Task centred social work is one of the best known and most strongly supported approaches to social work practice. This text is a radical departure from traditional literature on social work methods. The main reference point is the voice of practitioners, service users and carers, as researched and developed by the authors over twenty years. Case studies are used throughout the book to build on the experiences of practitioners and the people with whom they have worked, demonstrating practical skills for:

• study and analysis
• teaching and learning
• practicing task-centred social work
• review and continuing development.

The Task-Centred Book is a core text for both undergraduate social work courses and continuing professional development training, as well as being a practical book for the active professional which will support the development and implementation of task-centred practice.

Mark Doel's and Peter Marsh's new book teaches the necessary practical skills by setting the approach in the context of the major concerns of modern social work and by linking it to its research basis.

'This book will definitely challenge practitioners and educators in Australia who have yet to incorporate, to any great extent, research with service users in the development of practice models. While those wanting to learn about the model will benefit from the sections of the book on the rationale behind this approach and how it can be applied,trainers and practitioners will also benefit from the very practical and reflective approach of the book's structure. The Task-Centred approach has been around a long time and this book gives it new life as it argues the relevance of this model for addressing the current personal and social issues facing us all.'- Karen Heycox, University of New South Wales, Australia ' I strongly recommend this book to students, educators and practitioners. This text is user-friendly and interactive enabling the reader to explore the material presented from a number of perspectives. What I like about the book is the clarity with which the the task-centred approach is presented and the way in which the reader is able to incoporate their own theoretical and practice perspectives into the suggestions presented.' - Robyn Munford, Massey University, New Zealand 'The Task-Centred Book is the first book that I have actually been able to read through, absorb and apply to my assignment and practice without too much difficulty in concentration levels.' - Emma Katy Griffiths, second year social work student (BA Hons) at Sheffield Hallam University.