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This paper presents findings from a photovoice project that was aimed at engaging with a diverse range of black men in a London Borough. The key objectives were to find a different way to get men to talk about their concerns and to raise awareness about mental health. Photovoice is a participatory research action technique that was developed to enable communities to document their concerns and experiences of community life that is meaningful to them. Nineteen men participated in the project. It has been suggested that men, in particular, black men do not find it easy to talk about mental health issues. This study found that through the use of photovoice methods, black men were able to talk about a range of emotions when they were offered the right medium and safe spaces to share their experiences. It found that they can and want to take control of their lives, but at times may require life skills training. Another finding was that black men have to balance expectations about being strong whilst 'containing' vulnerabilities in racialised contexts – being hard on the outside and human on the inside, and that their experiences are characterised by journeys of significant struggle and resilience in the face of adversity. The paper concludes that mental health services should find ways of engaging with black men differently, i.e. reaching out rather than the traditional mantra of 'outreach'.

Editors Evans and Keating present readers with a collection of academic essays designed to allow for critical thinking regarding the relationship between policy and practice in social work. The editors argue that social policy is central to social work practice. The ten contributions that make up the text focus on discretion in history and the development of social work, social work education and training as a policy issue, the development of safeguarding in children's services, and many other related subjects. The editors are both faculty members of the University of London in the UK.

This textbook will help students, practitioners and academics think critically about the relationship between policy and practice. Reflective questions help critical thinking and links to websites of substantive information across the UK and internationally help keep readers up-to-date with policy developments

A guide on issues around race, culture and mental health service provision. It covers issues around mental health service provision for black and minority ethnic (BME) communities, including refugees and asylum seekers, and critical accounts of how these issues may be confronted, with examples of projects that attempt to do just that

The mental health field is viewed by some as reluctant to tackle the problem of abuse. While 'adult protection' offers one way forward, the authors of this paper caution against over‐enthusiastic borrowing from this paradigm. Instead they argue that mental health services will only become intolerant of abuse when there is widespread acceptance of the role of power abuse in psychological distress and disturbance.

This new edition of a widely-respected textbook examines welfare policy and racism in a broad framework that marries theory, evidence, history and contemporary debate. Fully updated, it contains: • a new foreword by Professor Kate Pickett, acclaimed co-author of The Spirit Level • two new chapters on disability and chronic illness, and UK education policy respectively • updated examples and data, reflecting changes in black and minority ethnic demographics in the UK • a post-script from a minority student on her struggle to make a new home in Britain Suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in social policy, sociology and applied social sciences, its global themes of immigration, austerity and securitisation also make it of considerable interest to policy and welfare practitioners

The gap between the theory and the practice of working with Black and minority ethnic groups presents an ongoing conundrum for social work. This exciting textbook presents a new theory based on a rich understanding of the constraints and creativities of practice. Taking a transformative approach, this accessible textbook presents evidence from both academics and practitioners. Contributions draw on real-life practice scenarios and present case studies to illustrate the many dimensions of working in a diverse society, encouraging students and practitioners to form innovative solutions to service delivery. Covering practice themes including risk, co-production, interpreting, multi-disciplinary working and personalisation, this is vital reading for all students in social work, and practitioners undertaking continuing professional development

This book explores the challenges of applying disability theory and policy, including the social model of disability, to madness and distress. It brings together leading scholars and activists from Europe, North America, Australia and India, to explore the relationship between madness, distress and disability. Whether mental health problems should be viewed as disabilities is a pressing concern, especially since the inclusion of psychosocial disability in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This book will appeal to policy makers, practitioners, activists and academics