In recent years there has been a significant shift within social work practice towards recognising the expertise of people with a lived experience. As a result service user involvement is now embedded into curricula. Throughout this textbook, service users and carers detail their experiences of interventions including being detained under the Mental Health Act, having a child removed to a place of safety and having a carer’s assessment.

In meeting professional standards such as the Professional Capabilities Framework, students and social workers are required to take into account service user perspectives, and to collaborate with them to achieve positive outcomes. Chapters end with advice to social workers directly from contributors, providing invaluable perspectives on different intervention situations. There is specific focus on statutory social work throughout, as well as an exploration of broader implications of interventions, the underpinning legislation, policies and research.