Communication skills are fundamental to effective social work practice. Accessible and easy-to-read, Mastering Communication in Social Work is designed to help you develop these essential skills. It explores the basics of how communication works, the factors that influence how effectively you attend to and convey information, and how you can improve your communication. Particular attention is given to the challenges posed by difficult clients and the cultural dimensions of communication. Gast and Bailey put forward a reflective model for practice designed help you break bad habits and develop a wider repertoire of communication behaviours. Practice vignettes and exercises for the reader are included throughout. This book is essential reading for social work students, practitioners, managers, practice teachers and assessors, and trainers, as well as those in allied professions.

Central to a social worker's role is the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds, but social workers can often feel anxious and unsure of how to approach anti-discriminatory practice. This book, grounded in practice experience, is an accessible guide to diversity issues in social work. Packed with tools and models for practice, it considers the concept of diversity and how people differ, provides a model for understanding discrimination, and discusses cross-cultural communication, including the impact and use of language. The authors also explore different learning styles and how to work constructively when personal preferences differ. Practice vignettes and exercises for the reader are included throughout the book. This book is essential reading for social work students, practitioners, managers, practice teachers and assessors, and trainers, as well as those in allied professions.