Book excerpt: Effective social work practice relies on good understanding of the law along with the skills to use this knowledge well. This essential book provides a wide-ranging thematic account of social work practice in Scotland, making critical links between concepts, the contexts of practice and first-hand experiences of Scottish social work law. The book covers important subjects such as: - Service user and carer rights - Legal and social work values - Accountability - Effective assessment - Safeguarding, risk and protection - Youth and adult criminal justice - Partnership, participation and advocacy - Delivery of personalised services Social Work and the Law in Scotland is core reading for all those undertaking academic study or professional practice within the field. It is also a key resource for anyone looking to update their knowledge on the nature and development of the ever-evolving legislative landscape of Scotland. New to this Edition: - Fully updated to incorporate changes to Scottish law impacting on groups of people who are at risk and personal and community care - Combines fully updated chapters by some of the original authors with newly commissioned pieces - Reflects the pace of change in the law since the previous edition