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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 worksAssessment 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 important new book critically examines the complex policy and practice issues surrounding child protection, including the impact of theoretical orientations, contemporary debates, policy initiatives and research findings, and maintains an emphasis on the ethics and values underpinning child welfare interventions. The book introduces policies that are central to understanding the position and needs of children and young people, and how policy and practice have been influenced by developments including the children's rights agenda. It also explores the most significant issues in child welfare. These include: the experience of maltreatment by children, the systems of child protection to safeguard them, the methods and challenges of risk assessment, and the wide range of policy and therapeutic interventions to respond to children's needs. The book also examines family support to promote children's wellbeing before considering provision for children and young people who are looked after in out-of-home care. There is also a final section that focuses on best practice in communicating and working with children and young people, drawing on participatory, rights-oriented and resilience-based approaches, and supporting foster and adoptive carers and biological parents. Contributing in a substantive and clear manner to a growing international conversation about the present function and future directions for child welfare in contemporary societies, this textbook will be of interest to undergraduate and postgraduate social work students and those from allied disciplines, and professionals who are engaged in child welfare services.

The reported prevalence of child maltreatment – neglect; physical, emotional and sexual abuse; and exposure to family violence – is at unacceptable levels in Australia. The number of children receiving child protection services (investigation, care and protection orders, and out-of-home care) continues to rise. One in 33 children received child protection services in the past year alone; the majority are repeat clients. Disturbingly, indigenous children are 7 times as likely as non-indigenous children to receive protection services. What is child abuse and neglect and when is a child in need of protection? What are the causes, indicators and impacts of abuse involving children and adolescents? When should children at risk be removed from their parents, and is it possible or even preferable in certain cases to keep vulnerable kids with their families? There is no excuse for child abuse, but are we doing enough to protect children at risk? Also includes: worksheets and activities, fast facts, glossary, web links, index. Titles in the Issues in Society series are individual resource books which provide an overview on a specific subject comprised of facts and opinions. The information in this resource book is not from any single author, publication or organisation. The unique value of the Issues in Society series lies in its diversity of content and perspectives. The content comes from a wide variety of sources and includes: newspaper reports and opinion pieces, website fact sheets, magazine and journal articles, statistics and surveys, government reports, and literature from special interest groups.

In the first chapter of Foster Care: Global Issues, Challenges and Perspectives of the 21st Century, the authors explore modern research regarding children of foster parents around the world, including an overview of literature and the use of an online virtual platform to connect the fostering community. Experts from Canada, the United States, Ireland, Sweden, Australia, and the United Kingdom offered up their knowledge on children of foster parents as well as recommendations for the well-being of said children. Next, a study exploring the implementation of a kinship search program in a child welfare agency is presented in order to determine its benefits. The authors conclude that Kinship Researchers are generally perceived as “respectful, helpful, beneficial, and valuable.” Additionally, child welfare policy is examined. Later, the essential practice of traditional kinship foster care in Ghana is explored, including current legal provisions, public perception, potential challenges, and future recommendations. The authors also discuss the phenomenon of runaway youth in the foster care system. Due to the fact that children in the foster care system are twice as likely to display runaway indicators than those in the general population, this is a significant issue that warrants understanding. A description of running away in the foster care system is rendered, along with the ramifications that may occur for on-the-run youth. The next chapter deliberates on a study regarding children in out-of-home care in South Korea, comparing the service status of different placement types in terms of developmental outcomes of the children. The results indicate that children in foster care thought of their caregivers and environments more positively than those in institutional care over a period of two years. The following chapter discusses a variety of federal and state laws that address children who were abused and consequently served by the child welfare system. The authors use case studies of foster youth to demonstrate how the law has been used to secure the services, support, and resources needed to place foster youth on a pathway to a more positive future. The final chapter outlines an approach known as “Watch me Play!” which encourages supported child-led play in acknowledgement of training needs in the social care workforce. The authors also discuss the potential impact of exploratory and symbolic play to child development, attachment, and communication.

