Relationship-Based Social Work

Abstract

RELATIONSHIP-BASED SOCIAL WORK Ruch, G., Turney, D, & Ward, A. (eds.) (2010). London: Jessica Kingsley. pp.272 (pbk) £19.99 ISBN 978-184905003-6 This book is a well-structured look at the place of relationships in social work practice and examines the theoretical base as well as the need for training in, supervision of, and reflection on, its use. The opening chapters by Gillian Ruch and Adrian Ward are well-argued and enlightening, locating the theories of relationship-based work in an historical context, and contextualising the discussions that follow. The links to reflective practice are many and offer sound advice to social work students trying to locate 'self-awareness' in social work and, more explicitly, in reflective practice. The editors' discussion of the ambiguous nature of social work, 'Social Work occupies an ambivalent social space' (p. 22), will help the desired 'light-bulb' moment looked for, in my experience of teaching, in this subject area. The book also develops the why's and how's of there being 'no right answer' to service users' problems, and how a sound knowledge of relationships can help with working in 'Schon's (1983) swampy lowlands'. Adrian Ward's note that ? am suggesting that this is more of an art than a science, more a question of growth and development, rather than merely training' (p. 64) sums up, for me, the need for a fluid approach to working from such a perspective. The next section of the book moves into a series of contributor discussions around the place, and use, of relationships in practice. Chapter Four gives clear evidence of how the understanding of relationships can be used in drawing out information from vulnerable service users and disaffected clients. This aspect provides reference to sound transferable practice skills for working in high-risk situations, such as child abuse cases. However, I felt there was a missed opportunity in the lack of discussion of the evidence from research in such situations, which underpins empowering practice when working with involuntary clients. Kohli and Dutton's links to short-term work gives added breadth to the use of relationships in brief work where they may often be seen as less important because of the time-limited nature of the intervention. They additionally draw in and provide an antimanagerial argument applicable to child protection when they note, 'there is a danger that with families on the move colliding with professionals making haste, little is made into too much and that too much is left invisible and compressed into too little' (p. 101). In my view, they draw out culturally-competent practice, although it is not named as such, with diverse ethnic groups, refugees and asylum seekers. Chapters Six, Seven and Eight then move into working with strong feelings and the emotional costs of working with service users whose behaviours can be unexpected and, very often, intimidating. …