The Problem of Assessment in Social Work

Is social work The Assessment Profession? This book
argues that assessment is a defining feature of
professional social work and it analyses how the
power of assessment pervades both individual and
institutional practices. Social workers roles and
tasks are increasingly shaped by the need to carry
out social assessments of people s lives in complex
and contestable public welfare environments. At the
same time, social workers themselves are subject to
assessment of their competence and capability through
occupational standards and continuing education
requirements. In highlighting social work as uniquely
positioned within this nexus of assessment processes,
the author offers a historical and contemporary
synthesis of ideas that combine the critical social
theories of Habermas with the pioneering
constructivism of George Kelly s Personal Construct
Psychology. The book outlines an innovative research
enquiry which is used to explore the dilemmas and
opportunities of practice-based professional learning
and offers a conducive alternative approach to
assessment in social work. This book will be
important reading for students, practitioners and
social care educators.

Autorentext
Dr Barry Cooper, PhD, is Lecturer in Social Work at The OpenUniversity in the UK. He is a qualified social worker and haspracticed, taught, researched and published on social work forthirty years. He is a member of the Centre for Personal ConstructPsychology and co-edited Best Practice in Social Work: CriticalPerspectives (Palgrave 2008).

Klappentext
Is social work 'The Assessment Profession?' This bookargues that assessment is a defining feature ofprofessional social work and it analyses how thepower of assessment pervades both individual andinstitutional practices. Social workers' roles andtasks are increasingly shaped by the need to carryout social assessments of people's lives in complexand contestable public welfare environments. At thesame time, social workers themselves are subject toassessment of their competence and capability throughoccupational standards and continuing educationrequirements. In highlighting social work as uniquelypositioned within this nexus of assessment processes,the author offers a historical and contemporarysynthesis of ideas that combine the critical socialtheories of Habermas with the pioneeringconstructivism of George Kelly's Personal ConstructPsychology. The book outlines an innovative researchenquiry which is used to explore the dilemmas andopportunities of practice-based professional learningand offers a 'conducive' alternative approach toassessment in social work. This book will beimportant reading for students, practitioners andsocial care educators.