Being an Expert Professional Practitioner

The book will explain and develop the concept of relational agency which, in brief, is the capacity to (a) work with others to interpret a problem of practice and so expand understandings of the problem and (b) work with others to respond to the expanded interpretation.It is presented as a new form of expertise which can be seen as an addition to the kinds of core expertise evidenced in classroom teaching or specialist social work. Importantly, the book will suggest that a capacity to work relationally is not a substitute for specialist expertise.The book will map out a new landscape for professional action and the work to be done in it if professional expertise is to be exercised in changing relationships with clients and other practitioners.