Going Local

There is an increasing emphasis on social workers and social care professionals developing more effective approaches to working in neighbourhoods and with local residents. This is partly a response to government policies centred on service-user participation but it also stems from the recognition that social problems are multifaceted, requiring close integration of services at local level.

Going Local explains how social workers can develop approaches to neighbourhood work, engage with users and their locality, and contribute to strengthening local communities. It combines an emphasis on the practice of delivering neighbourhood services that work well with critiques of major concepts, perspectives and policies that are driving the new localism. The book discusses the key concepts of 'neighbourhood', 'community' and 'social cohesion' and explains:

· how to gather relevant information and knowledge about a specific neighbourhood

· how to maximize the involvement of local people

· how to develop effective partnerships with other organisations

· how to overcome local religious and ethnic division.

It shows how these principles work out in practice in specific services related to the health and social care of adults, children and families and young people.