Family Group Conferencing indicates a large-scale shift in assumptions about the way child welfare services are planned and delivered - away from models that emphasize pathology, and toward those seeking an ecological understanding of the families and social networks involved. The contributors also present a wealth of information on related approaches, such as community conferences, circles, and wraparound services. The British Journal of Social Work noted that'there are issues relating to both process and outcome. This book offers some answers that are intelligent and passionate.'

Modern families are economic institutions of great productivity. They contribute as much to a society's economic well-being as does worker productivity in formal markets. In Citizens, Families, and Reform, Stein Ringen shows how long-standing inequalities of income and class are flexible and changing in post-industrial societies. Such inequalities respond to structural changes such as social mobility and to public policies such as those of the welfare state. His book is a study of the process from careful statistical analysis to specific policy recommendations.The book draws on two strands of research, one on children and families and the other on social inequality. Both summarize detailed statistical analysis. Ringen's basic premise is that prudent social policy should start from investment in families. Progress and reform in society, such as extended access to education, tends to modify social divisions and stimulate open opportunity, particularly in the area of higher education. The book addresses the situation of children, who have a surprisingly lower standard of living than adult population groups by most measures of well-being. Ringen attributes this disparity to flaws in the distribution of power, which leads to the disenfranchisement of children as citizens. He addresses this problem by discussing children and voting rights, building a case for realizing the ideal of one person, one vote, by extending the vote to children.Real democracies are necessarily imperfect. Ringen argues for the classical liberal theory of social progress through economic growth and equality of opportunity and warns against the'terrible temptation towards perfection.'His new introduction reviews the debates sparked by the book's original publication in 1997 and suggests areas in which his arguments have been vindicated.

Zahlreiche Institutionen müssen im Bereich der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe zusammenarbeiten, um einen effektiven Schutz von Kindern gewährleisten zu können. In der Praxis gestalten sich diese Kooperationen nicht immer problemlos. Die Autorin begleitete das Leipziger Netzwerk für Kinderschutz drei Jahre lang auf seinem Weg zur Professionalisierung. In das nun vorliegende Buch flossen sowohl die praktischen Ergebnisse der Evaluation als auch theoretische Aspekte zu den Themen Kindeswohlgefährdung, Frühe Hilfen, Netzwerke und deren Bewertung. Eine Anleitung für Koordinatoren, Beteiligte und all jene, die Interesse an einer erfolgreichen Gestaltung von Arbeitsbeziehungen zeigen.

Reorganized for more effective classroom use, the second edition of Critical Issues in Child Welfare begins with an updated, thorough overview of the challenges currently facing at-risk children and families. A description of the child welfare system highlights issues that are discussed in more detail throughout the book. The text explores protective services, family preservation, foster care and residential care, adoption, services for adolescents, and training and retention of staff. New material highlights the recent discoveries of the impact of early trauma and stress on children's development, and the modifications currently taking place in the child welfare system in response to this new information. The book also examines the critical challenges of poverty and substance abuse, the importance of the community in shaping child welfare services, racial disproportionality in the system, the changing response of the system to LGBT issues, and services to ameliorate the difficulties of youth leaving the system.

Immer wieder erschüttern und berühren uns tragische Fälle von Kindeswohlgefährdung, -vernachlässigung und -tötung. Stimmen werden laut, die Jugendämter würden tatenlos zusehen, wenn Eltern ihre Kinder vernachlässigen, verhungern lassen oder gar totschlagen. Haben die Jugendämter richtig gehandelt, sind sie rechtzeitig eingeschritten, hätten andere Hilfen nicht im Vorfeld greifen, Eltern unterstützt oder Hilferufe richtig gedeutet werden müssen? Was kann gegen derart grausamen Umgang mit und zum Schutz für Kinder getan werden? Diese Untersuchung soll der Thematik des Aufwachsens in öffentlicher Verantwortung nachgehen. Sie soll sich mit dem Kindeswohl, dem Elternrecht und dem staatlichen Wächteramt beschäftigen. Hierbei soll untersucht werden, dass nicht nur der Eingriff in das elterliche Erziehungsrecht, sondern vor allem auch die Hilfen für das Kind und die Eltern, die schon im Vorfeld geleistet werden sollten, betrachtet werden müssen. Was sind die Aufgaben der Jugendhilfe und wie kann sie nicht nur gezielt Kinder vor einer Gefährdung schützen, sondern Eltern soweit stärken, dass diese Hilfen annehmen, umsetzen und es nicht zu einer Herausnahme des Kindes aus der Familie kommt?

