Publisher's Synopsis
Providing a user-friendly introduction to Social Work research, this textbook will demystify the most important concepts and show why it is important to embrace evidence-informed practice (EIP). In the face of complex and demanding work, it is crucial not to focus solely on the concept of evidence-based practice but to make use of all the evidence at your disposal and allow this evidence to inform your decisions. This book champions the integration of service user and carer knowledge, along with practitioners' wisdom and the best research evidence to make a difference for service users.
Containing helpful examples of how to apply EIP to practice encounters, as well as a range of further reading and activities to help you to critically reflect on your experience, this book explores how EIP can be used to enhance your effectiveness as a Social Work practitioner, professional and social scientist.
Chapters in this textbook explore themes and skills you will need to consider and develop in your practice, including:
Identifying, assessing, and critiquing difference types of 'evidence'
Understanding what constitutes research knowledge
Ethical issues in practice and research
Implementation of evidence-informed practice and evaluating your practice
Interprofessional practice and creating evidence-informed cultures
Written by experts in the field, this text is essential reading for all Social Work students and qualified practitioners.
"This book is an excellent introduction to the subject for social work students and social workers. It sets out in a very accessible style the ways in which social workers can develop understanding of key features of, and practical ways to make use of, Evidence-Informed Practice, within a real appreciation of the social work role and its values. I would advise all social work students and social workers to read it."
Professor Brian Littlechild PhD, Research Lead, Department of Nursing and Social Work, University of Hertfordshire, UK
"This book should probably be seen as and become an essential tool for good and effective social work practice. The authors provide a detailed and painstaking guide to the process of accessing, assimilating, critically analysing and applying the best evidence available to support social workers in undertaking their roles in an informed and insightful manner. It oozes the accumulated wisdom of these expert writers, whilst remaining fundamentally practical, and it thus renders itself virtually indispensable."
Roger Smith, Professor of Social Work, Durham University, UK
