Child Protection Handbook

"The timing of the publication with the revised Working Together guidelines could not be more advantageous. This book is a unique and important contribution to child care literature. No agency should be without." - Child Abuse Review Professionals concerned with the protection of children face many challenges. This work demands knowledge from several disciplines, a wide variety of skills, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The editors, Howard Dubowitz, a pediatrician, and Diane DePanfilis, a social worker, together with over 70 experts in this field offer what is known about how best to work with maltreated children and their families, in a very practical, concise, and user-friendly way. Structured to follow the life of a case from the time a report of child maltreatment is made through the various pathways in the child protection system, this edited volume synthesizes the best practice principles for responding to reports of child abuse and neglect; engaging children and other family members in intervention; developing cross-cultural practice competencies; assessing risk, evaluating safety, and conducting family assessments; defining outcomes and planning intervention; evaluating risk reduction; and making permanency decisions; and discusses the unique legal, medical, ethical, and other practice issues that work in the child protection field involves. Professionals facing tough dilemmas in practice should find valuable guidance in these pages.

This title is directed primarily towards health care professionals outside of the United States. The new edition of this popular handbook gives an authoritative, informative and accessible account of key areas of child protection practice. Covering research, policy and practice it is relevant to all professionals working in child care. No other book on child protection offers such comprehensive coverage of policy and practice. It provides research findings in all areas of child abuse, latest policies and indications of good practice, plus specialist chapters for different professionals. Chapters have been contributed by known experts in the field, both distinguished academics and practitioners. By combining the latest factual information with sophisticated analysis, it is the ideal course text for child protection programmes as well as meeting the needs of more experienced practitioners, academics and trainers. Practical. Examines the issues grounded in reality, and therefore gives the reader confidence in practice, coupled with an understanding of the responsibilities of colleagues in other professions. Comprehensive. Covers a broad review of what constitutes child abuse and characteristics of the abused and the abusers; medical, social and legal management of the process of protection; the actions involved in intervention. and training and new directions for research and practice. Authoritative. Contributors are senior professionals known nationally and internationally for their specific expertise in this area. Research based. All books should be, but amongst the professionals most closely involved in child protection, the heavy workload often means there is little time to catch up on and assimilate up-to-date research fully. This book offers a through guide to what research and policy initiatives can give to the practice of the reader. new chapters addressing issues of culture and parenting.. each chapter contains key messages for practitioners. key websites have been listed. a website on Evolve with supplementary material.

All public sector workers in contact with children and families, both in health care and allied services, need access to clearly written information about what to do if they are concerned about the safety and welfare of a child. Ensuring the safety of children who are at risk of harm is not an easy undertaking. It is sometimes difficult to assess the significance of information about a child, to gauge its seriousness or decide what to do next. This handbook will help health service workers negotiate the complexities of child protection practice, with the aim of preventing abuse and neglect and protecting children from further harm once it has occurred. The text explains how the child protection process works. It covers all the key areas of child protection practice, including: risk assessment physical, sexual and emotional abuse neglect the child protection conference key changes in the legal framework and their application in practice. Clarifying a complex area of work, The Child in Mind provides sound advice aimed at improving individual practice. It is unique in that although it is directed to all health care workers, it can be used as part of in-service training, as a handy reference for students and indeed by anyone who works with children.

First published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

A comprehensive guide to empirically supported approaches for child protection cases The Wiley Handbook of What Works in Child Maltreatment offers clinicians, psychologists, psychiatrists and other professionals an evidence-based approach to best professional practice when working in the area of child protection proceedings and the provision of assessment and intervention services in order to maximize the well-being of young people. It brings together a wealth of knowledge from expert researchers and practitioners, who provide a comprehensive overview of contemporary work informing theory, assessment, service provision, rehabilitation and therapeutic interventions for children and families undergoing care proceedings. Coverage includes theoretical perspectives, insights on the prevalence and effects of child neglect and abuse, assessment, children’s services, and interventions with children, victims and families.

This unique, multidisciplinary resource incorporates cutting-edge research and best practices in child welfare into a text that aims to teach and refine advanced child welfare skills for aspiring child welfare professionals. Featuring real-life examples and stories from the field, the handbook discusses existing methods and challenges in the field of child welfare practice. Chapters also include materials for instructors to use in classrooms or training settings. Among the topics covered: Overview of child welfare policies and how the child welfare system works Assessment tools and strategies used to identify various types of child abuse and neglect Individual, family, and community-level approaches to preventing child maltreatment and preserving families Promoting stability after foster care placement Effective collaboration while working with special populations Clinical supervision in child welfare practice Strategies for healthy professional development of child welfare practitioners The Handbook on Child Welfare Practice is a valuable resource as both a textbook in child welfare practice courses and a practical reference for child welfare professionals. This book will help develop a more knowledgeable and skilled child welfare workforce prepared to address the significant public health concern of child maltreatment.

This up-to-date and comprehensive resource by leaders in child welfare is the first book to reflect the impact of the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997. The text serves as a single-source reference for a wide array of professionals who work in children, youth, and family services in the United States-policymakers, social workers, psychologists, educators, attorneys, guardians ad litem, and family court judges& mdash;and as a text for students of child welfare practice and policy. Features include: * Organized around ASFA's guiding principles of well-being, safety, and permanency * Focus on evidence-based "best practices" * Case examples integrated throughout * First book to include data from the first round of National Child and Family Service Reviews Topics discussed include the latest on prevention of child abuse and neglect and child protective services; risk and resilience in child development; engaging families; connecting families with public and community resources; health and mental health care needs of children and adolescents; domestic violence; substance abuse in the family; family preservation services; family support services and the integration of family-centered practices in child welfare; gay and lesbian adolescents and their families; children with disabilities; and runaway and homeless youth. The contributors also explore issues pertaining to foster care and adoption, including a focus on permanency planning for children and youth and the need to provide services that are individualized and culturally and spiritually responsive to clients. A review of salient systemic issues in the field of children, youth, and family services completes this collection.

The Child Protection Handbook explains how to recognise abuse and protect at-risk children for those working with children and young people aged under 18, including in social care, education, health services, and sport and leisure settings. The book has been fully updated to incorporate the impact of new technology as well as current legal and policy frameworks that govern statutory child protection intervention in the UK. It considers all aspects of child protection, including organisational issues, children’s rights, the needs of those from diverse backgrounds, and the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on child protection work. With accessible, up-to-date information presented in an easy-to-navigate format, the Handbook is ideal for all busy practitioners wanting to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. Fully updated since the last edition in 2007 – perfect for all those working with children and young people Easy to navigate and locate information – suitable as a reference book for busy practitioners Illustrative boxes in each chapter, drawing on practice case examples to highlight current issues and dilemmas All concepts explained in straightforward, jargon-free language Reflective points to encourage the reader to think about their own practice and apply new knowledge Key questions for students and teachers to check understanding and to explore concepts further Links to resources and further reading Supporting social workers in child protection practice Poverty and child protection New forms of child abuse, including technology assisted child sexual abuse, child sexual exploitation, gangs and criminal exploitation, radicalisation, forced marriage of children and young people, female genital mutilation, and faith-based abuse Focus on teenagers, including child protection in adolescence, leaving care, safeguarding and children in conflict with the law, children and young people who have displayed harmful sexual behaviour, and child to parent violence and abuse Safeguarding in sport and leisure Working with parents at risk of repeat removal of their children through care proceedings