The Ethical Foundations of Social Work provides an engaging, theoretically rigorous and practice-based grounding in social work ethics. The authors examine when, how and why principles and debates historically emerged, and then explicitly map them onto everyday ethical challenges and situations in social work practice. As such, the book promotes an ethically 'conscious' approach whereby principles can be applied flexibly and confidently as tools for critically responding to problems.

Key features:
* 'Real life' case studies illustrate contemporary ethical dilemmas and help explore the process of critically analysing a situation.
* Demonstrates the relationship between ethical theory and practice.
* Shows how contemporary Codes of Practice have emerged from debates.
* Looks at how individuals and groups relate to each other as well as to social institutions.
* Boxed material focuses on key issues and summary points, and further reading supports and extends the reader.

The Ethical Foundations of Social Work is essential reading for social work students and practitioners looking for a thorough grounding in ethical issues and practice. It will also be of interest more widely in social care and the social sciences.

An accessible, theoretically rigorous and practice-based grounding in social work ethics.

About the Author
Cowden, Stephen; Pullen-Sansfacon, Annie

Reviews

"This text provides an excellent grounding in ethics. While it is aimed primarily at students of social work, it is relevant to nurses and other practitioners in health and social care, especially in its exploration of concepts such as empowerment, human dignity and universalism, and in its examination of professional values." - Bashyr Aziz, associate clinical teacher, University of Warwick, in Nursing Standard, Vol 26 No 24, 2012

"A thought-provoking text that masterfully draws on classic and contemporary theory to demonstrate the centrality of conscious ethical reasoning for social work practice today ... with currency for students at all levels of study, social work practitioners and those in academe." - Professor Sandra Drower, University of Winchester

"A committed, accessible and timely text which deserves to be on the reading list of every social work programme. ... Pullen and Cowden remind us that social work is first and foremost an ethical profession." - Dr Iain Ferguson, University of Stirling

'A committed, accessible and timely text which deserves to be on the reading list of every social work programme. ... Pullen and Cowden remind us that social work is first and foremost an ethical profession.' - Iain Ferguson, University of of the West of Scotland

'this is a readable, enjoyable book, and one that deserves to to be widely read' - Steve Rogowski, Professional Social Work

'This text provides an excellent grounding in ethics. While it is aimed primarily at students of social work, it is relevant to nurses and other practitioners in health and social care, especially in its exploration of concepts such as empowerment, human dignity and universalism, and in its examination of professional values.' - Nursing Standard

'A thought-provoking text that masterfully draws on classic and contemporary theory to demonstrate the centrality of conscious ethical reasoning for social work practice today ... with currency for students at all levels of study, social work practitioners and those in academe.' - Sandra Drower, University of Winchester

Book Information
ISBN 9781408224434
Author Stephen Cowden
Format Paperback
Page Count 232
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 408g