As a social worker, theory can offer meaningful ways to better understand and support the people you work with. However, sometimes it can be challenging to connect the theories learned about in class and training, with the complex real-life situations encountered as a practitioner. Applying Social Work Theory: A Journal is an innovative tool for learning and applying social work theory to practice. Designed to be written in, this unique journal encourages more active and creative engagement with theory in three parts: · Part I introduces twelve of the most common theories covered on social work courses, with case studies to illustrate how these can be applied · Part II demonstrates how you can apply multiple theories to three complex case studies from social work practice · Part III offers guidance on writing your own case studies based on your practice placement Each chapter starts with a short and accessible summary of the theory and then presents five practical steps to help you understand and use the theory in your practice. By answering reflective questions, completing exercises and applying theories to case studies and your own experiences, you will become more confident in engaging with theory. This book is a must-have companion for social work students on placement and qualified social workers new to the field.

To become effective and knowledgeable social workers, students need to be able to draw upon and apply a wide range of theories to the complex lives of service users in professional practice. For many students this is no simple task: social work draws upon theories from a wide range of disciplines and students are confronted with a plethora of approaches and ideas. The result is a gap between theory and practice. This book, with its unique journal format, will provide readers with a framework for engaging with and applying theory to practice. Part 1 introduces 12 common theoretical approaches in social work. Each chapter starts with a short, accessible summary of the theory and then presents five steps which help students to consolidate their understanding and engage with the theory: - Step 1: students write their own short summary of the theory - Step 2: reflective questions/exercises help students to consider the theory in terms of their own life experience - Step 3: questions/exercises to help students apply the theory to their placement experiences - Step 4: a case study from social work practice to illustrate this approach - Step 5: a commentary on the case study with key questions to ask in order to examine the case in relation to this approach Part 2 contains three complex and contrasting case studies. These help students to examine the ways in which theory can help them understand more about the complex lives of service users. Reflective prompts encourage students to reflect on which theories help to inform understanding of the situation, with discussion over how particular theories can be applied. Part 3 contains space for students to capture their own experiences from placement. Key questions will help them to think about which theories might offer most insight, and prompts help to assist students in the act of reflecting deeply about theory. This text presents students with an original, hands-on way of engaging with theory.