports from the frontline of social work, witnessing some of the dramatic and intractable human problems social workers are called on to deal with, as well as the moments of success and black comedy.

The first episode looks at the new staff recruited to work in the London Borough of Haringey where Victoria Climbie was murdered.

The second programme discusses some to of the mental health issues social workers face.

NSPCC youth centres (Radio 4 series: Woman's Hour)

This episode of Radio 4's Woman's Hour series looks at building a network for young people and NSPCC youth centres. When a young person has problems, often the last thing they want to do is to confide in a social worker. Many regard such people as frightening figures of authority with a quite terrifying degree of power over their lives, including the right to take them away from their families, or to force them to move foster homes against their will.

Social Services Inspectorate audit of services to children in need in response to the practice recommendations of the Victoria Climbie inquiry

This report contains a framework of recommendations set out by the Social Services Inspectorate in response to the outcomes of the Public Inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie. This framework is to be used by councils with social services responsibilities to audit their position in relation to the practice recommendations of the Victoria Climbié Inquiry report. It provides performance criteria against each of the recommendations linked to statutory requirements and guidance.

The Victoria Climbie Inquiry

This is the full Report of the Public Inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie by Lord Laming. The Report investigates the events surrounding Victoria's last few months and examines the local social services arrangements involved in the case. It reviews the lack of good practice and gross failure of the system in this case and makes recommendations with regard to improvements at national and local level.