ABSTRACT
Understanding Social Work Practice provides an overview of social work practice by grounding students in the purpose of social work; social work competencies; types of client grouping; and the practice framework of engagement, assessment, intervention, termination, and evaluation. A discussion of the ethics that guide social work practice, licensure of social work, client populations and communities that social workers help, and tensions in social work provide students with real-world information about the profession. Students are also introduced to major theoretical perspectives for social work practice, including ecosystems, social justice, and strengths perspectives. In this fifth edition, connections made to the Grand Challenges for Social Work are updated, and content on community practice is expanded. The case presented in this chapter focuses on social work practice with a survivor of intimate partner violence.
