I have three aspirations in writing this book. First, I am convinced social work will be greatly enriched if accomplished within a framework for embedding qualitative evaluation and inquiry as a dimension of good practice in social work. Second, I aim to persuade readers of the central significance of a ‘methodological practice’ in social work that adapts, infuses, inhabits and translates social research methods as a dimension of the different stages of social work – assessment, planning, intervention, review and outcomes. Finally, I hope to facilitate good practice by exemplifying the argument through extensive worked examples and exercises.