Recent residential care revelations, recent legislation and policy directions (The Children's Act, Community Care), and the introduction of training courses mean that residential care practice is under national focus. "The Handbook of Residential Care" addresses the particular problems experienced by residential staff by bringing together many areas of work, different jobs and responsibilities, in a variety of perspectives and settings and addresses the challenges they face. In this practical guide, the author has brought together a combination of real examples and case studies, analysis, guidance and reflective discussion to present a complete examination of working in a residential setting, both for the elderly and for children. John Burton examines the fundamentals of the work such as time management, keeping a diary, first contact with a new resident, creating the right environment, building relationships with children, and management styles. He also gives specific examples of the day-to-day running of a residential centre such as the instigation of a non-smoking policy and the management of bed times in children's residential care.

Recent residential care revelations, recent legislation and policy directions (The Children's Act, Community Care), and the introduction of training courses mean that residential care practice is under national focus. "The Handbook of Residential Care" addresses the particular problems experienced by residential staff by bringing together many areas of work, different jobs and responsibilities, in a variety of perspectives and settings and addresses the challenges they face. In this practical guide, the author has brought together a combination of real examples and case studies, analysis, guidance and reflective discussion to present a complete examination of working in a residential setting, both for the elderly and for children. John Burton examines the fundamentals of the work such as time management, keeping a diary, first contact with a new resident, creating the right environment, building relationships with children, and management styles. He also gives specific examples of the day-to-day running of a residential centre such as the instigation of a non-smoking policy and the management of bed times in children's residential care.

What can we learn from inquiries into cases of fatal child abuse? Beyond Blame offers a new way of looking at such cases and show that it is possible to draw important lessons from them. The authors, all three experienced in child protection work, summarise thirty-five major inquiries since 1973, setting them in their social context and discussing the implications both for practical work in the field and for future inquiries.
They stress the need for those who work day to day in child protection to develop and apply a more sophisticated level of analysis to assessment and intervention. They identify common themes within abusing families, in the relationships between members of the professional networks, and in the interactions between the families and the professionals.

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This collection of articles, first published in 1991, attempts to describe life in the suburbs from diverse vantage points, to evoke a feeling of what life is like for some of the children and their families living in these communities and to demonstrate the practice and value of group work within this context. This title will be of interest to students of social work, sociology and urban studies.

Over the past 20 years, the growing shortage of adoptable infants in Britain and the United States has resulted in a number of couples acquiring their family from abroad, yet the effort needed to acquire such a child from another country is enormous. So what exactly are the costs, hazards and emotional difficulties involved, and why do some couples feel that this is their only chance of becoming adoptive parents? "Inter-Country Adoption" charts the experiences of eight couples who between them have adopted eleven children from South America, India and Sri Lanka who ranged in age from four months to seven years. The main emphasis of these first-hand accounts is on the events leading up to the decision to adopt from abroad and on the obstacle course which followed and which involved dealing with the authorities in Britain and in the child's country of origin. The final two chapters are by an academic social worker and a parliamentary campaigner who examine the legal and ethical considerations of inter-country adoption.

Child care is an integral part of the web of influences and experiences that shape children's development. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach that covers both historic and economic contexts, this unique book characterizes child care in 18 countries on five continents. Specific historical roots and the current social contexts of child care are delineated in industrialized as well as in developing countries. To increase the depth of crosscultural analysis and integration, commentators from countries and disciplines other than the authors comment on the issues raised in each chapter.

This title was first published in 2002: In recent years there has been a trend among young people across Europe towards remaining longer in their parental homes. Many reasons have been suggested for this change in demographic patterns, but Teresa Jurado Guerrero's study of France and Spain represents the first in-depth cross-national analysis of this important social and economic issue. The book provides systematic comparisons of living arrangements at cross-national, cross-regional and individual levels and examines the results of two large-scale national surveys. It investigates the relevance of young people's employment situations, social policies related to youth, national and regional housing markets and family norms, and identifies policy measures which would encourage early home-leaving and family formation. The book exposes the existence and effects of different national and individual strategies surrounding the process of becoming socially independent, and offers unique insights into an issue of key relevance for parents, young people, researchers and policy makers.

