Theories For Decolonial Social Work Practice In South Africa is a local book critically presenting social work theories that are suitable for decolonial and developmental generalist practice in the Global South. The choice of theories included in this book is informed by the lived experiences of South Africans in a multicultural, post-colonial, post-apartheid society.

The book sees the goal of social work as effecting transformation and liberation, through the implementation of the developmental approach, and by drawing on decolonial and African concepts. It supports social workers in working toward this goal by stimulating critical reflection and disrupting taken-for-granted beliefs and practices. It guides readers to work with client groups across the micro-mezzo-macro continuum in such a way that they are empowered to develop agency, thereby affirming the basic values of social justice and human dignity.

Theories For Decolonial Social Work Practice In South Africa is suitable for social work education and the in-service training of qualified social workers, child and youth care workers and community development practitioners. In addition, the book will be of interest to social work academics and researchers because of its unique decolonial and African approach to Global North theories, and its contribution to the development of Global South theories.

This book expands the literature on ecometrics (scale development in social work), giving particular attention to multiculturalism. The author presents a systematic process model for designing and validating scales that can be used in multicultural and multilingual contexts. Based on classical test theory, the process model draws on the work of Hudson and Faul in social work, as well as key cross-cultural writers such as Brislin and Butcher. Having presented the model, the author tests it by designing and validating a four- construct scale for the South African National Defence Force, called the 'Military Social Health Index'. The Index is used as part of the annual comprehensive health assessment of soldiers prior to deployment. The book provides a thorough review of resilience theory, particularly McCubbin's work on family resilience. The book will be of value to social workers and other social scientists interested in scale development and to mental health and family practitioners in the military.