What role does social work play in human service organisations? How do social workers experience and initiate organisational change? How can they engage and negotiate with managers and other professionals? How does a social worker deal with ethical and interpersonal conflicts within organisations?

Organisations and Management in Social Work grounds these complex questions in a comprehensive and accessible overview of the organisational context of social work practice. The book demonstrates how effective service delivery is dependent on organisational and managerial activities and procedures, and emphasises the importance of critiquing existing organisational structures.

This invaluable book:

critically examines organisational theory, managerial techniques and organisational structures

develops strategies for ethical and reflective organisational practice

promotes an understanding of how to plan and manage change in learning organisations

helps readers understand the nature of social work professionalism, including partnership and teamwork, and the inherent tensions in human service organisations

discusses important themes such as leadership, supervision, risk, decision making, and accountability

explores the potential for increasing service user and worker participation in organisations

includes extended practice examples and reflective questions.

Organisations and Management in Social Work will be essential reading for social work students and professionals who wish to better understand the organisational context in which they work.

Dr Mark Hughes is a Lecturer and Dr Michael Wearing is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work in the School of Social Sciences and International Studies at the University of New South Wales.