This title was first published in 2002. The field of child and youth care is under increasing pressure to optimize its mission: to deliver high quality support and to help children, parents and families in need of care. Two questions have arisen in many countries in the face of this pressure: the professional quality of childcare and the participant quality of childcare. These issues have traditionally been discussed separately; this unique book brings them together for an enlightening discussion. Examining the possible antagonism of childcare workers operating as professionals and clients participating as fully engaged partners, the book brings to light a new vision on developments and research in the field and informs the reader on recent findings. The expertise of the contributors makes this a truly valuable read for practitioners, policy makers, researchers and students in the field of child and youth care.

This book exposes the role of children in war, describing where, why, and how children are deployed, the attempts made by international organizations to protect children, and the underlying political and cultural issues that make this such a thorny issue. In conflict-torn countries such as Myanmar and Uganda, the use of child soldiers in military and paramilitary operations continues to occur despite widespread condemnation and the efforts of organizations such as the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers. This book will allow readers to grasp the impact of this issue for both individuals and nations worldwide. Child Soldiers: A Reference Handbook traces the evolution of child soldiers from approximately 1940 onwards, covering important historical to modern conflicts. The subject is discussed from a global perspective, with particular attention given to areas where the use of child soldiers is most prevalent. The book covers the complex underlying reasons for the continued use of child soldiers in the modern world, examines the political and psychological consequences of using children-both male and female-in military and paramilitary organizations, and describes how this subject has been addressed by international law and various human rights organizations. A chronology of major events in the efforts to limit the use of child soldiers Biographical sketches of famous child soldiers and key figures in the effort to ban the use of child soldiers A directory of organizations involved in the child soldier issue

The desire for our children to be free from want and danger and to be able to enjoy their youth in innocence would seem to be universal. Conventional wisdom says that parents in every socio-economic level of society share the dream of preserving their children's innocence. All want to provide a childhood and adolescence that shelters and protects children from the harshness of life and nurtures them until they are able to withstand the onslaught of reality. One need only look at troubled areas of the world, such as Northern Ireland, parts of the Middle East, or any number of other points on the globe, to see how weak is any communion forged out of these universal desires for the welfare of children. Even in the United States, the competition of ideas and values about what represents the "good" society in which to raise our children is fierce-as are differing views about the value of innocence and even life itself. These differing ideas and values affect people's actions even when they have never reflected on them, or have never cared enough to formulate those values into a coherent worldview. Crouse contends that without morals, children are at risk. Moral boundaries, not moral relativism, provide a safe haven for children by preserving their innocence and protecting them from predators and pedophiles. When authentic religious faith has been quashed, children are no longer safe. When the underlying values are wrong, when there are no common values unifying a people, even the best programs and most honorable of intentions are doomed to failure. Well-intentioned programs and policies inevitably fail miserably without an undergirding moral foundation, as is documented by an abundance of data and the social trends in America today.

Recognizing child maltreatment as a complex phenomenon requiring multifaceted responses, this volume provides a current and comprehensive assessment of the problem, and argues for an expanded conception of helping on the part of those who work with maltreated children, their families, and their communities. Contributions follow a general outline that addresses current theory and models of practice, and empirical knowledge regarding the problem, intervention, and outcomes.
Presenting and up-to- date and encompassing view of how to combat child abuse and neglect, this book discusses the concerns of service providers as well as academics. All the prevalent ways of responding to child maltreatment are addressed, and each is discussed in terms of theory, implementation and evidence for its effectiveness.
For use as an undergraduate or graduate level text for courses in child welfare, sociology, family studies, and community psychology. This text would also be insightful for professionals, academics, and policymakers concerned with child welfare.

