• Publication Date: March 9, 2007
  • EAN: 9781862876361
  • 216 pages; 6" x 8⅝"
Filed Under: Social Work

Social Care Practice in Rural Communities

$39.95

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

In this book, the authors take a broad approach to the notion of social care. They argue it is much broader than those services provided by professionals (such as counselling, or providing material/financial aid), and rather that social care is something that everyone participates in: professionals, service providers, organisations and individuals. Part One, social care development, looks at social policy (its development, implementation and evaluation); social planning at the local level; and community development. Part Two covers social care services and practice. Individual chapters discuss: individualised services and generalist practice; visiting services; specialised services; statutory services and mandated practice; and the benefits and challenges faced by practitioners who both live and work in the same community. Specific attention in the book is given to Indigenous communities and case studies are also discussed. This book would be of value to both practitioners who already work in rural communities, and students. – Family Matters (Australian Institute of Family Studies), 2007 No 77

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