From the Edges of Practice - Proposing Slow Social Work

Are we losing the heart of social work in our rush to keep up?

In From the Edges of Practice: Proposing Slow Social Work, Stephen Mordue offers a compelling and timely challenge to the systems that are reshaping care into compliance, and connection into performance. Drawing on philosophy, sociology, and his experience, this collection of essays explores what it means to practise social work with presence, integrity, and humanity.

Written for social work managers and practitioners - those doing difficult work in difficult systems - this book is both a critique and a companion. It explores themes including:

• The acceleration of modern life and how it fractures attention, care, and identity

• Burnout and emotional labour in a culture of constant optimisation

• Safety, supervision, and psychological trust in practice and organisations

• The myth of neutrality, and the power of ethical presence

• Hope in the margins—and why quiet success matters

Mordue argues for a reframing of professionalism: not as speed or neutrality, but as emotional integrity and ethical intention. Slow social work is not about doing less - it’s about doing what matters, with the time, care, and reflection it deserves.

If you’re looking for validation, provocation, and a return to what made this profession meaningful in the first place this book is for you.

Stephen Mordue is a social work academic, writer, and former practitioner whose work explores the emotional, ethical, and political dimensions of practice. With a background in frontline social work and a passion for critical reflection, he writes to reconnect practitioners with the heart of their profession. He is known for his accessible style, deep thinking, and for asking the kinds of questions that stay with you long after you’ve closed the book.

Book Details
Format: Paperback
Pages: [92]
ISBN: [9798291951385]