Science and Social Work Practice

Abstract

Abstract Two major developments in the field of social work underscore the role of practice as an important bridge between scholarship and service delivery and as an active strategy for learning, improving outcomes, and advancing the discipline/profession. These include the recalibration of the practitioner–client relationship and the implementation of evidence-based practices. Both of these developments elevate interest in practice strategies, such as relational approaches to care and shared decision-making, that prioritize and privilege client characteristics, needs, values, and preferences along with practitioner expertise. This chapter examines these phenomena including the concept of the client–provider relationship as a central construct in social work practice. It discusses examples of research in these two areas and advocates for a scientific practice where client needs and preferences are a central concern and where the practitioner–client relationship becomes an essential focus of study.

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