Social Work Skills and Knowledge: A Practice Handbook

Since its first publication in 2000, this best-selling text has been an invaluable resource for thousands of social workers preparing for life in practice. Written by an influential academic-practitioner, it is widely regarded as the leading book in its field.

The fourth edition has been thoroughly updated to include sections on theoretical, factual and practice knowledge. Key features include:

• Explanation of how theory and practice can be integrated in a Knowledge and Skills
Framework or ‘map’ of professional practice
• Updated case examples exploring issues that have become important since the third edition
• 80 essential social work skills and interventions including communication, empowerment, counselling skills and many more.

Social Work Skills is essential reading for all social work students and a valuable reference tool for practising social workers, social services managers and human service professionals.


Dr Pamela Trevithick is Visiting Professor in Social Work at Buckinghamshire New University, UK and the Chair of GAPS, a membership organisation promoting relationship-based approaches, and psychodynamic and systemic thinking in social work. She lectures widely in the UK and abroad on a range of issues relating to effective social work practice.