Making Social Work News

Social work has recently received some dreadful news coverage, but the most extravagant headlines and accusations centre on local authority social work with children. Moreover, such accusations stem almost exclusively from the national press. In Making Social Work News, Meryl Aldridge widens the debate of social work and its representation by the news media. The book falls into three parts, the first providing students and practitioners with a basic understanding of the day-to-day working and commercial logic of the UK press. The second part examines the press coverage of social work itself, exploring its considerable variation, comparing different news treatments between broadsheet and tabloids, and between national and local papers. The final part considers whether social work has particular difficulties in defining its goals and lobbying on its own behalf. It concludes with some reflection on the importance of doing so now that marketing has become part of the policy process. Making Social Work News will be invaluable to all students and lecturers in social work, sociology and social policy as well as media and cultural studies. It will also be essential reading for all social work professionals, particularly those involved in training. Introduction Part I News and newspapers 1 How the press works Part II The case studies 2 A child dies 3 Abuse is alleged 4 Elderly people—the invisible clients 5 Courting coverage—probation and the press 6 Good news about social work Part III Social work news and society 7 Reacting to attack 8 Professions, the state and social work 9 Social work and the press: the prospects for peace