Social work and wellbeing: setting the scene

Although social work is undoubtedly rewarding, practitioners frequently encounter situations that are emotionally demanding and potentially stressful.The stress experienced by social workers arises from a combination of occupational demands (such as managing a high caseload) and organizational constraints on effectiveness (such as working within bureaucratic cultures and coping with rapid change).This chapter sets the scene for the book by considering the context of social work practice and the demands that social workers face. A key aim of the chapter is to highlight the value of a perspective derived from positive psychology that aims to enhance wellbeing and resilience, rather than merely offer a range of tools to social workers to help them manage stress. While the emotional demands of social work require professionals to be personally resilient, it is emphasized that the responsibility for recognizing and ameliorating the causes of stress lies with the organization.