We classify social work as a socio-humanistic field of study. This field/scientific discipline has been writing its history for more than 100 years. It started its activity as a practical profession providing help to its users (clients). After its establishment in the field of practical help, the efforts of several authors began to define it also as a science. The first such acts date back to the second half of the second decade of the 20th century. Since then, theorists/academics have been constantly striving to define it in this spirit. Presented author's text by Andrej Mátel et al. I see it as one of these posts. The presented text is covered by the leader of the collective, Andrej Mátel, who is not unknown to Slovak readers. I consider his texts to be extremely beneficial for the development of social work in Slovakia, and therefore this particular one has this same feature - i.e. that it comes to the market with the ambition of developing Slovak social work. I can state that the author's collective led by Andrej Mátel succeeded in this. The text fulfills the development attributes for the science of social work, which is extremely valuable. The text presents a comprehensive concept of the theory and methods of social work as perceived by the authors.
I consider the text itself to be compact, bringing not only a summary of knowledge, but in many chapters also a new perspective on the treated topic, which is certainly also the task of such a text. In this way, the authors managed to enrich the area of Slovak social work, as I stated above.
This is a text intended for bachelor's degree students in the field of social work, which conveys information and knowledge in the field of theory and methods of social work in "one place". From a didactic point of view, the publication brings a text that will become irreplaceable in the libraries of undergraduate students. The goal set for this text is fulfilled by the presented work.
I consider the first chapter to be very interestingly processed and, one might say, complexly pretending social work. In the introduction, it is defined through its definitions, with which the author conveys the definition of social work to the reader in a logical context. Subsequently, the space is devoted to the development of social work as a profession in its historical context, as well as to the social worker from various aspects. Separately, the author is dedicated to the education of social workers and the so-called object of social work, where it very interestingly defines, in addition to clients, the social environment as an object of interest for social work, which I consider very beneficial. I share the same view of the subsection on social work as the sciences. This is a text intended for students of social work, and should serve as a basis for their studies.
For the stated goal of this publication, I consider the text to be sufficient. However, from the point of view of the author's excellent ability to convey knowledge (reviewer's note), I recommend the author to develop the text more in the future, which would be an invaluable contribution to the field of social work theory from Andrej Mátel.
I consider subchapter 1.7 to be an excellent text with its content, in which the author "surprised" and brings so far unpublished information on the "interconnection" of social work with other disciplines in the Slovak area.
In the second chapter, again as in the first, the author conveys information about the development of social work, but this time from the point of view of its methods. I appreciate the depth of interest in processing the topic as well as the author's work in the field of so-called of theoretical research that this chapter brings. From the point of view of the "traditional Slovak" concept of the so-called of approaches in social work, I highly positively evaluate that approaches in social work are processed here in a separate subsection. This act of the author finally brings clarity to the perception of approaches in social work in Slovakia and not only their basic division according to counseling approaches. (of course, if the authors of the so-called "traditional Slovak" concept will be able to abandon the concept of the "post-revolutionary nineties of the 20th century" and the perception of approaches in social work from the point of view of counseling division (dynamic; behavioral, etc.)).
The text of the third chapter is devoted to case work. I consider it excellent that its authors undertook to explain the case work through some of the theories that influenced it. I also consider the detailed processing of the stages of social work to be excellent and helpful for students, who will understand them more easily this way. I see the inclusion of a sub-chapter dedicated to the definition of a case study as interesting and necessary for students. The student will find information on case work in one subsection.
In the fourth chapter, space is devoted to counseling as a method of a social worker. This is processed in a very appropriate way, not only from the point of view of defining social counseling itself, but there is also a defined sphere for counseling in the field of social and, consequently, social counseling. I consider it valuable that space is dedicated to the development of social counseling itself, which can help students understand its performance.
In the chapter dedicated to mediation, the authors discuss it as a means of social prevention, thereby documenting its inclusion in the methods of social work, respectively. its knowledge necessary for the performance of social work, especially in the field of prevention. In this subchapter, social work students are provided with information about the meaning of mediation for their work with clients.
In order, the sixth chapter is clearly processed and focused on the topic of crisis intervention. This offers students precisely the knowledge they need. The authors processed the need for crisis intervention in an interesting way. I appreciate the independent processing of crisis intervention as a theory of social work, which clearly connected it to the methods of social work, since they are based on its theoretical concept.
The seventh chapter is focused on management in social work, which is processed at the theoretical level. However, the application of management to social work presented by the authors is also very interesting. It is these parts that will enable students to understand the topic itself. I only have a comment about the inclusion of management in social work methods. I do not see it as part of social work methods.
In the eighth chapter, the topic of projecting in social work is comprehensively presented. In this chapter, the author approaches projecting not only from a practical point of view, but especially from a theoretical point of view. I see this as very beneficial. The student receives clearly defined projecting in social work.
The topic of supervision is included as the ninth chapter. The inclusion of supervision among social work methods could be perceived as contradictory, but the author of the chapter clearly explains this at the beginning of the chapter, which managed to connect supervision with social work methods. The chapter is prepared at a very good level and once again the author managed to bring the topic to students of social work in a comprehensible way. I consider the section on the historical development of supervision to be interesting and detailed. I consider this to be appreciated, especially because the author addressed a topic that is not defined in this way in Slovak literary sources of social work.
In the next, tenth chapter, the authors deal with administration in social work. This topic is clearly explained here. I appreciate the fact that this topic is part of the submitted author's text, because the student of social work must also be aware that administrative activities are relatively widely represented in social work. The mentioned chapter also brings this knowledge.
In the last chapter of the publication, the authors deal with communication in social work. From the point of view of social work methods, this sub-chapter here seems a bit disjointed, but from the point of view of the information it brings to students of bachelor's studies, it is extremely necessary. I consider it very well done from a professional point of view.
In the text, I also propose the conclusion of the publication, in which its contribution would be evaluated, as well as the publication itself concluded as a presented topic.
All participating authors of the presented publication are not unknown to Slovak readers in the field of social work. Their author's activities are certainly known to the professional public in the field of social work. I see the publication of a joint publication under the leadership of Andrej Mátel as a very good deed.
The publication of the Andrej Mátel collective of authors is written in a good and comprehensible way for the target group they have chosen. The publication has all the prerequisites to be used not only by students of social work, but also by professionals working in practice as basic literature in the field of theories and methods of social work.
Reviewer: doc. PhDr. Peter Brnula, PhD. Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Education, Department of Social Work
doc. PhDr. Ph.Dr. Andrej Mátel, PhD., mim. prof., prof. PaedDr. Milan Schavel, PhD.: Teória a metódy sociálnej práce I., Society for the Development of Social Work, 2013, 446 pp., ISBN: 978-80-971445-1-7