The Integrated Children's System (ICS) is part of the British government's long term program to improve outcomes and life chances for children. The ICS is an inter-agency framework designed to hold information about children and enable easy reference, communication and shared access between different elements of children's services. The ICS was developed to support effective practice with children and families and improve decision making and planning for children in need. The system provides a more structured and systematic approach by integrating the processes of working with children in need from the point of first contact through to the final review. This book outlines what the ICS is, how it works and how to ensure that it is implemented effectively. Drawing on the findings of several pilot projects, this book will be a valuable source of guidance for those using and implementing the database, policymakers and social care managers.

FINALLY, a dating book written from the male perspective. This book is for the woman who is tired of dating players. A player will fool you into believing you are special to him when in reality he is just after sex. This book will help you recognize the warning signs of a player before your feelings get too serious for him. It will start you on a path in the right direction toward finding a Reformed Player. A Reformed Player is tired of the games and looking for a more meaningful relationship. This is a fun, easy, quick read. Each chapter focuses on a question that women have always wanted to know the answer to such as, "Is he cheating on me?." Richard succinctly answers it and then lists red flags that signal your man is cheating on you. Next, he tells a story from his past and then discusses the issue in general. Each chapter ends with a take away comparing Richard's and a Reformed Player's answers. Happy Dating

Everyone knows about seahorses, but baby seahorses are called fry. Our heroine is too big to be a fry, but she hasn't grown into a full size seahorse yet, so Soli likes to be called a Seapony. After being caught in a strong tide, she finds herself on the shore, in a beautiful Yorkshire coastal village, in the North of England, An amazing transformation occurs, she discovers a new friend, and their adventures begin. The first of a series of books and adventures, 'Soli the Seapony' introduces the main characters and locations. As the story develops, amazing discoveries are made, unusual things happen, and our friends become true, unsung heroes.

THE BOOK TREE: A CHRISTIAN REFERENCE FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE Once upon a time, a carpenter entered a forest and happened upon a wolf wearing a feathered cap. Quick -- whose side are you one? If you don't know, we suggest reading a hearty round of fairytales. Stories provide a roadmap for life. This is because stories ARE life. But oftentimes it's easiest to understand where we are when we can look through other eyes -- from the perspective of someone else, living somewhere else, somewhen else. Literary habits naturally give way to literary affections. For those beginning to read for the first time or those beginning to read again, "The Book Tree" will drop golden apples in your lap, until you can climb high enough to pick for yourself.

This book delightfully conveys the pleasures of ecological landscaping. Field and Forest: A Guide to Native Landscapes for Gardeners and Naturalists is for those readers who enjoy plants and want to know more about our native plant communities, how they relate to one another, and what each of us can do to help preserve and restore them. Field and Forest: A Guide to Native Landscapes for Gardeners and Naturalists, originally published in 1992, features an entire section, five chapters, on ecological landscaping. Jane Scott discusses how to recreate native plant communities in your own garden and how to look to nature for garden design ideas. She also includes lots of practical, down-to-earth advice on maintaining a natural garden, as well as things to watch out for when buying native plants from nurseries. Another helpful section focuses on the names and classifications of plants, to help the naturalist identify species encountered on neighborhood strolls and countryside hikes. This book will not only make such excursions more rewarding, it will help you to recreate what you see in your own backyard. Field and Forest: A Guide to Native Landscapes for Gardeners and Naturalists is a companion to field guides, a reference and a charming book to browse through all year round. It is illustrated with one hundred of the author's lovely line drawings. "Overall, the book is well written and is filled with delightful illustrations drawn by the author. Reading it will make a walk through the woods or fields a new and rewarding experience." The Conservationist "A wonderful resource for nature lovers and gardeners is finally back in print. Field and Forest: A Guide to Native Landscapes for Gardeners and Naturalists by Jane Scott is both inspirational and instructive, teaching gardeners how to capture the essence of natural landscapes in their gardens. This book is a classic." North American Native Plant Society Newsletter Fall 2002 Jane Scott is the author of five previous books. Her articles have appeared in major gardening journals and she writes a monthly newspaper column called Woodland Diary. Her horticultural achievements have won her several awards.

A startling and gripping novel, Suzy, Suzy follows a teenage girl trying to understand the chaos of her family life. Suzy lives in a dysfunctional household. She can't stand her mother; her father is keeping secrets; and her brother only seems to egg on their parents' erratic and unpredictable behaviour. Alongside her friends, Suzy finds herself drawn into the downward spiral of her parents' relationship, and as a result is drawn into the centre of a mystery surrounding a murder. Forced to make impossible choices, Suzy must navigate the increasingly disturbing antics of her family and the oddities of the mystery she finds herself involved in, while also trying to survive the horrors of secondary school. Narrated by a troubled young woman, the novel weaves a tale of secrets, lies and betrayal in the pressure cooker of her formative years. William Wall is an underrated Irish master with a powerful, distinctive writing style, and an uncanny ability to create astonishingly complex and well-realised female protagonists.

Neglect is the most common form of child abuse, but recognizing the signs, assessing the family's and the child's needs, and undertaking intervention can be difficult and complicated. This book, based on extensive research of the evidence, outlines how neglect can be recognized, examining the signs that parents give to signal their need for help, and the signs that a child's needs are not being met. It then covers how practitioners should respond, including assessment, planning, and appropriate interventions. The authors examine whether practitioners are well-equipped to recognize child neglect, and whether professional responses to help could be swifter. Finally, the prevention of child neglect is considered, and a proposal for a public health approach and early intervention is outlined. The book includes case studies and makes recommendations for policy and practice. This book will help practitioners to understand better child neglect and to improve practice in this important area. It will be vital for all those likely to encounter child neglect, including child and family social workers, health visitors, teachers with safeguarding responsibilities, nursery staff, and educational psychologists.

While recent major policy initiatives have focused on the assessment and identification of need in children's services, this volume demonstrates the importance of understanding which child welfare interventions are effective and why. From exploring the evidence of the long-term consequences of need for children's well-being through to discussing national initiatives designed to address these issues, contributors from the UK, US and Canada present examples of specific interventions successful in addressing need in the three recognised domains of child development, parenting capacity and family and environmental factors. Demonstrating the need for close inter-agency collaboration and 'joined up' services, Promoting the Well-being of Vulnerable Children will make essential reading for local and central government policy makers; senior managers and practitioners in child welfare agencies; social work academics and students; public and independent sector professionals involved in the assessment of children in need, including social workers, teachers, health visitors and psychologists. debates to help social work managers, policy makers and researchers to understand and improve the outcomes of services for children and young people in need. Taking an evidence-based approach, these books include children's experiences and analysis of costs and effectiveness in their assessment of interventions, and provide guidance on how to develop more effective policy, practice, and training.