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 comprehensive guide to relationship-based practice in social work communicates the theory using illustrative case studies and offers a model for practice. Updated and expanded, it now includes increased coverage of anti-oppressive and diversity issues, service user perspectives and systemic approaches in social work. The book explores the ranges of emotions that practitioners may encounter with service users, and covers working in both short-term and long-term professional relationships. It also outlines key skills, such as how to establish rapport, and explores systemic issues, such as building appropriate support systems for practice, management and leadership.

Providing an exploration of the key issues, this book offers practical advice on how to improve the safeguarding and welfare of black children and young people in need. With contributions from academics, researchers and practitioners, it promotes an understanding of the particular cultural and social issues that affect black children in relation to child protection. It highlights how race and racism, as well as culture, faith and gender, can influence the ways need and risk are interpreted and responded to. Drawing on insights from research evidence, case examples and practice guidelines, it outlines the range of factors that contribute to the vulnerability of black children and describes how to improve techniques of working with minority ethnic families. The book covers issues such as the effects of parental mental health problems, living with domestic violence, child maltreatment, and demonstrates how these might be understood differently for black children and young people. There are also chapters on topics such as female genital mutilation, witchcraft and forced marriage. Essential reading for all social workers and child protection workers, as well as students and support managers, Safeguarding Black Children provides the tools and understanding needed to better support these children.

'For many readers, especially trainers and educationalists, the thoroughness of this book is likely to be attractive. The added advantage of O'Connor et al's book is that it covers social work for both adults and children. [This book] is likely to appear on many social work reading lists. [It has] the potential to provide good learning opportunities for post-qualifying as well as pre-qualifying training' - Health and Social Care in the Community `A useful framework for practice to accompany undergraduate learning, and also the post-qualifying consolidation of social work knowledge, theory, and skills' - Dr Patricia Higham This lively and engaging textbook is an adaptation of the bestselling introductory social work book available in Australia. This edition has been thoroughly revised to reflect wider changes that have characterized social work training and practice in recent years. It offers the reader an essential grounding in the core knowledge, values and skills needed for successful completion of their degree. Key features of the book include: - Comprehensive content - includes discussion of theoretical perspectives, policy; assessment; intervention, the ethics and values framework; and practice-learning. - A student-friendly approach - includes case-studies, chapter summaries, further reading sections, and discussion questions. - A multi-professional perspective - recognises the experiences of all those working across the field of social care and incorporates service-user's voices. - Practice-oriented - offers specific guidance to overcome challenges and provides an effective framework for practice. This authoritative textbook will be an essential guide to the challenges and concepts underpinning social work practice. It offers a flavour of what social work entails and engages with recent debates about the nature of practice. It will be an invaluable text for social work trainees, and will also be useful reading for post-qualifying students and practitioners.

Neglect is now recognized as leading to significantly poor outcomes for children in the short and long term. It is a matter of concern for all professionals who work with children. Children who are neglected are not likely to seek help in their own right and are highly dependent on professionals such as health visitors and schoolteachers identifying and responding to their needs for support and protection. In order to carry out the key tasks of prevention, recognition and response to neglect, practitioners require up-to-date evidence-based information about the aetiology and signs of neglect and what works in prevention and response. This book addresses the key themes in child neglect, draws on current research and practice knowledge and sets out the implications for practice. With a joint health and social work focus, this interdisciplinary book is an essential resource for practitioners, academics and policy makers working towards integrated and collaborative childcare services.

'For many readers, especially trainers and educationalists, the thoroughness of this book is likely to be attractive. The added advantage of O'Connor et al's book is that it covers social work for both adults and children. [This book] is likely to appear on many social work reading lists. [It has] the potential to provide good learning opportunities for post-qualifying as well as pre-qualifying training' - Health and Social Care in the Community `A useful framework for practice to accompany undergraduate learning, and also the post-qualifying consolidation of social work knowledge, theory, and skills' - Dr Patricia Higham This lively and engaging textbook is an adaptation of the bestselling introductory social work book available in Australia. This edition has been thoroughly revised to reflect wider changes that have characterized social work training and practice in recent years. It offers the reader an essential grounding in the core knowledge, values and skills needed for successful completion of their degree. Key features of the book include: - Comprehensive content - includes discussion of theoretical perspectives, policy; assessment; intervention, the ethics and values framework; and practice-learning. - A student-friendly approach - includes case-studies, chapter summaries, further reading sections, and discussion questions. - A multi-professional perspective - recognises the experiences of all those working across the field of social care and incorporates service-user's voices. - Practice-oriented - offers specific guidance to overcome challenges and provides an effective framework for practice. This authoritative textbook will be an essential guide to the challenges and concepts underpinning social work practice. It offers a flavour of what social work entails and engages with recent debates about the nature of practice. It will be an invaluable text for social work trainees, and will also be useful reading for post-qualifying students and practitioners.

Services for families and children are rightfully the focus of intense scrutiny and debate, and there is a clear need to establish a knowledge of which services work well. This volume provides a comprehensive overview of research evidence from the UK and USA on the effectiveness of selected child welfare interventions. It addresses the challenges of measuring effectiveness in child welfare and explains the policy context for child welfare service delivery. Leading international contributors summarize the evidence of effectiveness in each core area, and consider the impact on children's development, parenting capacity and the wider community. Critically, the book also draws out the implications of the evidence for policy, practice and service delivery as well as for future research. This book is essential reading for policy makers, practitioners and commissioners of services in child welfare as well as students and researchers.

The quality of the assessment of children in need has a significant impact on outcomes for the children concerned. Good assessment contributes to better outcomes, but poor assessment can have tragic consequences. Understanding what makes a good assessment is vital. This book brings together findings from 10 years of UK research that shed light on different aspects of child and family assessment, and examines the evidence for what works in promoting the best outcomes for children. It covers thresholds for assessment and intervention, what information should be collected in assessments, and assessments in different contexts. It also examines key aspects of practice and the factors that can help or hinder good quality assessment. These areas include analysis, critical thinking and reflection; engaging with children and families; and inter-professional working. Structural, procedural and organisational factors are also considered. In summarising the research, this important book provides key messages on the links between assessment and outcomes for children, and offers implications for policy and practice. It will be essential reading for social work practitioners, academics, students and researchers, and all those in the child protection field.