Humanistic Social Work

Humanistic principles are at the heart of social work, yet they are often overlooked in the managerial drive for better control of risk, resources and procedures. In this wide-ranging new book, Malcolm Payne develops a framework for social work practice that bring the profession's humanistic values to the forefront. He identifies positive fulfilment in social relationships as a key aim of the profession and reaffirms the importance of developing a fair and equal society. Importantly the book: * Charts the ideas that inform humanistic social work and identifies the principles and aims that define its successful practice, including human rights, accountability and empowerment. * Explores how creative, artistic and spiritual practices can be integrated with evidence-based and research-informed approaches to enrich professionals' work with service users. * Draws on a wide range of case material to illustrate how tools and concepts work in practice. * Uses charts and diagrams clearly and effectively to demonstrate and explain the relationship between sometimes complex sets of ideas. This is a timely and informative book by one of social work's most respected commentators. It will appeal to students enrolled on qualifying and post-qualifying courses and offers positive reading for those working in practice.