Now in its fifth edition, this international best-selling textbook is a classic in its field. Written by one of the leading names in social work, it provides a comprehensive and critical overview of the main practice theories that will act as a companion for students throughout their course and their career as a practitioner. In this substantially reworked and updated edition of his best-selling text, Malcolm Payne presents clear and concise evaluations of the pros and cons of major theories that inform social work practice, and comparisons between them. This is the ideal text for theory, methods and practice modules on qualifying social work courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level, as well qualified social work practitioners taking post-qualifying and CPD courses.