This open access book presents twelve unique studies on mediation from researchers in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, respectively. Each study highlights important aspects of mediation, including the role of children in family mediation, the evolution and ambivalent application of restorative justice in the Nordic countries, the confusion of roles in court-connected mediation, and the challenges in dispute systems. Over the past 20-30 years, mediation has gained in popularity in many countries around the world and is often heralded as a suitable and cost-effective mode of conflict resolution. However, as the studies in this volumes show, mediation also has a number of potential drawbacks. Parties' self-determination may be jeopardized, affected third parties are involved in an inadequate way, and the legal regulations may be flawed. The publication can inspire research, help professionals and policymakers in the field and be used as a textbook.

This book offers a timely and detailed exploration and analysis of key contemporary issues and challenges in child sexual abuse, which holds great relevance for scholarly, legal, policy, professional and clinical audiences worldwide. The book draws together the best current evidence about the nature, aetiology, contexts, and sequelae of child sexual abuse. It explores the optimal definition of child sexual abuse, considers sexual abuse in history, and explores new theoretical understandings of children's rights and other key theories including public health and the Capabilities Approach, and their relevance to child sexual abuse prevention and responses. It examines a selection of the most pressing legal, theoretical, policy and practical challenges in child sexual abuse in the modern world, in developed and developing economies, including institutional child sexual abuse, female genital cutting, child marriage, the use of technology for sexual abuse, and the ethical responsibility and legal liability of major state and religious organisations, and individuals. It examines recent landmark legal and policy developments in all of these areas, drawing in particular on extensive developments from Australia in the wake of its Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. It also considers the best evidence about promising strategies and future promising directions in enhancing effective prevention, intervention and responses to child sexual abuse.

This innovative collection extends the emerging field of stress biology to examine the effects of a substantial source of early-life stress: child abuse and neglect. Research findings across endocrinology, immunology, neuroscience, and genomics supply new insights into the psychological variables associated with adversity in children and its outcomes. These compelling interdisciplinary data add to a promising model of biological mechanisms involved in individual resilience amid chronic maltreatment and other trauma. At the same time, these results also open out distinctive new possibilities for serving vulnerable children and youth, focusing on preventing, intervening in, and potentially even reversing the effects of chronic early trauma. Included in the coverage: Biological embedding of child maltreatment Toward an adaptation-based approach to resilience Developmental traumatology: brain development and maltreated children with and without PTSD Childhood maltreatment and pediatric PTSD: abnormalities in threat neural circuitry An integrative temporal framework for psychological resilience The Biology of Early Life Stress is important reading for child maltreatment researchers; clinical psychologists; educators in counseling, psychology, trauma, and nursing; physicians; and state- and federal-level policymakers. Advocates, child and youth practitioners, and clinicians in general will find it a compelling resource.

This book focuses on improving well-being among young children. It provides a theoretical base explaining why physical activity is important, and offers practical strategies for increasing health and well-being in early childhood settings. It takes ancient wisdom on the mind and body connection, applies it to the youngest children, and supports it with current empirical and international evidence-all with an eye toward improving wellness across the lifespan. The many topics discussed in the book include children's motor skills, movement, interaction, physical literacy, the use of video games, dog ownership, developmental delays, as well as strategies to improve physical activities in the classroom and broader contexts. In recent years, children's health has become a priority worldwide. Topics such as "screen time" "sedentary behavior" and "childhood obesity" have become important issues everywhere- in the news, in schools, in community and commercials settings, and among health care providers. Limiting sedentary behavior, increasing physical activity, and maintaining a nutritious diet are three fundamental needs during early childhood. Preschool years are a time when children begin to explore the world around them, and develop more vivid understandings of their surroundings. As this book shows, the early years may be the best time to teach wellness concepts and assist young children in establishing healthy lifestyle habits.

So far, research on the welfare state has usually neglected children and childhood. In the rare attempts to include childhood in welfare state analysis, too much emphasis was placed on children as future adults. However, only a full recognition of children as human beings and citizens here and now are compatible with new social studies of childhood as well as children's rights discourses. Thus the conceptual integration of children and childhood in the welfare state is still an open question. This book closes the gap by offering the concept of generational order as theoretical tool to both childhood and welfare state research. In analogy to gender analysis, this concept is an adequate tool in providing visibility to the adult bias of traditional welfare state theories and practices. The book includes contributors from ten predominantly European countries, exploring issues of children's social and economic welfare, such as child poverty in a theoretical, methodological, and practical perspective. Together with the companion volume below Flexible Childhood, also by the University Press of Southern Denmark this book is the final result of COST Action A19, Children's Welfare, which has been supported by the European COST Framework.

