The COVID-19 pandemic has shed fresh light on the ways that social media and digital technologies can be effectively harnessed to support relationship-based social work practice. However, it has also highlighted the complex risks, ethics and practical challenges that such technologies pose. This book helps practitioners and students navigate this complex terrain and explore and build upon its multiple opportunities. It uses real-life examples to examine how practitioners can assess the impact of new technologies on their professional conduct and use them in a way that enhance public confidence and relationship-based practice. The authors explore how digital technologies can support multiple areas of service including social work with children, families and adults, mental health social work, youth justice and working with online communities. They also consider regulatory questions and provide a roadmap for good practice.

Practice in safeguarding adults is changing, with a shift in approach to ensure it is person-centred and outcome-focused. The Care Act 2014 introduced new safeguarding duties for local authorities, and this book describes what up-to-date practice should look like, and how to provide the best quality care and support for adults who may be at risk of abuse or neglect. Chapters cover core areas of practice according to Care Act and adult safeguarding principles, identify the fundamental skills and knowledge practitioners working in this area should be able to utilise and introduce the emerging challenging issues in the workplace. As well as being invaluable to practitioners working directly in this field, this is also ideally suited to be a text for any social work course or programme on adult safeguarding practice.

This book tells stories of just how powerful social work can be. At its heart are stories drawn from frontline practice, ranging from first interviews through to complex decision-making. Along the way, we meet the social worker who assessed a cat (though for all the right reasons). We witness the cost of failing to protect the rights of adults, exemplified in the tragic death of Connor Sparrowhawk. We also see the transformations that can happen when social workers really get it right - as in the case of Peter, whose love of balloons led them to feature in his care plan. These stories from practice are combined with guidance and reflective exercises to offer valuable practice wisdom and learning for new and experienced social workers alike. By turns funny, wise and moving, this book articulates the personal and professional qualities needed to practise rights-based social work. It reveals the potential of the profession to make a difference to the lives of individuals and to communities.