Child Welfare Systems and Migrant Children examines where, why and to what extent immigrant children are represented in the child welfare system in different countries. These countries include Australia/New Zealand, Belgium/the Netherlands, England, Estonia, Canada, Finland, Italy, Germany, Spain, Norway, and the United States--all of them having different child welfare philosophies and systems as well as histories and practices in immigration. By comparing policies and practices in child welfare systems (and welfare states), especially in terms of how they conceptualize and deal with immigrant children and their families, we address an immensely important and pressing issue in modern societies. Immigrants in the child welfare system are a critical issue and they seem to face serious challenges that are evident across countries. These are challenges related to lack of language proficiency, lack of knowledge about cultural and social aspects and about the public systems of the destination country. Perhaps most relevantly, the challenges may include collisions of ideas and beliefs about how to raise children, about children's place in the family and society, and about children's rights.

Congress has maintained an interest in the effects of gang violence in Central America, and on the expanding activities of transnational gangs with ties to that region operating in the United States. Since FY2008, Congress has appropriated significant amounts of funding for anti-gang efforts in Central America, as well as domestic anti-gang programs. This book examines the U.S.- funded international anti-gang efforts and describes the gang problem in Central America; discusses country approaches to deal with the gangs; and analyzes U.S. policy with respect to gangs in Central America. The book discusses how unaccompanied alien children are treated in comparison to unauthorized adults and families with children in the specific contexts of asylum and expedited removal.

As social scientists, we are called to investigate society. A powerful component of understanding society can be found when researching the lives of children and youth.'There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children'stated Nelson Mandela. This volume provides a glimpse into the lives of children and youth; thus, The Soul of Society: A Focus on the Lives of Children & Youth.

Welfare is a multidimensional concept characterizing the state of the individual or a group. It includes a subjective component (self-assessment) and an objective component (external assessment) of material, physical, emotional and social dimensions. Given the current changes of the socio-economical environment, this concept is assuming a prominent role in the agenda of the social sciences. Social work focuses on studying welfare in developing programs and delivering interventions with the highest potential of improving the social functionality of individuals, groups or communities. Moreover, a rights-based approach is the only guarantee we have today for the respect of human dignity and the promotion of welfare for all people, not just those exposed or marginalized. Child and Family Welfare contains 22 papers focusing on welfare from both a theoretical perspective (by discussing the roles of the social work and theology), and an empirical one (by discussing its dimensions: emotional welfare, positive functioning, life satisfaction, and social welfare). This volume is a practical tool, helping the reader to understand the factors related to child and family welfare, and addresses both the general public and professionals, such as social workers, psychologists, therapists, and researchers from the social sciences, involved in promoting children's rights and family welfare.

