In this clear and insightful book, best selling author Malcolm Payne analyses the major elements of social care practice, explaining how caring and social work skills and values are crucial to effective social care.

What is Social Care Practice?.- Valuing Users and Carers.- The State and the Individual.- Engaging and Assessing in Social Care.- Partnership with Agencies and Colleagues.- Personal and Social Intervention.- Endings, Monitoring and Evaluation.- Development for Service Users, Carers and Practitioners.- Social Care Futures.

In this clear and insightful book, best selling author Malcolm Payne analyses the major elements of social care practice, explaining how caring and social work skills and values are crucial to effective social care. Through theory, research evidence and skill development, Payne identifies the varying contexts in which social care takes place, the agencies that provide it and the relationships at its heart. The book explains the key practical social care skills:• How to be receptive to users' and carers' own understanding of their needs• How to develop continuity in service provision• How to use effective interpersonal engagement with users and carers to ensure a positive future for them in which they have as much control over their care as possible• How to work in partnership with colleagues and other agenciesWith practice and case examples, research boxes, further reading and reflection activities, this book is a stimulating read for social work and community care students and practitioners.

'It's not often I want to leap off my seat with excitement when I'm reading a book on social care, but Malcolm Payne's Social Care Practice in Context had that effect. Here's a book that engages with practice, policy, theory and research to identify the expertise of social care, the emergent close relation of social work. It does this fluently, with a clarity and ease that make the book a compelling read...This book is essential reading for all.' - Angie Ash, Principal Consultant, Angela Ash Associates, Professional Social Work 'Payne urges the upholding of traditional social work values, such as... building relationships, connecting people to networks and communities, and paying closer attention to what people say they need and want. For both students and practitioners, this has to be worthwhile advice.' - British Journal of Social Work 'interesting and informative. As with all Payne's writing it is clear, concise and easy to read. It is also well laid out, not least the practice examples, research boxes and reflection activities... It should certainly appeal to community care and social work students and practitioners.' - Practice

'It's not often I want to leap off my seat with excitement when I'm reading a book on social care, but Malcolm Payne's Social Care Practice in Context had that effect. Here's a book that engages with practice, policy, theory and research to identify the expertise of social care, the emergent close relation of social work. It does this fluently, with a clarity and ease that make the book a compelling read...This book is essential reading for all.' - Angie Ash, Principal Consultant, Angela Ash Associates, Professional Social Work 'Payne urges the upholding of traditional social work values, such as... building relationships, connecting people to networks and communities, and paying closer attention to what people say they need and want. For both students and practitioners, this has to be worthwhile advice.' - British Journal of Social Work 'interesting and informative. As with all Payne's writing it is clear, concise and easy to read. It is also well laid out, not least the practice examples, research boxes and reflection activities... It should certainly appeal to community care and social work students and practitioners.' - Practice