"A valuable resource for all those engaged in post-qualifying social work practice, ... It is impressive in its coverage of contemporary social work practice across the four countries of the UK"

Professor Jackie Powell, University of Southampton

"The PQ landscape is complex and changing fast, so the reader will be grateful to Pat Higham and her colleagues for this clear and comprehensive analysis of PQ"

Professor Mark Doel, Sheffield Hallam University.

" a comprehensive introduction to social work education at post-qualifying level. It identifies the key issues qualified social workers need to consider in contemporary practice and enables them to engage in critical reflection through the development of their post-qualifying expertise."

Professor John Harris, University of Warwick

This core textbook provides an authoritative overview of the post-qualifying awards in social work. Written in response to recent policy and training guidelines, the book will enhance social workers' post-qualifying knowledge, skills and values within specialist areas of practice.

The book will:

- Use critical self-appraisal to construct different ways of thinking about and doing social work

- Encourage reflection on their practice

- Enable social workers to build confidence in their professional identity

- Move from competence to increased capability and to expertise

- Help social workers to explore values dilemmas

- Increase social workers' knowledge for practice

- Promote learning and career development.

This book examines core assumptions about post qualifying practice - that values and relationships (including partnerships with service users) are essential to good practice, that social workers will work in diverse organisational structures and that social workers in the United Kingdom should become aware of European models of social work.

Preface - Stuart Brook
List of contributors
Introduction What is post qualifying social work practice? - Patricia Higham
PART ONE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR PQ PRACTICE - Patricia Higham
Continuing professional development and post qualifying social work frameworks - Patricia Higham
flagships for social work reform or sinking ships?
Consolidating values in PQ practice - Kish Bhatti-Sinclair
Partnerships with people who use service and carers - Patricia Higham and Claire Torkington
PART TWO SPECIALIST PRACTICE - Patricia Higham
Children, young people, their families and carers - Celia Doyle and Susan Kennedy
PQ social work practice in mental health - Ric Bowl
Social work and older people, - a view from over Offäs Dyke - Aled Wyn Griffiths, Joanna Griffiths and Averil Jarrett
Engaging with the social model of disability - Bob Sapey
Learning disability - Kathy Boxall and Speakup Self Advocacy and Eastwood Action Group
European skills and models: the relevance of the social pedagogue - Jacob Kornbeck and Eunice Lumsden
PART THREE PQ FUNCTIONS - Patricia Higham
Inter-professional learning and multi-professional practice for PQ - Roger Smith
Research and reflective practice - Eithne Darragh and Brian Taylor
Practice education - Patricia Higham and Mavis Sharp
Leadership and management - Victoria Stewart, Laurence Taylor Clarke, and Joyce Lishman
PART FOUR LEARNING ORGANISATIONS AND CRITICALITY - Patricia Higham
Employment perspectives - Nicholas Blinston and Patricia Higham
PQ issues, career development and criticality - Patricia Higham