Book review : Messy social work by Richard Devine

Messy Social Work, written by the practicing social worker and academic Richard Devine, provides an accessible insight into the realities of practice with children and families, emphasising throughout the importance of reflection and learning. Beginning with a candid examination of the author’s own childhood and early experiences which led him to join the social work profession, the book skilfully blends real-life practice stories with the theories and tools which Devine has used to support his learning and development as a social worker. The book is short yet densely packed with summaries of key texts and theories which have shaped Devine’s practice, chapters which tackle direct work, assessment and providing support, as well as an important section on the process of decision making about whether a child should live away from their family. A chapter on ‘myth busting’ is particularly enlightening in its willingness to grapple with what social work both is and is not, all underpinned by an understanding that rights and ethics should form the foundation of good practice, whatever the context.