Abstract
Reviewed by: Martin Kettle, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland DOI: 10.1177/1468017317728655
This book is a welcome addition to the limited literature on social work practice with (and this is the term used throughout the book) disabled people. Although focusing largely on practice in England, this book also seeks to address issues in the rest of the UK and, given the scope and scale of the task, and the pace of change in this area, it is perhaps not surprising that it does not always succeed in this ambition, and there are a number of areas that I felt warranted greater attention, for example, key Scottish legislation in respect of integration of health and social work and Self-Directed Support.
The book has 11 chapters divided into three parts. The first part, on perspectives on disability, opens with a chapter co-written with Helen Burrell, who has been involved with social work both as a user of services and as a trainer. She offers an insightful perspective about what she found helpful in her dealings with social workers and how often it was the small things that mattered to her. This is an engaging opening that bears close reading by social work students and sets the scene for the remaining chapters which offer a more theoretical exploration of issues around disability.
The second, shorter, section has two chapters, which address issues around inequality, oppression and diversity. This section clearly argues that disabled people are not a homogeneous group, and that they can be marginalized in a number of different ways. It is acknowledged that social work has the potential to be part of the problem as well as part of the solution. It is argued that a human rights approach that focuses on the whole person has the potential to dismantle hierarchies of oppression.
The third, and longest, section focuses on issues of social work practice. This section addresses issues of communication, work with disabled children and adults, safeguarding practice and collaboration, both with other agencies and with carers.
Each of the chapters concludes with a number of suggested activities and suggestions for further reading, both of which underscore its value in social work education. In addition, many of the chapters include a number of what are referred to as ‘case profiles’ which are brief vignettes. Whilst useful as focal points for the chapters, it is not always apparent quite what function they serve and their value could have been enhanced, for example, by being accompanied by prompt questions to open up discussion.
Whilst comprehensive in its coverage, there are two areas that would have warranted more detailed discussion. The first is work with informal carers, who are alluded in a number of places, but only appear in any detail towards the very end of the book. Given the current emphasis on their importance and recent legislation including the Carers (Scotland) Act, a more detailed engagement would have been warranted. The second is the recent development of an outcomes-focused approach with its focus on what is important to the recipient of services, and there are a range of resources that could usefully have been signposted for the reader, for example, work done in Scotland by the Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services.
Despite these shortcomings, this volume is a comprehensive coverage of social work with disabled people, and the challenges that come from working in a changing context. The tone throughout is critical, but not negative. It is clearly aimed at social work practitioners and students and would be extremely useful as a core text on the subject. It is a very welcome addition to the literature.