In this book, best-selling author Malcolm Payne analyzes the major elements of social care practice, showing how social care reflects the core values and methods of traditional social work. He looks at the varying contexts in which social care takes place, from secure units through residential care to people's own homes, the interlocking agencies that provide it, and the relationships at its heart. Each chapter includes an account of the key issues and research from the literature, brief case vignettes and exercises to help readers to apply what they have learned to their own practice.