Written by practicing social workers and social work educators this text analyses psychoanalytic and psychosocial approaches to social work and relates them to current practices and values. Focusing on working with children and families, the text covers salient issues in social work practice including risk assessment, dealing with parents with drug and alcohol problems, and supervision and management of emotional stress. With psychoanalytic and psychosocial approaches becoming increasingly popular this text will be a welcome addition for both professionals and students in the social work field, promoting analytical thinking and presenting practical examples of how psychoanalytic theories can be applied in practice.