Ted Raleigh lives with his mother in the Midlands town of Howerton. It is 1975, Howerton is not a prosperous or attractive place to live. Much of it is run down and many parts are still wrecked and derelict as a result of damage caused in World War 2. Ted's summer holidays are very much improvised, money is tight and he and his mum can't afford to go away as most of his friends do. This summer Ted will go off and do what he likes best, exploring the derelict industrial parts of the town, but this time he will discover something that will change his life.

This book is essential reading for anyone studying and working in the new integrated children's services. The Children's Workforce Development Strategy sets out the basic skills and knowledge needed by people whose work brings them into regular contact with children, young people and their families. Built around this Common Core of Skills and Knowledge and packed with case studies and reflective exercises, this book helps students and practitioners understand the theory behind these issues and develop strategies for embedding them within their own practice.