Rural Social Work Practice in Scotland brings international approaches to rural social work into a modern Scottish context. The book critically examines Scottish rural issues before going on to describe recognised rural models of social work practice, drawing upon a wide range of material from the United Kingdom, Canada, the USA and Australia.

Individual chapters cover most aspects of social work: children and families, adults, minorities (with a strong call for a more enlightened practice with Scottish Gypsy Travellers) and management themes. Throughout the book, practice examples highlight and examine the practical application of theory. Each substantive chapter concludes with a summary and recommendations for further reading. Rural social work is poorly understood as a discipline that arguably exists in its own right. In a climate of diminishing resources and increasing demographic and other challenges, it can require different approaches to those developed primarily for urban areas. Whilst generic and generalist approaches are described positively, the book recognises the specialisms that now pervade modern social work practice and looks at how these can be adapted to the rural context. Working in human services and living in the same community is often fraught and the challenges are looked at in detail. Written from a practitioner's perspective, this unique book will be essential reading for social workers in rural locations in Scotland and will provide a rich source of material for students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It will also help strategists and policy makers better understand and appreciate rural perspectives on social care delivery.