Policy & Practice
Policy Press publishes policy review and polemic books that aim to challenge policy for, or thinking about, a certain field of policy or practice as well as books aimed at a practice audience. These books are written in an accessible style whilst being academically sound and appropriately referenced.
Legal Aid in Crisis
Assessing the Impact of Reform
This book is the first to evaluate the recent reforms of UK legal aid from a social policy perspective and assess their impact on family law courts and advocacy. It argues that the reforms effectively ‘delawyerise’ disputes, producing a more inquisitorial justice system and impacting the litigants, court system, staff and process.
Who Stole the Town Hall?
The End of Local Government as We Know It
Arguing that the UK Government intends to privatise all local services through its devolution agenda, Peter Latham proposes a new basis for federal, regional and local democracy, including land value taxation and a wealth tax.
Consulting Skills for Social Researchers
This practitioner-oriented text is the first to help social researchers define research projects, manage the social research process, engage with stakeholders and influence change. It will be invaluable for all those commissioning, managing and conducting social research.
Demystifying Evaluation
Practical Approaches for Researchers and Users
Demystifying evaluation is an accessible introductory guide explaining the options open to evaluators and how to make appropriate choices of research methods and covering issues such as managing expectations of evaluation, quantitative and qualitative methods, engaging stakeholders and providing action-orientated approaches to help end-users.
Repealing the 8th
Reforming Irish Abortion Law
Irish law only currently allows for abortion where the life of the pregnant woman is at risk. A constitutional referendum will be held in 2018 to liberalise abortion law. This book offers practical proposals for policymakers and advocates, including model legislation, making it an essential campaigning tool leading up to the referendum.
Global Agenda for Social Justice
Volume One
The Global Agenda for Social Justice provides accessible insights into some of the world’s most pressing social problems and proposes international public policy responses to those problems. Chapters examine topics such as criminal justice, media concerns, environmental problems, economic problems, and issues concerning sexualities and gender.
The effects of parents' employment on children's lives
This report examines links between parents' employment patterns while raising children and what happens when those children become young adults. Some of its findings carry important implications for public policy and for further research. A number are likely to prove controversial, arousing public debate concerning their meaning and relevance.
Living and working in areas of street sex work
From conflict to coexistence
There has been considerable recent policy debate and community concern on street sex work in local neighbourhoods. This report examines how residential areas characterised as areas of female street sex work are shared by different sections of the community and considers community and policy responses. Free pdf version available at www.jrf.org.uk
Social Media and Social Work
Implications and Opportunities for Practice
Using real-life examples, this book enables practitioners and students to consider the ethics and assess the impact of social media on their professional conduct, and their ability to maintain public confidence.
Family-friendly working?
Putting policy into practice
In responding to the needs of working parents and employers, the Government has introduced legislation which encourages family-friendly initiatives to be determined jointly and voluntarily between employers and employees. Focusing on the key sector of financial services, Family-friendly working? reviews how companies are handling this process..
Understanding Restorative Justice
How Empathy Can Close the Gap Created by Crime
This unique book is a clear and detailed introduction that analyses how restorative justice nurtures empathy, exploring key themes such as responsibility, shame, forgiveness and closure. Using case studies, the book offers a fresh angle on a topic that is of growing interest both in the UK and internationally.
Policy for Play
Responding to Children's Forgotten Right
Using the UK government’s play strategy for England (2008-10) as a case study, this is the first book to look in detail at children’s play within public policy. It is an essential tool for practitioners and campaigners around the world.