This book provides a unique perspective on addressing issues of various forms of violence against children from scholars within their own country. Bringing together cross-disciplinary expertise, this volume addresses a vast range of topics related to child abuse and neglect in Uganda. Exploring areas from the protection of street children to cultural proverbs related to child maltreatment, this volume examines issues both specific to the Ugandan contexts as well as broadly experienced in child maltreatment work in non-Euro-American countries. This book surveys the breadth of the child protection field, covering issues of children's universal rights, challenges of protection and ethical quandaries in researching and addressing maltreatment.

This book provides an up-to-date and comprehensive review and critique of the scientific evidence concerning the prevalence, nature and potential effects of food advertising and other forms of marketing on children. There is growing international concern about the prevalence of childhood obesity and associated health problems. Poor quality diet and nutrition has been blamed. The food and soft drinks industries have been targeted in this context for their promotions of foods and drinks that are high in salt, sugar and fat content. Many of the most widely promoted and consumed food brands fail to meet recommended nutritional standards. What is the evidence for the effects of food promotions on children's food preferences, diets and health? This book draws on evidence from around the world, reviewing the major studies before presenting a fresh assessment of the state of play. It considers also the issue of food regulation and advertising codes of practices, the need for better and relevant consumer education and socialisation about advertising and nutrition.

This book uses the example of a partnership journey between universities, schools, the local health industry as well as a number of government organisations which worked to ensure the growth of physical education in primary education. The initiative employed the United Nations (UN) ideals as a model and contextualised them within local schools and communities. What began as a pathway seed quickly grew to involve multi-stakeholder partnerships and therefore explores how the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) may be implemented at a grass roots level.

This definitive textbook provides accessible information on best practice for assessing the needs and strengths of vulnerable children and their families. It explores the challenges that practitioners face routinely - with suggestions as to how to address them - as well as the established areas for assessment, of children's developmental needs, parenting ability and motivation, and socio-economic factors. This new edition has been extended substantially to include recent practice, policy and theoretical developments, such as understanding the lived experience of children, young people, and family members. It also considers children's neurological development, assessing parental capacity to change, early help assessments, emerging areas of practice such as child sexual exploitation, and working with asylum-seeking and trafficked children. Crucially, this updated edition takes a broader approach in offering relevant information to a range of professionals working with vulnerable children. The importance of inter-professional working is emphasised throughout.

This book presents a model of supervision that is based on both contemporary theory and research, which is strongly contextualized to child and family social work. It draws directly from analysis of in-depth interviews with experienced and post graduate qualified supervisors and supervisees about 'what works' in supervision. These findings bring 'news of difference' in relation to social work supervision offering hope, inspiration and a contemporary model of supervisory practice.

A practical tool for the assessment of children and their families, this guide enables professionals to make informed decisions about child protection issues. Firmly rooted in current practice, it draws on the expertise of a practising consultant and experienced qualified social worker Jeff Fowler, whose work has already formed the basis of guidance reports for child protection agencies and court proceedings. Providing detailed checklists for collecting and interpreting information vital to a best practice assessment, it also includes practical sections that focus on assessing attachment issues, childhood experiences, alcohol and drug abuse, and parenting skills and abilities. It presents a central case study leading to an assessment report which can be used for case conferences, as a core assessment in care proceedings, or for statements in public and private law matters. This is a helpful tool for anyone undertaking assessments but also for others who may be involved in aspects of child protection work such as social workers, health professionals, teachers, and legal and criminal justice professionals.

This book illustrates the main factors of vulnerability and gives a clear picture about the possible interventions to reduce disaster risks both in schools and communities in Azerbaijan. A new methodology for child centered vulnerability assessments both on school and community levels has been developed. This methodology can be used to assess the level of vulnerability of schools and communities. The book is a newly prepared training manual which will help practitioners conduct trainings for government and community organizations. While the book is focused on a specific region, the suggested approach is generic and can be used elsewhere.

