Elaine Aspinwall-Roberts is a Senior Lecturer in Adult Social Care at Liverpool John Moores University, UK. She is a qualified social worker and was previously a local authority team manager. She has worked extensively with older people, people with physical disabilities and people with learning disabilities.

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This accessible survival guide shows social workers how to make their assessments the best, most effective and person-centred they can be. The book contains:

* Practical examples, advice and tips, including dealing with pitfalls

* Good practice and point of law reminders

* Fresh ideas on how to develop your assessment skills with adults

* Advice on working constructively with others in the field

* Helpful checklists at end of each chapter

Written by an author with extensive experience in social work, the book focuses on the 'person to person' relationship in assessment and considers important areas such as:

* Being well prepared

* Asking difficult questions

* Establishing trust and reducing anxieties

* Dealing with assessment problems

* The importance of you in communication and relationship building

Assessment is at the heart of social work and this book will help you do the best assessment possible every time.

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This book forms part of a series of pocketbooks for social workers. These compact guides are written in an accessible and to-the-point style to help the busy practitioner locate the information they need as and when they need it-all bound up in A5 and under! The pocketbooks explore key practical skills involved in such areas as mental capacity, report writing and assessment.

This is an excellent addition to the pocket book series; offering sound practical approaches to everyday assessments and real-life examples on how to deal with problematic situations when working in Adult Social Care ... I thoroughly recommend this book both as a key text for students and reference guide for practitioners.
Liz Armitage, Newly-Qualified Social Worker

Assessments in Social Work is an engaging and informative read, addressing key legal and practice issues in adult social care in a succinct manner ... It provides you with the tools to work creatively and collaboratively with service users, even within the increasing bureaucracy of modern social work. I would highly recommend it, and feel that it offers both the newly qualified, and more experienced practitioner, with the knowledge and skills needed to function with confidence and effectiveness in their social work role.
Emma Cooper, Social Worker