Contents // List of figures and boxes vii // A cknowledgemen ts viii // 1 Contemporary and historical contexts 1 // Introduction 1 // The human condition - a good place for social work to start? 6 // Religion, secularism and social work 8 // The resurgence of ’religion’ 16 // Social work’s rediscovery of spirituality 18 // Conclusion 21 // Taking it further 22 // 2 Meaning, mystery and social work 23 // Introduction 23 // Religion and belief 24 // Secular spirituality 28 // Spirituality and meaning-making 30 // The search for definitions 33 // The dark side of spirituality 36 // A conceptual framework for social work practice 39 // Conclusion 44 // Taking it further 45 // 3 Spiritual need 46 // Introduction 46 // Social work and the concept of need 47 // Assessment of spiritual need and spiritual distress 55 // Debates and dilemmas for social work 69 // Conclusion 71 // Taking it further 72 // 4 Spirituality and the quality of life 73 // Introduction 73 // Perspectives on quality of life 75 // Quality of life, health and well-being 84 // Contents v // Conclusion 93 // Taking it further 94 // 5 Spiritual care 96 // Introduction 96 // Empowering spirituality 98 // Partnership and spiritual care 98 // Transcendence 100 // Transformation 102 // Wholeness 103 // The importance of hope 104 // Building resilience 107 // Meaning-making and spiritual narratives 110 // The Fellow Traveller model 111 // Conclusion 121 // Taking it further 122 // 6 Spiritual care in the multidisciplinary
team 123 // Introduction 123 // Background to interprofessional working 124 // What is multidisciplinary working? 125 // Organisational structures 127 // Interprofessional issues 128 // Palliative care 131 // Restorative Justice 134 // Spirituality and ourselves 138 // Conclusion 143 // Taking it further 144 // 7 Spirituality and community 145 // Introduction 145 // Meaning-making in society 147 // Celebrating diversity with social justice 148 // The contribution from faith communities 154 // An eco-spiritual perspective 157 // Conclusion 162 // Taking it further 163 // 8 Global and multicultural perspectives 164 // Introduction 164 // Social work practice in multicultural settings 165 // Spirituality and the challenge to western social work paradigms 174 // Conclusion 181 // Taking it further 183 // References 184 // Index 199 // vi Contents