This eye-opening monograph challenges professionals across disciplines to take a more thorough and focused approach to addressing child physical abuse at the practice and policy levels. Positing child physical abuse as a public health crisis (as opposed to a more vague "social" one), the authors use empirical findings and clinical insights to advocate for wide-scale reforms in screening, assessment, responses, treatment, and prevention. The book's social/ecological perspective delves into root causes of physical maltreatment, analyzes the role of family and community risk and support factors, and notes forms of discomfort keeping many professionals from meeting the issue head-on. From there, chapters describe coordinated multidisciplinary efforts for intervention and prevention with the potential to avert all forms of child abuse. Included in the coverage: * Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) * The non-verbal child: obtaining a history for caregiver(s) * Clinical perspectives on multidisciplinary collaboration Corporal punishment and risk for child physical abuse Intimate partner violence (IPV) and risk for child physical abuse Evolution of child maltreatment prevention Complementary dynamic prevention approach Child Physical Abuse sets out the scope of this ongoing crisis for a wide audience including healthcare providers, child advocates, clinical social workers, public health officials, mental health providers, legislative staff professionals, and members of the lay public, with clear guidelines for effective long-term solutions.

Supporting Bereaved Students at School provides educational professionals with essential information to support bereaved students. The book specifically targets helping children and adolescents cope with their emotional, physical, and social reactions during the period of grief, lasting for months or years, following a significant death in their lives. Chapters focus on foundational knowledge and offer a range of evidence-based intervention strategies, integrating school-based best practices throughout. This contemporary and informative guide provides tools that can be easily integrated into daily practice and will be especially useful for school-based professionals and graduate students in the fields of school psychology, school counseling, school social work, and clinical child psychology.

Most slave trades were abolished during the 19th century, yet there remain millions of people in slavery today, including approximately 210 million children - trafficked, in debt bondage, as well as other forms of forced labor. Set to be the definitive text on the subject, this groundbreaking book - drawing on global experiences - shows how children remain locked in slavery, the ways in which they are exploited, and how they can be emancipated. Child Slavery Now includes international contributors who remind us that we all - as consumers - are implicated in modern childhood slavery, and we need both to understand its causes and act to stop it.

In Cleveland in 1987 a medical diagnosis of child sexual abuse was made in 127 children, resulting in their removal from home. The consequent intense scrutiny and public criticism around the case, together with the subsequent Butler-Sloss inquiry, resulted in the medical evidence being discredited, giving rise to a system which relies on children to speak out about their abuse. This book argues that this 1987 crisis continues to shape child protection today, resulting in opportunities to protect children being missed. Now re-issued with a substantial new introduction and concluding reflections, this book provides the only account by key professionals directly involved in the Cleveland cases, allowing readers to understand what really took place in Cleveland and why it continues to matter today. It analyses the many failures to address the plight of sexually abused children and makes constructive suggestions for the way forward to provide more effective interventions for children at risk.

Children need to be able to disclose their experiences of sexual abuse in order to stop the abuse and get help. Practical and accessible, this book offers guidance on how professionals can identify potential abuse cases and create safe opportunities for children to talk about sexual abuse. The book explores challenges in facilitating and responding to disclosures of abuse, such as: how to recognise the signs, ask the right questions and react to a disclosure. It also draws on research carried out with children who have experienced sexual abuse, to convey how experiences of disclosure feel to those making them and what informs a decision to tell or not tell. Helping Children to Tell About Sexual Abuse will be suitable for any professional working with a child or young person, including social workers, psychologists, child/family therapists, health care workers, school nurses, school counsellors, health visitors, police and youth workers.

This title considers the way we approach violence and safeguarding in childhood, exploring the victimization of children as well as children who use violence towards others. "Rethinking Children, Violence and Safeguarding" explores the victimization of children as well as children who use violence towards others and presents an overview of key developments in research, policy and practice on children and violence in the context of the recent major shift in thinking from 'child protection' towards 'safeguarding' and evidencing better outcomes. The gaps between rhetoric and practice are considered and Lorraine Radford argues that the way we 'think' about children and violence has had a profound impact on actions against the abuse of children and children who commit violence. Examples of research, reflections on research and key points and guidance on further reading make this a really accessible text. "Rethinking Children, Violence and Safeguarding" is essential reading for those studying childhood and undergraduate and graduate level, and will be of great interest to those working with children in any field. Is childhood changing? What effects are new ideas about childhood having on children's lives? How are children's voices and opinions affecting the services they use? Contemporary debates on the nature of childhood, attitudes towards children, the experiences of children and the emergence of a child rights agenda are resulting in a re-examination of theory, practice and research in many fields. "New Childhoods" offers a re-appraisal of the meaning of childhood - a series of texts that are succinct, accessible and engaging in introducing undergraduates to key areas of Childhood Studies, Education Studies and Sociology, and in disseminating new thinking, research, scholarship and practices. Books in this series will also be of interest to those who are preparing to work with children, such as teachers, early years practitioners, youth workers, health workers and psychologists. Key features include: boxed summaries of research which engage the reader in analysis; case studies to explore each issue in context; tasks to develop critical thinking; and pointers on further reading. Each volume promotes a child rights perspective, and provokes a re-examination of child-adult relationships in the contexts of family, community and state. Insights and experiences across fields such as sociology, philosophy and psychology are combined to encourage an inter-disciplinary approach.

