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A Social Worker’s Must Have Reading Essentials
Words Faith Wilcox
Reading is a favourite past time of mine, currently my studies have reduced the time I can spend reading for leisure. However, reading for research has opened a whole new world. Reading allows you to expand your knowledge. As a children’s and family’s specialist, it is important that you continuously read to develop knowledge and apply theories into practice. Below you will find some of my favourite pastimes and new reads that I have found enjoyable.
The curious incident of the dog in the night time – Mark Haddon
Christopher John Francis Boone is a high functioning autistic child who is obsessed with numbers. He knows every prime number up to 7,057 and can formulate relationships with animals. However, he finds it challenging to understand human emotions. This novel takes you into Christopher’s world. Although, Christopher being autistic ‘is a by the way’ it enables professionals to have basic knowledge of what Asperger’s syndrome can be like for children.
Purple Hibiscus – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Set in postcolonial Nigeria this novel, tells the tale through a child’s perspective of domestic violence, religion and psychological trauma. Exploring the power of religion and patriarchy in an African home. Although fictional it paints a relatable picture for some young children and highlights the realities of growing up with abuse.
Why I Am No Longer Talking to White People About Race – Reni Eddo-Lodge
With undue unrest and racial tensions heightened both here and America, you may have conversations with people who know little or fail to understand why race is still a momentous issue. The conservative nature of our society has enabled white people not to talk about race in case it offends us. However, this is still problematic, this book explores power struggles and critical race theory in present day England.
Social Media and Social Work: Implications and Opportunities for Practice – Claudia Megele
The continuous development of Social Work as a profession has required adaptation to how we work with service users and young people especially. This read explores this and more, thought provoking and challenging. Transferrable for students and practitioners alike.
Deaf Gain: Raising the Stakes for Human Diversity – H-Dirksen, L. Bauman, Joseph Murray
Often having a disability is seen as a lack and defining one’s abilities. This book explores, what we can learn from the deaf community. Contributions that have been made to society from those that are deaf bridging the gap in knowledge of how to work with those that have physical disabilities. This can also be used as a tool for working with deaf young people and building self-esteem.