Social Work In Restructured European Welfare Systems

This volume represents a significant and original contribution to the international debate on the ongoing changes in welfare regimes or models within the European Union. In details, using evidence from several European countries with different traditions and features, the book explores the relationships between the recent changes in national social policies and social work practices, also looking at the influence on civil society. The basic assumption is that the new liberalism as well as the increasing process of rationalisation of welfare systems, occurred since the ’70s in most of the European countries, had a strong influence and impact on social work. All of these changes have directly challenged the specific nature of social work in various contexts and, primarily, the role of social work as a profession. The book aimed to scholars, social policy and social work academics, but also students and practitioners, is structured in three broad sections that deal with different aspects closely related with each other: restructuring social welfare; social work practice within changing perspectives; social work contribution to the development of civil society.