Towards Practice Theory

First published in 1979, Towards Practice Theory examines the methods and processes involved in the construction of social work assessments. Though much of the material focuses on the skills involved in the preparation of social inquiry reports for the courts, there is much that is relevant to other types of social work assessments. It is written in the belief that the implicit ‘practice wisdom’ of social workers, together with the special skills they have acquired from various sources, should be documented as the profession’s ‘practice theory’.

The book consists of an analysis of ninety social inquiry reports prepared by probation officers. This analysis identifies the acquisition, study, formulation, and goal setting stages of the assessment process. The authors proceed to examine in detail three social assessments in different social work settings: a social services department inquiry into a non-accidental injury to a baby; a child treatment research unit’s assessment of a child’s behaviour problems; and the discharge from hospital of a terminally ill patient. The book concludes with some theoretical generalizations about social work practice in terms of models, theories, and paradigms. The psychosocial assumptions on which the book is based are made explicit, and a model of the assessment filter is presented which includes interpersonal communication, individualization, balance sheets, and goal-setting strategies.