Social Work, Poverty and Social Exclusion

• What do we mean by the terms "poverty" and "social exclusion" in 21st century Britain?
• What impact do continuing austerity measures have on low-income families?
• How can social workers support and empower service users to escape poverty?

The book argues that the impact social exclusion and poverty has on service user's lives requires social workers to gain a greater awareness of both concepts and their relationship to social work practice.

Chapters consider topical issues such as the role poverty plays in child protection issues, and the dilemmas social workers face in working with asylum seekers. A theme of the book is inequalities in health: that most service users suffer more illness, disability and premature death, because they are poor and excluded.

Focused on what social workers can do in their practice to address social exclusion, the book supports students in developing relationship-based and community-oriented approaches that can actively alleviate poverty.

Key features of the book include:

• Numerous quotations and vignettes give insights into social workers' and service users' real experiences.
• "What Do You Think?" exercises encourage students to actively engage with the issues and think critically about their understanding of poverty.
• Reflective questions are included to spark lively debate around ethics, beliefs and values.