Social work and Irish people in Britain: Historical and contemporary responses to Irish children and families

Description

Dominant social work and social care discourses on 'race' and ethnicity often fail to incorporate an Irish dimension. This book challenges this omission and provides new insights into how social work has engaged with Irish children and their families, historically and to the present day. The book: provides the first detailed exploration of social work with Irish children and families in Britain; examines archival materials to illuminate historical patterns of engagement; provides an account of how social services departments in England and Wales are currently responding to the needs of Irish children and families; incorporates the views of Irish social workers; acts as a timely intervention in the debate on social work's 'modernisation' agenda. The book will be valuable to social workers, social work educators and students. Its key themes will also fascinate those interested in 'race' and ethnicity in Britain in the early 21st century.

Paul Michael Garrett is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Nottingham. His work has appeared in a number of academic journals. His most recent book was Remaking Social Work with Children and Families (London, Routledge, 2003). He is also the Adviser on Social Services to the All-Party Irish in Britain Parliamentary Group.

"... a fascinating insight into the experience of Irish service users in Britain, both past and present. It is a text that many British social workers will - or should - be recommended to read." Caroline Skehill, School of Social Work, Queen's University of Belfast