The health and welfare of AustraliaaaC--a s Indigenous population is marked by recurring and seemingly intractable issues such as poor access to services, family violence, and high levels of infant mortality. More than 200 years of historical, cultural and political factors have shaped Indigenous lives - and the perceptions of social workers. Linda Briskman, social worker, academic and author of the acclaimed book The Black Grapevine aaC--" Aboriginal Activism and the Stolen Generations, throws down the gauntlet to practitioners and students of social work, challenging them to pursue a better, more informed way of meeting the unique needs of this community. She covers the issues that Indigenous communities face, with specific chapters devoted to the areas of children, youth, family violence, health, and criminal justice. Case studies are supported by literature and research to provide practitioners and students with a good understanding of the circumstances they will be presented with when working with Indigenous communities. Good practice is marked by a recognition of the strengths of communities and an understanding of how to acknowledge and facilitate these. This book shows social workers how they can develop their skills in this area and excel in providing services with the best fit for Indigenous communities.

Table of Contents

Contents Part 1 - Background and Context Confronting complicity and moving on Framing the social work response Past, plight and resilience Beyond Australia: international perspectives Spirituality, ideology, values and ethics Part 2 - Practising Social Work Redeeming social work The organisational domain Policies and programs Advocacy, activism and social action Research Community development Part 3 - Locating Social Work Child welfare Youth Family violence Health Criminal justice Part 4 - Talking Points Contested ground and debates Unfinished social work business Appendix: IFSW International Policy on Indigenous Peoples (IFSW 2000) Bibliography Index

Reviews

[The book's] open, uncluttered style of presentation and organisation makes it accessible to entry-level social-work students, practitioners and academics alike. Its unflinching advocacy of critical/structural social-work ... keeps a sense of integrity with the community and structural aspects of social-work practice... Taken as a whole, Social Work with Indigenous Communities effectively points to the profound need for more effective, more socially active work based on the tenets of social justice. As such, it is [a] valuable resource for new social-work students and practitioners alike - one which provides a glimpse into the myriad of complex issues encountered in practice with Indigenous communities. It is also a valuable resource for social-work educators, ideal for use as a conceptual centrepiece, connecting and correlating other more detailed resources. - Australian Aboriginal Studies, Vol 2, 2007