Social Work, Cats and Rockets Science is an easily accessible, thought-provoking book based on the real-life practice experience of the authors, in social work with adults. With decades of both front line and academic experience between them, their shared passion for rights-based social work leaps from the page.
The concept of the book is based around blog posts the authors have written, with each chapter using one of these as a springboard to reflect upon aspects of social work with adults. The posts cover subjects from the importance of taking a rights-based approach to the importance of acknowledging love, in all its varied forms, within an occupation which is often too focused on desensitised, managerial approaches. The results are stories, insights, and advice which are, in turn, motivational, emotional, and hope-inspiring.
This book is fundamentally about how to make a positive difference in social work with adults, with certain key themes which run through the chapters. The championing of rights-based approaches has already been mentioned, which is grounded in the social model of disability. Another theme is the importance of understanding legislation in social work, with key case law being referenced throughout. One chapter, for example, focuses on the Mental Health Act (1983), Mental Capacity Act (2005), and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (2018) procedures, highlighting how vital is it that social workers use a detailed knowledge of these to empower service users. It is posited that a good understanding of these pieces of legislation and the law in general are necessary in order to ensure that they are not abused or used inappropriately.
The book is at pains to remind the reader of the importance of an individual’s right to make decisions which other people, particularly those in positions of power, might consider unwise. The authors argue that social workers must always consider how to make a person’s life better and highlight the importance of Donald Schön’s (2016) work on reflective practice in this endeavour. We must, they argue, use critical reflection to constantly evaluate the outcomes of any intervention to ensure it is in the best interests of the human being at its centre. This means putting aside and challenging wherever possible, any bias, conscious or otherwise, we or other professionals may harbour about the characteristics of service users.
There is encouragement, too, not to lose sight of the power of human emotion, especially in relation to a person’s well-being and never to underestimate the importance of love, both as a driving force in seeking what is right for somebody, but also in ensuring that service users have access to those who can provide the love that a service cannot.
Each chapter introduces the subject, followed by a relevant blog post which is critically reflected upon and concluded with tips and advice on how best to incorporate useful aspects into practice. The clever use of case studies and analysis of them by social workers in the “You are the Social Worker” section at the end of each chapter, highlight how easy it can be for us to forget the human being at the centre of every assessment.
From the perspective of a social work student, this book answers questions related to how we can make a difference in the life of service users. As students we are taught a lot of theory, but the experience of placement can be immediately overwhelming, making us question how it is possible to really make positive differences in a system increasingly referred to as “in crisis” in the media.
But there is hope in the pages of this book. Hope that if you stay true to your values and remember that being a social worker is who you are, not what you are. The reader is reminded that the radical approaches to social work of the past are now part of the fabric of the job, even if it might feel as though more change is needed. There is mention of how social media can be used as a force for good, as a way of sharing information and resources within online communities outside of the mainstream. There is also encouragement and reassurance that positive change is possible in a system which often seems overly managerial, as long as we always remember that the role of the social worker is to make people’s lives better.
Whether it is possible to stay true to this message as a NQSW in the wake of Covid, in an over-stressed system remains to be seen. The authors are positive on this note, but this reviewer’s experience, however limited, is that there are also those who still feel there is a place for radical social work and that true co-production won’t be possible until social work can be re-imagined and re-implemented.
These are no doubt difficult times for social work, but this social work student has taken hope from within the pages of this book that by committing to social work as an academic discipline which requires constant learning to remain in touch and by staying true to their values, social workers will be able to make a positive difference to the lives of the marginalised and disadvantaged.
Reference
HM Government (2018), Deprivation of liberty safeguards: resources, viewed 14/10/2021, https:// www.gov.uk/government/publications/deprivation-of-liberty-safeguards-forms-and-guidance.
HM Government, Mental Capacity Act (2005), viewed 14/10/2021, https://www.legislation.gov. uk/ukpga/2005/9/contents
HM Government, Mental Health Act (1983), viewed 14/10/2021, https:/www.legislation.gov.uk/ ukpga1983/20/contents.
Schön, D.A. (2016) The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Routledge.