Violence sabotages development, both children's development and the development of the communities and neighbourhoods they rely on. There is abundant evidence of the deep and lasting harm that can be done. Violence breaks bodies and minds and exerts an insidious influence at every level. The effects are immediate but can also linger, damaging health, trust and capability, traveling through generations. This book argues that it is impossible to understand the violence in young children's lives or to respond to it adequately without considering how embedded it is within their physical surroundings. The relations of power that are the context for violence within households, within communities and beyond are often expressed through control over space and the material conditions of life. This book links the abstract concept of structural violence to the stark reality of personal harm, drawing on evidence from a range of disciplines and from countries throughout the global South. It explores the dynamics of cramped, insecure housing, poor water and sanitation, neglected neighbourhoods, forced evictions, cities that segregate the rich and the poor, landscapes of conflict and disaster, and discusses their implications for young children. An alternative approach to child protection is proposed, anchored in the actions of organized communities negotiating to challenge inequities, mend their environments and achieve security. There is a fundamental synergy between building community and protecting children. These are not separate agendas. A place that works for children works better for everyone else as well. This book will be essential reading for all those interested in young children in a global context, whether as child protection professionals, or those with a more general interest in children's rights issues or in cross cultural approaches to child development. It will also be of great interest to students and researchers of development studies, conflict studies, family studies, child development, public health and urban planning.

Violence sabotages development, both children's development and the development of the communities and neighbourhoods they rely on. There is abundant evidence of the deep and lasting harm that can be done. Violence breaks bodies and minds and exerts an insidious influence at every level. The effects are immediate but can also linger, damaging health, trust and capability, traveling through generations. This book argues that it is impossible to understand the violence in young children's lives or to respond to it adequately without considering how embedded it is within their physical surroundings. The relations of power that are the context for violence within households, within communities and beyond are often expressed through control over space and the material conditions of life. This book links the abstract concept of structural violence to the stark reality of personal harm, drawing on evidence from a range of disciplines and from countries throughout the global South. It explores the dynamics of cramped, insecure housing, poor water and sanitation, neglected neighbourhoods, forced evictions, cities that segregate the rich and the poor, landscapes of conflict and disaster, and discusses their implications for young children. An alternative approach to child protection is proposed, anchored in the actions of organized communities negotiating to challenge inequities, mend their environments and achieve security. There is a fundamental synergy between building community and protecting children. These are not separate agendas. A place that works for children works better for everyone else as well. This book will be essential reading for all those interested in young children in a global context, whether as child protection professionals, or those with a more general interest in children's rights issues or in cross cultural approaches to child development. It will also be of great interest to students and researchers of development studies, conflict studies, family studies, child development, public health and urban planning.

Primarily intended for the professional child and youth care worker, this new book challenges the most basic methods and beliefs of contemporary practice. Written in the form of a novel, the central issues of child care are brought to life through the subjective experiences of a young practitioner. Each issue and experience is analyzed through the dialogues between the practitioner and his supervisor. As the story unfolds, the reader is invited to reconsider many of the most fundamental and time-tested assumptions that lie at the heart of child and youth care. One by one, the layers of professionalism are peeled back to reveal the essence of it all--the practitioner's own sense of self. This results in the inevitable conclusion that personal and professional development are inextricably interrelated. From this perspective, it becomes clear how current trends in training and practice often provide a tragic formula for methods that focus upon the control of the youngster and result in the breakdown of relationships and the burnout of the practitioner.Being in Child Care: A Journey Into Self uses the experiences of everyday life to establish themes and draw conclusions. As the story moves from the drama and minutiae of life in a small residential treatment program to the broadest existential questions, the reader will explore his or her own personal experience. Since it can be understood at many different levels, this book will appeal to the student as much as to the seasoned practitioner. (Fewster says parents can read it too.)

The Children Act 1989 introduces the most radical changes to child care law for a generation. Eekelaar and Dingwall provide a concise, practical guide to the legislation for all professionals practising in this area. This book should be of interest to students and practitioners of social work, applied social studies, health visiting, and law.

Drawing together international research from the fields of geography, alcohol studies, sociology, psychology and childhood studies, Jayne and Valentine explore children's understandings and experiences of alcohol consumption and the role of alcohol in family life. Chapters address both extra-familialnorms about parenting and drinking cultures which are generated in wider society (through law/regulation, media/advertising and social networks etc.) and intra-familialnorms including the modelling behaviour of family members attitudes to alcohol, drinking habits and practices, rules and guidance, and initiating children to drinking. Based on empirical research undertaken in the UK, and drawing on studies from around the world, Childhood, Family, Alcohol advances theoretical debates and offers insights relevant to policy and practice by: * adopting a cross-generational perspective on drinking cultures * exploring pre-teen children's understandings of alcohol * focusing on the significance of the spaces of everyday family life * considering adult alcohol consumption, drinking practices and drunken performativities * reflecting on social/individualized consumption, social reproduction, adult-children interaction and materialities * showing the importance of non-(and more-than) representational understanding of the complexities of childhood, family life and alcohol consumption.

