His Case Her Child

Many early years students and practitioners can struggle with how to observe children, knowing what makes good observations, as well as how to use them and why they matter so much. This is a very practical 'how to' book on observing young children and preparing a child case study, with helpful guidance on how to go about this, including where and how to begin and proceed; appropriate techniques and related processes as well as possible pitfalls. In addition the book includes examples of good observations which show how your observation can be evaluated, analysed and used. The book covers the whole process of embarking on the study or observation of a child (or children) including sensitive areas or areas to avoid. It begins with choosing a child to study; the ethics of the study; ways of gathering data and tools to use; observations that are useful; examples of short child case studies and longer child case studies; how to select material to include; and, analysing or interpreting the material. One child (Georgia) is used as a focus example throughout the book so that you can really get to grips with how a good child observation study unfolds and develops. Further shorter examples also illuminate the challenges and practicalities of doing your child observation case study.

This title was first published in 2001. Making decisions about the care and protection of children who appear before the courts is complex. Attention must be paid to the best interests of the child, the child’s need for their family, community views on parenting, and concern about welfare intrusion into family life. Magistrates have a unique authority to make, or reject child protection orders - yet the criteria they use to decide a protection order, how they understand the information presented to them in court and the factors that influence their discretion and decision-making have, until now, been little known. Presenting the findings of a study undertaken at Melbourne Children’s Court, this book offers a much-needed investigation of how magistrates actually make child protection decisions. Case examples highlight this decision-making and the book thus offers practical assistance to professionals working with children in the legal process.

"This examination of the child abuse case begins with a look at Mary Ellen Wilson's life and provides background on the events surrounding the case. Mary Ellen's court testimony, queries urging Henry Bergh's ASPCA to continue work on behalf of children, articles describing the courtroom scene, pleas from Mary Ellen's family appealing for her custody and published documentation of the trial itself are all offered here"--Provided by publisher.