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Task Groups in the Social Services
Marian Fatout and Steven R. Rose. Newbury Park CA: Sage, 1995.
Workers in the social services spend a lot of time solving problems in concert with others. In some cases the group's focus is on budget development or personnel hiring; in other instances, the group focuses on case consultation or treatment conferences. However, all of these group activities have in common a focus on task accomplishment. In this volume, Fatout and Rose explore the central role task groups play in the social services as well as the distinctive set of skills and knowledge needed to participate effectively in such groups.
The authors' stated intent is to "help social work students and social service practitioners develop a solid base of practice in working with task groups." The book is divided into three parts: the first part covers the history of task groups and task group types found in the social services, the second part describes the roles and responsibilities of the social work practitioner, and the third part covers problem-solving techniques.
Chapter one presents an overview of the historical trends that form the backdrop for current group-work practice. Although the material is interesting, the authors do not make it clear how the material is integral to the authors' stated purpose.
Chapter two presents various types of...