This successful guide to social work theory and practice has now been fully revised and a substantial amount of new material has been added in order to make it even more comprehensive. New perspectives are included on the way social work is seen by sociology, psychology, political science and the law. A new section on social work in practice describes work with children, families and adult service users, and discusses practice in schools, health care settings and the criminal justice system. Further new chapters deal with black perspectives and the perspective of the disabled persons movement. Chapters from the first edition have been brought up-to-date, and the Companion's prestigious contributors continue to convey the tremendous diversity of the debates that characterize contemporary social work thinking. The new edition maintains the highly accessible style of the previous version and is suitable both as an introduction to the subject and as a reference guide to key issues for experienced students and practitioners. Used in conjunction with the complementary Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Work, it offers complete coverage of the discipline.