This book argues that if public services are to be ’reformed’ or ‘improved’, achieving the best possible quality of service is essential.It starts from the premise that citizens and users are the key ‘stakeholders’. They need to be consulted and involved at every stage. Within inevitable…
"Chas Critcher's study is doubly welcome as it discusses theoretical underpinnings thoroughly, and also provides a set of illustrative case studies... This is an important and stimulating book for a range of audiences." VISTA Vol 8 no 3 How are social problems defined and responded to in contemporar…
At its best Disability Studies is an arena of critical debate addressing controversial issues concerning, not just the meaning of disability, but the nature of society, dominant values, quality of life, and even the right to live. Indeed, Disability Studies is itself the subject of controversy, in t…
"This is a thoughtful, provocative and important book. Clear, concise, articulate and pulling no punches, Judyth Sachs maps out an agenda for a new 'transformative professionalism' which celebrates the complexities of teacher' identities and work, and acknowledges the tensions between standards of …
"[An] excellent book... With its breadth of discourse, it held my attention throughout. ... This book is informative, but also challenges views on the play experience and the playwork profession. It will be of interest to all those that work and play with young children. The place of playwork and pl…
This important book provides practical guidance for parents, teachers and other early years practitioners who are concerned with young children's musical development. The authors highlight the relationship between music and the development of communication, the expression of emotion and playfulness.…
Praise for the first edition:"...this thoroughly researched and very detailed book provides the serious student of eating disorders with a great deal of useful and constructive information...it provides a complete picture of the individual sufferer's dilemma and notes the wide-ranging behavioural pa…
“It is rare for a book to tackle the range of problems and difficulties counsellor training involves in such a comprehensive manner, it is rarer still for the style of writing to engage the reader as this book manages to do... I wish this book had been available when I was a student.” Counsellin…
"...this is going to be a very useful book. It provides an authoritative overview of approaches to quality management contextualised to health and social care." - Joe Walsh, Independent Management Consultant, formerly Assistant Director of Social Services at the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames…
"In this bold and very important work, Peter Clough shows how the truths about educational issues can be told using fictional devices. This work legitimates the narrative turn in the human disciplines. He shows educational researchers how narrative inquiry can be used for progressive moral and polit…