Social Work Law

This contemporary and creative textbook takes the fear out of learning law, and enables students to apply it to their social work practice with confidence.

Social Work Law is an exciting textbook that supports students who are often intimidated by law as a subject. It helps them remember all the relevant Acts and legislation, and illustrates how the law can be applied in practice.  Learning features such as mindmaps, end of chapter tests, and personal reflection boxes provide powerful tools for understanding and recall. It also explores key study skills to help students with essay preparation and taking a social work law exam.  

Mapped to modules and based on teaching needs, it supports lectures too with up to date content and worked examples to follow throughout.

Accessible and engaging, this introduction guides readers through the modern professional and legal context of Social Work, equipping them with the tools they need to be able to think critically and adapt to whatever situation they may encounter in their practice. 

Whether a qualifying student on an undergraduate degree course, an Social Work degree apprentice, or a newly qualified social worker, this is the go-to textbook for being able to understand , think critically, and apply law to your social work practice.

Chapter 1: Introduction to using this book

Chapter 2: Introduction to the English legal system and social work

Part One; Law relating to children

Chapter 3: Child legislation part one – Child in need or risk of significant harm?

Chapter 4: Child legislation part two - When children become looked after

Chapter 5 Child legislation part three – Children in the criminal justice system

Part Two: Law affecting children and adults

Chapter 6: Chapter 7: Children and adults - Mental Capacity Act 2005

Chapter 7: Deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS) and Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) - Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019

Chapter 8: Children and adults - Mental Health Act 1983/2007

Chapter 9: Children and adults – Legislation pertaining to disability/impairment seen and unseen

Part Three: Law specific to adults

Chapter 10: Adult care: Care Act 2014

Part Four: Practice related study skills

Chapter 11:  Study skills: Applying the law to your social work practice

Conclusion

Chapter 12: Conclusion

References

Glossary

Index

Dr Michelle Evans is a published author, filmmaker, placement link lecturer, senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy and senior lecturer at London South Bank University (LSBU) where she is module lead teaching law for social workers at masters’ level.  Michelle takes great pride in finding innovative and interesting ways to engage and teach students to enable them to not only reach their full potential in terms of assignment grades but to take academic learning and apply it in social work practice, increasing the students' personal professional expertise.