With 1994 designated the United Nations Year of the Family, young children and their relationship with parents and carers is firmly back on the political agenda. Amongst recent legislation to meet this agenda in Britain is the Children Act 1989. The Act seeks to improve the position and perception of children in society, by stressing the rights of children and the responsibilities that parents and the caring professions have towards them. Working Together For Young Children addresses the central issues facing young children and their families in the light of this new social and political climate. The contributors - experienced in the fields of health, education, social and voluntary services - provide information, research evidence and ideas about practice in the light of recent legislative reform. Emphasising the need for continuity, comprehensiveness and collaboration at all levels of care provision, different chapters explore the services directed at children `in need' as well as children in general.

"Child Abuse and Neglect" is the third volume sponsored by the Social Science Research Council. The goals of these volumes include the development of a biosocial perspective and its application to the interface between biological and social phenomena in order to advance the understanding of human behavior.

"Child Abuse and Neglect" applies the biosocial perspective to child maltreatment and maladaptation in parent-child relations. The biosocial perspective is particularly appropriate for investigating parent behavior since the family is the universal social institution in which children are born and reared, in which cultural traditions and values are transmitted, and in which individuals fulfill their biological potential for reproduction, growth, and development. The volume examines biological substrates and social and environmental contexts as determinants of parent behavior. By identifying areas in which contemporary human parent behaviors conform with and depart from evolutionary and historical patterns and assessing the overall costs and benefits, it permits their objective assessment in terms of modern circumstances. In analyzing evolutionary and historical variations in parent behavior and assessing their costs and benefits, the book makes possible an objective assessment of contemporary variations. Its analysis of the occurrence of child abuse in past history and in other cultures and species advances our ability to predict the probability of child abuse and neglect in various social and ecological contexts.

In India, in the second half of the twentieth century, there was a vastly increased concern for the welfare of children. Various developmental programs were undertaken for the improvement of children's status, especially in rural families. This book, first published in 1979, examines these programs and considers the enormous challenge of child care under the wide variety of conditions in this vast country.

Levels of violence, abuse and neglect in early childhood are reported internationally as having reached epidemic proportions. The prevalence of all forms of violence to children has been difficult to establish, particularly in low and middle income countries. However, even in countries with a high GDP, the sexual abuse of children and young people by predatory adults may continue undetected for decades. In parts of Africa young children are mutilated and killed for religious reasons. Physical beatings that injure and break bones are still common in the Western world. Pornography and sexual abuse involving young children is propagated worldwide through the internet. The prevention of this violence will require substantial shifts in parental and public attitudes to children and the development and support of national systems of preventive legislation. The last 20 years has seen the emergence of a body of material which interrogates early childhood violence and neglect in a wider range of global settings, particularly those countries with a low GDP. This book aims to highlight important features of national and international initiatives which are rooted in findings from systematic research. The continued abuse and neglect of children has been attributed to social acceptance, not understanding the importance of reporting abuse, and the limitations of child welfare systems. This book will be of interest to practitioners in health care, education, and social work services, as well as field workers implementing programmes to address all forms of abuse at family, community and national level. This book was originally published as a special issue of Early Child Development and Care.

Here is an informative guide to help directors and staff of residential treatment centers (RTCs) cope with the financial and administrative problems resulting from today's financially turbulent times. Financial problems have closed some centers and managed care or other health care changes will soon reach others. Managing the Residential Treatment Center in Troubled Times deals directly with current difficult financial and management problems in RTCs and presents practical advice, discussions of current problems, and possible solutions. Authors explore a wide range of topics from dealing with community hostility to planning for the future. Specifically, chapters discuss: the application of total quality management to RTCs reasons and rationale for the decline of residential establishments in England how changes in an RTC affect the youngsters who live there privatization and purchase of service contracting profit vs. nonprofit organizations one agency's experience in establishing an RTC in a resistant neighborhoodManaging the Residential Treatment Center in Troubled Times offers fresh perspectives and alternatives for professionals involved with RTCs, including directors, government regulators, social and child care workers, and psychiatrists and psychologists.