The Impossible Imperative brings to life the daily efforts of child welfare professionals working on behalf of vulnerable children and families. Stories that highlight the work, written by child welfare staff on the front lines, speak to the competing principles that shape everyday decisions. The book shows that, rather than being simple task of protecting children, the field of child welfare is shaped by a series of competing ideas. The text features eight principles that undergird child protection practice, all of which are typically in conflict with others. These principles guide practice and direct the course of policymaking, but when liberated from their aspirational context and placed in the real world, they are fraught with contradiction. The Impossible Imperative is designed to inspire a lively debate about the fundamental nature of child welfare and about the principles that serve as the foundation for the work. It can be used as a teaching tool for aspiring professionals and as motivation to those looking to social work to make a difference in the world.

Following high-profile Serious Case Reviews into the tragic deaths of children, including Victoria Climbie, Peter Connelly and Daniel Pelka, information sharing has now become a moral and political imperative for safeguarding the welfare of children. What prompts information sharing and how do we get it right? This accessible book challenges widely held assumptions about information sharing in child welfare that facts about risks to children are clear and that sharing them with other professionals is a straightforward process. End-of-chapter questions prompt reflection and ensure direct practice relevance. This is essential reading for academics and policy makers, students on post-qualifying child protection courses, social workers, managers and all other professionals tasked with safeguarding children.

Now in its fourth edition, this is the classic assessment of the state of child well-being in the United Kingdom. This edition has been updated to review the latest evidence, examining the outcomes for children of the impact of the economic crisis and austerity measures since 2008. It draws together a vast amount of robust empirical evidence and includes intra-UK and international comparisons. Edited by a highly regarded expert in the field, each chapter covers a different domain of child well-being, including health, wellbeing, housing and education. This is an invaluable resource for academics, students, practitioners and policy makers concerned with child welfare and wellbeing.

This book is open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO license. The Early Years analyzes the development of Latin American and Caribbean children and makes a compelling case for government intervention in what is instinctively a family affair. Spending on effective programs for young children is an investment that, if done well, will have very high returns, while failure to implement such programs will lower the returns on the hefty investments being made in primary, secondary, and higher education. Policies for young children belong at the core of a country's development agenda, alongside policies to develop infrastructure and strengthen institutions. However, if the services provided (or funded) by governments are to benefit children, they must be substantially better than what is currently being delivered in the region. This book offers suggestions for improving public policy in this critical area.

Working with Young People is designed to help you develop the knowledge and skills you need for supporting young people as they learn about themselves, others and society and prepare for the transition to adulthood. It introduces the fundamental concepts and issues that lie at the heart of contemporary work with young people and challenges you to think deeply about:

- the social context of young people - values and principles that underpin practice - the variety of settings in which practice takes place, and

- the importance of informal learning in the lives of young people. Whether you are a new student or returning to study, Working with Young Poeple provides a stimulating introduction and a foundation for further study.

Sheila Curran is Senior Lecturer at The Open University. Roger Harrison is Senior Lecturer at The Open University. Donald Mackinnon is Lecturer at The Open University.

This book positions inquiries into the historical abuse of children in care within the context of transitional justice. It examines investigation, apology and redress processes across a range of Western nations to trace the growth of the movement, national particularities and the impact of the work on professionals involved.

This is the first book to consider the moral regulation of the female body through an analysis of the crime of infanticide. An in-depth perspective from the nineteenth century to the present, Cossins provides a revealing insight into the history of a little-known but widespread social crime.