Human rights and social justice are the philosophical underpinnings of social work practice. The uniqueness of social work practice is in the blend of some particular values, knowledge and skills, including the use of relationship as the basis of all interventions and respect for the client's choice and involvement. In a socio-political-economic context which increasingly generates insecurity and social tensions, social workers play an important and essential role. Social workers work in a variety of settings: family services agencies, children's aid agencies, general and psychiatric hospitals, school boards, correctional institutions, welfare administration agencies, federal and provincial departments. The present publication is an ideal textbook on the subject, covering syllabi of several universities. It provides a concise guide to almost all the topics relevant to the subject of social work. The insightful text of the book offers a grand view of a very diverse profession and the many areas of practice that social workers serve in.

By Suresh Singh