What is social work’s contribution to humanity and society? Best-selling author Malcolm Payne offers a toolkit for social work practitioners and students to bring key issues about their practice and social role to life, drawing on case examples and research.

Starting from the principle that human beings are social beings, he showcases:

•innovative analysis of how social work’s identity and diverse streams of thought inform social professions globally;

•social work’s dual practice aims of developing human flourishing and social capital;

•community-near co-production, engaging agencies, communities and service users with practitioners from different professions to meet shared aims for social transformation;

•how populist politics and monetising economics corrodes deeply-held human and social values.

Malcolm Payne looks forward to social work practice and provision that puts people and social relationships first in meeting the challenges of twenty-first century caring and environmental crises.

“An essential guide that offers students and social workers innovative insights and practical tools to enhance their practice, emphasizing human flourishing, social capital and the importance of social relationships in modern challenges.” Annamaria Campanini, Past President, International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and University of Milano Bicocca

“A new perspective on how social work is positioned in today's society and how it should be understood in the development process for tomorrow's world challenges – as a way to promote human flourishing and increase social capital in people’s lives.” Ana Radulescu, International Federation of Social Workers – Europe

“An excellent book. A leading writer in the field, Malcolm Payne explores the role of Social Work today and how current changes in society will shape the role in years to come.” Dave Mason, retired academic and practitioner

Malcolm Payne holds professorial roles at Manchester Metropolitan University and Kingston University London, having worked in a wide range of social work practice and management roles and in social work education in Europe and the UK.

Part 1: Why social work?

1. Social work: human and social

2. Social work’s field of practice

Part 2: How social work works

3. Social work's practice actions

4. Social work’s practice strategies

5. Social work’s streams of thinking

6. Social work’s agency contexts

7. Social work, profession and agency

8. Social work and co-production

Part 3: Social work under pressure

9. Social work, policy and politics