Featuring helpful checklists, models of good practice, templates and photocopiable resources that can be used in development work, this highly practical book will be an invaluable resource for anyone involved with implementing Every Child Matters in extended schools and children's centres. As well as setting out roles and expectations, this unique book clearly and thoroughly explains how to: implement and meet the five ECM outcomes for well-being provide extended services and wraparound care work in partnership with agencies and private, voluntary and community sector providers quality-assure and evaluate the impact of provision and care self-review, monitor and evaluate the ECM outcomes in line with national standards and OFSTED. From leaders and managers, to front-line staff and volunteers, everyone will find this step-by-step handbook packed with useful advice and suggestions for further reading, websites and resources.

Discover strategies to reinforce the strengths of the youngest members of society What assistance can be provided to a disadvantaged youngster to help them bounce back to conquer challenges while growing up? At-Risk Children and Youth analyzes the results from accumulated research on the risk and resiliency of children and youth in Ireland. Niall McElwee shines a crucial spotlight on the challenges facing children, including poor literacy and numeracy skills, poverty, distrust, and other difficult issues. Practical strategies are presented to help disadvantaged children and youth to overcome societal and self-imposed barriers for improvement. A detailed review and assessment is provided of the efficacy of Ireland's Youth Encounter Projects. This important resource focuses on what works and what does not in youth services. At-Risk Children and Youth closely examines at-risk factors and what it specifically means to be 'at-risk'. Going further beyond the standard risk factors usually considered such as drug use or dropping-out of school, this probing text explores the full range of factors and coping and healing mechanisms. The author challenges several of the views and beliefs about risk and resiliency generally held by many in child and youth services and in society. This book is extensively referenced and includes helpful figures tables to clearly present information. Topics in At-Risk Children and Youth include: detailed breakdown of terms for risk behaviors and predictors of risk the issues of social class and social exclusion the impact of school difficulties on students, including truancy and poor academic standing building on student strengths the quality of the entirety of the school experience as a determination of success strategies for intervention a review of various literature on risk and resiliency a relational research model, including methodology and ethical issues description and functions of Youth Encounter Projects-and an assessment of their value at-risk youth perceptions of risk, in their own words results of risk studies over the past decade recommended changes in policies At-Risk Children and Youth is a valuable addition to the libraries of educators, students, and child and youth service providers everywhere.

What assistance can be provided to disadvantaged youngsters to help them conquer the many challenges they face while growing up? At-Risk Children & Youth: Resiliency Explored analyzes the results from accumulated research on the risk and resiliency of children and youth in Ireland. Author Niall McElwee explains many of the challenges faced by children, including poor literacy and numeracy skills, poverty, distrust, and other difficult issues. Practical strategies are presented to help disadvantaged children and youth to overcome societal and self-imposed barriers for improvement. A detailed review and assessment is provided on the efficacy of Ireland's Youth Encounter Projects. This important resource focuses on what works and what does not in youth services. At-Risk Children & Youth: Resiliency Explored closely examines risk factors, and what it specifically means to be 'at-risk'. Going further beyond the standard risk factors usually considered such as drug use or dropping-out of school, this probing text explores the full range of factors and coping and healing mechanisms. The author challenges several of the views and beliefs about risk and resiliency generally held by many in child and youth services and in society. This book is extensively referenced and includes helpful figures tables to clearly present information. Topics in At-Risk Children & Youth: Resiliency Explored include: A breakdown of terms for risk behaviors and predictors of risk Issues of social class and social exclusion The impact of school difficulties on students, including truancy and poor academic standing Strategies to build on student strengths The quality of the entirety of the school experience as a determination of success Strategies for intervention A review of literature on risk and resiliency A relational research model, including methodology and ethical issues Description and functions of Youth Encounter Projects-and an assessment of their value Results of risk studies over the past decade Recommended changes in policies At-Risk Children & Youth: Resiliency Explored is a valuable addition to the libraries of educators, students, and child and youth service providers everywhere.