Policy Press

Recording in social work

Not just an administrative task

By Liz O'Rourke

Published

May 5, 2010

Page count

208 pages

ISBN

978-1847427564

Dimensions

240 x 172 mm

Imprint

Policy Press

Published

May 5, 2010

Page count

208 pages

ISBN

978-1447318088

Dimensions

Imprint

Policy Press

Published

May 5, 2010

Page count

208 pages

ISBN

978-1447318095

Dimensions

Imprint

Policy Press
Recording in social work

Recording is regarded by most social workers as a necessary evil. The research from which this book arises found that recording is a highly complex and demanding aspect of professional practice. Why has such a critical activity received so little attention, despite the concerns over social work records identified with successive inquiries into tragic deaths? This highly topical book explores the often conflicting demands on social workers as they record information on the case files, and will stimulate a long overdue debate as to how to achieve more effective recording in social work.

"...very useful and stimulating and should be compulsory reading on all social work courses." Fiona Bacon, Social Worker, South East City Community Mental Health Team

"Very clearly written: an excellent resource for social work students to prepare them for work and ensure skills are up to date." Rachel Good, Staffordshire University

"Recording can be a chore. But it can also be a positive tool, encouraging reflection as well as focusing on accountability and information storage and sharing. As with recording itself, this research-based text should also encourage reflection and a positive re-balancing of the purpose, process and product of recording." Ray Jones,

Professor of Social Work, Kingston University and St George's, University of London,

and former Social Services Director for Wiltshire and Chair of BASW

"The topic of recording is certainly one for which there exists little current literature, and this book makes an original and prominent contribution." Suzy Braye, University of Sussex

Liz O'Rourke has worked as a training consultant since 1994, and has written two training manuals on the subject of recording in social care, together with a book on the relationship between tutors and learners. She began her career in psychiatric nursing and was previously training manager with Berkshire Social Services. Along with her training work she has, over the last six years, been researching the experience of social workers in relation to recording.

Introduction; Recording in context; Social work, risk and modernity; The social construction of the 'real' record; Setting the scene; The demands of recording; Resources/constraints impacting on recording; Recording dilemmas; Conclusions and implications.