L'attenzione internazionale e in particolare europea alla tutela delle vittime da reato e alla loro posizione processuale è ormai notoria. Lo stesso Trattato sul funzionamento dell'Unione europea del Trattato di Lisbona, in vigore dal 1° gennaio 2009, si occupa dei diritti delle vittime della criminalità, in particolare riconoscendo che questi diritti rientrano tra le materie in cui il Parlamento europeo e il Consiglio possono stabilire norme minime attraverso direttive di armonizzazione. In tale Trattato la materia dei diritti delle vittime della criminalità trova un assetto istituzionale significativo, in quanto diventa oggetto di direttive comunitarie secondo una specifica previsione del Trattato sul funzionamento. Questa sensibilità verso le vittime non è certo una novità ed accompagna da anni non solo l'attività dell'Unione europea ma anche la politica internazionale che supera i confini dell'Unione e si riannoda agli ambiti propri del Consiglio d'Europa, come da ultimo ne sono significativa testimonianza la Convenzione del Consiglio d'Europa per la protezione dei minori contro lo sfruttamento e l'abuso sessuale, Lanzarote 25 ottobre 2007, ratificata in Italia con la legge 1 ottobre 2012, n. 172 (Ratifica ed esecuzione della Convenzione del Consiglio d'Europa per la protezione dei minori contro lo sfruttamento e l'abuso sessuale, fatta a Lanzarote il 25 ottobre 2007, nonché norme di adeguamento dell'ordinamento interno) e la Convenzione di Istanbul del Consiglio d'Europa “sulla prevenzione e la lotta contro la violenza nei confronti delle donne e la violenza domestica” dell'11 maggio 2011, ratificata in Italia con la legge 27 giugno 2013, n. 77 (Ratifica ad esecuzione della Convenzione del Consiglio d'Europa sulla prevenzione e la lotta contro la violenza nei confronti delle donne e la violenza domestica, fatta a Istanbul l'11 maggio 2011) 3. A livello europeo si assiste così a un progressivo ampliarsi dell'interesse verso le vittime dei reati, al punto da far ritenere che il diritto dell'Unione europea e in particolare il diritto penale europeo siano connotati da un “vittimocentrismo” non esente dal rischio di un indebolimento del diritto delle garanzie sia sostanziali che processuali dell'autore di reato, quando la politica criminale diventa spiccatamente preventivo-repressiva.

Approximately 400,000 children were living in foster care in fiscal year 2012, according to the most recent data available. The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 is an omnibus child welfare bill designed to ensure greater permanence and improve the well-being of children served by public child welfare agencies. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) oversees states'implementation of federal child welfare requirements. This book examines steps states have taken to implement selected provisions of the act and challenges they have faced, and the extent to which HHS has monitored states'efforts.

This educational resource provides the identifiers that every adult needs to know in order to intervene in neglectful situations, while also teaching them how to create a safe, nurturing, and protective environment for young children. From defining the different types and levels of severity of neglect to establishing suspicion and reporting neglectful situations, this book is filled with helpful information from expert psychologists and educators in the field today. Each chapter includes a brief quiz to assess chapter learning and a'Notes from the Field'that represent real-life stories the authors have encountered in their work. The appendices at the end of the text include reproducible handouts, sample statements for parent handbooks, self-assessments for teachers, and important contact information to use when reporting neglect.

In this book, the authors present topical research in the study of the current issues, practices and challenges related to child welfare today. Topics include mental health oversight for children and adolescents in child welfare custody; children in foster care and excessive medications; youth sexuality and health conditions; secondary traumatic stress in child welfare professionals; transforming mental health practices in child-serving systems; educational vulnerability of children and youth in foster care; developing a child welfare and child protection system in China; and mindfulness training for addressing the needs of child welfare system children and families.

Laut Schätzungen des Kinderschutzbundes leben in Deutschland mehrere zehntausend Kinder, die völlig verwahrlost sind, da ihre Eltern sich nicht angemessen um sie kümmern. Meist sind dies Kinder aus Problemfamilien, in denen Arbeitslosigkeit, Alkoholismus, Gewalt, Armut und Isolation vorzufinden sind. Das Jugendamt steht bei Fällen von Kindeswohlgefährdung vor hochverantwortungsvollen und komplexen Aufgaben, welche ihre Fachkräfte vor enorme Herausforderungen stellen. Um die Dimensionen von Kindesvernachlässigung und das damit zusammenhängende Dilemma des Jugendamtes verstehen und einordnen zu können, beschäftigt sich diese Studie mit den Fragen, was Kindesvernachlässigung ist, welche Auswirkungen sie hat und vor allem, welche Handlungs- und Interventionsmöglichkeiten das Jugendamt dabei hat.

This book critically analyzes and theorizes trust dynamics in children's lives and how they impact upon children's participation, citizenship and well-being, drawing on a wealth of empirical evidence that examines trust in various institutional and cultural contexts.

