Abstract
Reviewed by: Jennifer E Simpson , Senior Lecturer, The Faculty of Health, Education and Society (FHES), University of Northampton, UK
The stated aim of this book is to encourage the development of digital literacy among students and practitioners by focusing on the use of social media in social work practice. There follows a series of intentions that include what role social media play in public and social services and an engagement with the debates in relation to the challenges and application of this type of networking. Additionally, the author seeks to explore critical perspectives concerned with the inequality of power that is inherent within social media and the socio-political context. She discusses the visual, interactive elements of these media, as well as the emotional and interpersonal aspects of our relationship with this particular form of communication.
With such a broad range of intentions, Soci@l Media in Social Work Practice is ambitious and this is both a strength and a weakness. The introduction provides a rationale and context together with a brief overview of the nature of social media and relevant theory. The book is then organised into eight chapters, the first of which contextualises recent developments in social media use. Chapter 2 focuses on their potential and pitfalls. A balanced account of social media is presented, and for this the author is to be commended as she avoids the moral panic that often accompanies reporting and writing related to this area. Moreover, this chapter makes for salient reading regarding the response by social work regulatory bodies. For example, there are individual descriptions of Fitness to Practice cases across England, Scotland and Wales, and the response by each regulatory body.
Chapter 3 about knowledge and values for social work and social media does achieve the author’s intention by making you think about practice. The next chapter covers theories and perspectives informing social media and social work. This is particularly useful as it importantly highlights the need for practitioners and students to critically reflect on the risk narrative and digital rights, both of which should not only inform social work practice but also illuminate the individual actions of those within the profession.
Chapter 5 looks at social work and social media in practice and provides a variety of examples where the latter are positively used. This includes the ‘Service User Feedback App’, which has been designed to enable local authorities and other providers to evidence feedback from service users, and how it might inform service provision and workforce planning. The author then focuses on professional development and here we see an attempt to provide an overview in terms of policy, procedures and social work education. The penultimate chapter discusses social media in the light of social justice and social change, highlighting the power of political activism online.
As already stated, the book is ambitious in its aim to cover all things social media and speak to every type of service user group with whom a social work practitioner might work (i.e. children, young people, mental health, older people and disability). This is attempted by using a series of literary mechanisms, such as posing questions that cause the reader to reflect on practice, suggested activities and the provision of a wide range of examples. Even with the use of such devices, Westwood has not been able to cover all the intentions outlined in sufficient depth. However, the book still provides a good introductory text for students or practitioners wishing for an initial understanding of social media and social work. Moreover, the individual chapters comprise a useful starting point for social work academics and practice educators wanting to expose their students to the implications of social media in social work.
Finally, there is the bibliography which is the hidden gem in this book; it lists a broad range of literature incorporating empirical research, policy and reports from a variety of known and respected academic authors and public bodies that have reported on the use of social media over the years.
Given the nature of social media, readers need to be aware that some of the examples used will date all too quickly; for instance, references to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) which is no longer the regulator for the social work profession in England. This volume would have been strengthened by the provision of an accompanying website of materials and information. Ironically, this would have allowed the merging of both the offline and online, with the added bonus of maintaining relevance and longevity. That said, the questions posed and the activities suggested are strongly rooted in social work values and ethics which clearly have a level of longevity, thereby making this a welcome addition to the academic and practitioner bookshelf.