The move from mental health social worker to approved social worker requires a detailed grasp of the law in practice. This book clearly explains the relevant law and anticipates changes that may come with the proposed reform of the Mental Health Act 1983. It focuses on common law as well as the relevant statutes and is packed with case studies and exercises that relate the law to practice. This text is not only suitable for social workers studying for the Mental Health Social Work Award, but also for those already in practice and for other professionals working under the Mental Health Act 1983.
Robert Brown is a Visiting Fellow at Bournemouth University and was a Founding Director of Edge Training and Consultancy Limited. He was a Mental Health Act Commissioner from 1992 until 2010. He provides refresher training for Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs) and Best Interest Assessors (BIAs) and contributes to the training of section 12 approved doctors and Approved Clinicians in South West England and Wales. He provides consultation and supervision for the AMHPs/BIAs in the Deprivation of Liberty Team in Cornwall. Rob also provides consultation to Lead AMHPs in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Lambeth, Portsmouth and West Berkshire. He has published widely in the field of mental health and mental capacity law.Keith holds professional qualifications in nursing, social work and teaching; and academic qualifications in nursing, social work and management. He has worked in the education and training field for over 30 years, working for three universities and three local authority social work departments. Currently he is the Director of the National Centre for Post-Qualifying Social Work and Professional Practice at Bournemouth University and the Director of the Centre for Leadership Impact and Management at Bournemouth. In 2005 he was awarded the Linda Ammon Memorial Award, sponsored by the then Department for Education and Skills, a prize awarded to the individual making the greatest contribution to training and education in the UK. His main academic interest lies in the fusion of academia and professional practice to help improve professional thinking and practice.