Evidence-based interventions are increasingly being required by third-party payers and an evidence-based orientation has come to define ethical practice. This compendium of short, how-to chapters focuses on the programs and interventions to prevent child maltreatment that have the best scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness. Interventions and programs discussed include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, Multisystemic Therapy, Coping Cat, and many more. Busy practitioners will appreciate this book's implementation of evidence-based practices by providing the practical and'what now'rather than using the typical academic approach.

Description based on print version record.

Considers ways in which raising questions about gender can help researchers and practitioners better understand family relationships and issues in children's development Draws on current developments in thinking about gender relations Offers an overview of sociological, psychological and developmental perspectives on family relationships, child welfare outcomes and the practice/policy realities of professional interventions with families Chapters address range of service settings; including family support, child health, education, child protection, domestic violence, ‘looked after'children and youth justice

A critical and evidence-based review of current and future child protection policy and practice. Provides evidence-based perspective with an up-to-date overview of policy and practice Covers several disciplinary boundaries Goes beyond mere description to enable engagement in critical analysis of various policy areas as they relate to children and families

A multi-professional approach to safeguarding children, which accompanies the Department of Health's new training courses. Focuses on the methods of identifying children at risk and details what happens at each stage of the social work process Presents a fully multi-disciplinary approach as to how professional groups and services should co-operate to safeguard children Part of the prestigious NSPCC Wiley Series in Safeguarding Children Accompanies the training courses run by the DoH and NSPCC for professionals working with children

Research suggests that placement in kinship care is directly linked to a decrease in the total number of displacement disruptions for children in the child welfare system. However, Hispanic children appear at a higher risk for non-kinship care placement. This book addresses such problems and policies on kinship care and barriers to implementation of child welfare policies with immigrant and mixed-status children. Child welfare is also closely related to parent-child connections. Thus, the parent-child connection is discussed as well as the authoritative/supportive parenting styles of the mother and father, which seem to protect adolescents against substance abuse. The rural-urban malnutrition rates of children living in up to 93 countries were examined and discussed. Political stability and how it affects the rural-urban malnutrition ratio, especially in democratic systems were also looked at. In addition, the human welfare system in North Korea was examined, for example, by looking at the heights of their children. Stature can assumed to be an appropriate indicator in many situations. Other such advantages and disadvantage indicators are discussed in this book. Finally, the organization of the delivery of social services to waiting children and the prospective adoptive families, which influence adoption creation are reviewed. Cross-section time-series estimates are supplemented with a new augmented fixed effects procedure to demonstrate that the use of contracts with private agencies bolsters adoption creation.

Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund: Report on the First, Second and Annual Sessions of 2008

Description based on print version record.

Prosperity in the world today depends on societies'nurturing of young children. Quality care (stimulation, health, and nutrition) during ages 0 - 5 has a decisive and long-lasting impact on a person's development, ability to learn, and capacity to regulate emotions. Cognitive and noncognitive (social and emotional) skills, set early in life, determine later success. New research in neurobiology and the behavioral and social sciences is converging to enhance this understanding of early child development. Recently, researchers noted epigenetic effects in brain development - that is, the interac.

This book is an examination of recent developments in the areas of youth justice and child protection. It investigates how well young people and the societies in which they live are served by judicial and service systems. Consideration is given to those in care - in young offenders'institutions, foster families and residential homes - as well as those living with their families.A broad range of international experts discuss the largely segregated youth justice and children's legal and service systems in England and Wales, other parts of Western Europe and the US, and compare these with Scotland's integrated system. The implications of these arrangements are considered for the rights of children and parents on the one hand and society on the other. The contributors also provide insights into the rationale for current and proposed policies, as well as the efficacy of different systems.This book will be an important reference for policy-makers, social workers, lawyers, magistrates and equivalent decision makers, health professionals, carers, and all those working in youth justice and child protection. It is highly relevant for academics and students interested in children, citizenship, youth crime, child welfare and state-family relations.

