This book is aimed at social care workers and is a guide to understanding the issue of stigma.
It examines the stigmatisation not only of those excluded from society through the public and media's perception of disability, mental illness and other social disadvantages, but also how family members and friends become stigmatised through association.
The chapters unpick some of the myths and stereotypes surrounding disadvantaged groups, and look at how workers' prejudices can affect their clients.
It addresses how everyone has their own preconceptions and looks at tackling inequalities from the perspective of the worker.
To give an example, I remember meeting a newly qualified social worker who exclaimed: "I'm working with a 15-year-old girl - and she's a prostitute." Similarly, I have heard people described as "attention seeking", "dodgy" and "damaged" by social care staff. This book challenges these assumptions and discusses how stigmatising groups may make them even more vulnerable.
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