This significantly extended fourth edition of the primary text for students and trainee social workers is the most inclusive and authoritative of its kind, providing an integrated companion that avoids the need for supplementary volumes. The material has been reformulated into six substantive sections that cover all the essential aspects of social work, including two entirely new ones covering theory and practice. The text now features an innovative encyclopedia-style selection of 24 essays each analysing a relevant theoretical perspective. Concise, expertly edited contributions from leading academics and practitioners explore the social and psychological framework of the subject, the stages in the human life cycle, the reasons for social work, the nature of social work practice, its core components, and its theoretical foundations. As with previous editions, the coverage is subdivided into discrete and easy to assimilate sections, making this an invaluable reference for students throughout an entire social work programme. Each chapter lists the key points to remember and includes questions for discussion in addition to judiciously selected recommendations for further reading. More experienced readers will find this updated new edition an informative source on the central issues and debates in contemporary social work.