What assistance can be provided to a disadvantaged youngster to help them bounce back to conquer challenges while growing up? At-Risk Children & Youth: Resiliency Explored analyzes the results from accumulated research on the risk and resiliency of children and youth in Ireland. Author Dr. Niall McElwee shines a crucial spotlight on the challenges facing children, including poor literacy and numeracy skills, poverty, distrust, and other difficult issues. Practical strategies are presented to help disadvantaged children and youth to overcome societal and self-imposed barriers for improvement. A detailed review and assessment is provided on the efficacy of Ireland's Youth Encounter Projects. This important resource focuses on what works and what does not in youth services.

UNICEF, the UN Children's Fund, is renowned for its efficiency in both rich and poor countries. Created as a humanitarian agency, it is now one of the international development institutions concerned with children and mothers. The book relates the creation of UNICEF, the evolution of its programmes, its structure and finances, its work in health, nutrition, education and sanitation and in emergencies. The 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child now serves as a framework for all UNICEF programmes and a basis for its advocacy. Current challenges include UNICEF's nature and identity, its relationship with other international organizations, reduced funding and its need to refocus some of its programmes.

Child poverty and the well-being of children is an important policy issue throughout the industrialised world. Some 47 million children in'rich'countries live in families so poor that their health and well-being are at risk. The main themes addressed are: · the extent and trend of child poverty in industrialised nations; · outcomes for children - for example, the relationship between childhood experiences and children's health; · country studies and emerging issues; · child and family policies. All the contributions underline the urgent need for a comprehensive policy to reduce child poverty rates and to improve the well-being of children. Findings are clearly presented and key focus points identified for policy makers to consider.

This innovative and timely book examines the nature and meaning of'empowerment'in child welfare and protection, using the family group conference (FGC) approach to decision making as an example. In response to the growing clamour for'evidence-based practice', the book addresses the central question of how the idea of empowerment can be operationalised and evaluated. One of the aims of FGCs is to empower children and their families by enabling them more effectively to participate in the decision-making process and by affording them greater control over the outcomes of that process. Empowering practice? critically assesses the available evidence on the empowerment potential of FGCs and examines the implications of the approach for professionals, their agencies and the children and families involved. Empowering practice? is essential reading for academics and professionals working in a wide range of health, education and social care areas.

The Missing Child in Liberal Theory opens public discourse on what it is Canadians hold in common through their provision of civic assurances to children and families at risk. John O'Neill presents a strongly-worded critique of the dominant discourse of the market society. He observes the link between'duty free'capitalism and minimal civic obligations. This book calls for a covenant society where civility and reciprocity are underwritten by a second generation concept of the Canadian welfare state that will not abandon children to disastrous prospects in a market society.Confronting the current call for a leaner and meaner response to global competitiveness, O'Neill challenges concepts of liberalism and communitarianism. In their place he proposes a covenant concept of state, community, and family assurances to derive from our common provision of a civic endowment that we undertake to sustain now and for future generations of Canadians.O'Neill argues that if Canada is to survive as a national community capable of responding to the global market, we must reaffirm the civic foundations of the state. If we fail to do this, we will not have a leaner society, only a meaner one. This society will be hostile to capitalism and socialism alike. If we can rededicate the Canadian commons to the well-being of the civic person, Canada will contribute a model of survival and governance among the nations of the twenty-first century.

Rapid changes in urban life are continually reshaping the physical and social environment of the city. This book represents the thinking of a number of leading experts on a variety of topics related to the impact of contemporary urban life on children.Between the introduction which provides a framework for a contextual analysis and a conclusion which draws together the major ideas, each chapter presents a major statement on a particular area of concern, followed by commentaries and discussion. The topics range from the historical context of policies regarding urban children and an international perspective on children's services to detailed studies of health, daycare and its effects on young children, legal issues, and the problem of delinquency and social control. Another chapter deals with the broad pattern of social change and its consequences for children.Several chapters focus on physical aspects of the urban environment; the overall ecological perspective, local neighbourhoods, and housing. The book as a whole identifies the fundamentals of a broad issue of concern and examines their implications for policy, practice, and understanding.