This wide-ranging collection of essays explores how social work theories are applied to practice and offers insights into the cultural issues involved in social work. The authors discuss the challenges faced by indigenous populations and ethnic minority groups and how they can gain control over their situations, and offer valuable guidance on cross-cultural work. The authors present the key principles of four theoretical approaches frequently used in social work - ecological systems, community development, strengths-based approaches and attachment theories. They explain how each of these can be applied in a wide range of contexts, including mental health care, trauma counselling and child protection. Drawing on the experience of community development work, they suggest how these approaches can also be used in work with migrants and refugees.