Psychology offers potential explanations for complex aspects of human behaviour and development: for this reason it is now an important part of the social work syllabus. This accessible, practical book enables students to apply psychology to their own practice and considers psychology in the context of social care. As such, it is more than just another general psychology textbook. The text gives a clear overview of key psychological approaches and demonstrates how these can be used to interpret placement experiences. Furthermore, each chapter includes activities which apply psychology to particular social work contexts and help to consolidate key skills.