Product Description
The authors bring more than 40 years’ experience in rural social work and community development to the challenge of providing good social care to the more than 6 million people who live in rural Australia, some in very remote locations.
Their book emphasises the importance of a developmental approach encompassing proper planning, evidence-based policy, and the influence which practitioners can have. The first part explains the processes for developing, implementing and evaluating policies and social plans, including achieving impact through networking, formal consultations, community development, and lobbying.
Part two of the book looks at types of social care and the challenges each present. Those covered include:
Community-embedded, where practitioners view themselves as part of the community
Specialised, where the focus is on a particular target group or methodology
Statutory, where the provision of social care comes with legislative responsibility
Visiting, where the practitioner doesn’t live in the community but provides services on a visiting basis
The authors devote specific attention to Indigenous communities and, through case studies, provide examples of social care programs in action.
This is an invaluable book for practitioners and students of social work, nursing, education, psychology, community development, and social policy, as well as others who care for the social needs of rural communities on a voluntary basis.
Social care in rural places
Defining rural
Rural communities
Social care in rural contexts
The book
Part 1: Social Care Development
Social policy
Policy context
Social policy and rural communities
Policy formulation
Engaging with policy formulation
Conclusion
Social planning
Social care planning
Community services development
Community planning
Social impact assessment
Conclusion
Community development
Principles
Western community development
Indigenous community development
Conclusion
Part 2: Social Care Services and Practice
Individualised services and generalist practice
Service designs
Contextualising practice
Working in context
Developing a practice framework
Conclusion
Visiting services and practice
Service models and visiting practice
Contextualising practice
Working with other services and practitioners
Personal safety and risk management
Conclusion
Specialised services and practice
Specialised service provision
Contextualising services
Drawing boundaries
Working in combined positions
Developing specialist skills
Sharing specialist expertise locally
Networking with specialists
Conclusion
Statutory services and mandated practice
Social care and social control
Issues confronting statutory services
Practice issues relating to statutory and mandated work
Guidelines for undertaking statutory and mandated roles
Conclusion
Practice, practitioners, community, and lifestyle
Domains of practice
Practising and living in a rural community
Rural social care practice
Conclusion
BibliographyIndex