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‘This excellent and internationally relevant book provides a range of pertinent material that explores the complexities surrounding gender and child welfare in contemporary society. It addresses a clear gap in current literature and will prove invaluable to those from a range of backgrounds who are involved in a variety of capacities in this highly charged arena.’

Professor Barbara Fawcett, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney

‘The arguments and original research in this book offer more than a feast for thought. The contributors challenge the sidelining of gender in contemporary policy and practice in working with children. This is a valuable collection for practitioners in health and social care, providing practice-focused analyses to demonstrate the crucial role gender sensitivity has for improving interventions, and ultimately outcomes, for children and their families.’

Dr Lorraine Radford, Head of Research, NSPCC

Gender and Child Welfare in Society offers an overview of sociological, psychological and developmental perspectives on family relationships, child welfare and the practice realities of professional interventions with families. It interrogates the current child welfare agenda from a gendered perspective, drawing on developments in thinking about gender relations. Chapters describe a range of service settings, including family support, child health, education, child protection, domestic violence, children who are ‘looked after’, and youth justice.

The book also explores the new challenges facing women and men as parents in the context of family and societal change and diversity. It raises the issue of how gender intersects with ethnicity, religion, class, disability, age and sexuality in families, and what theoretical and practice developments are most promising in promoting both child well-being and gender equity.

With contributions from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Canada and New Zealand, Gender and Child Welfare in Society takes an international, multidisciplinary, and multi-professional approach to the subject, offering a broad range of views on topics highly relevant to both practitioners and policy makers. Although social work is the dominant discipline, the book also contains contributions from academics in nursing, education, social policy, and family therapy.

Children''s rights, lone motherhood and the breakdown of families are all issues at the forefront of current social debate in the West, with little agreement on what constitutes good parenting, or how the needs of both mother and child are best met. The feminist contribution to this debate is particularly important in keeping in view the diverse identities of all those who provide mothering. The psychoanalytic contribution is often undervalued and misunderstood.Mothering and Ambivalence brings together authors from therapeutic, academic and social work backgrounds to discuss dependency, anxiety and gender relations within families. Drawing on extensive professional experience the contributors combine a psychoanalytic and feminist approach to mothering which transcends the polarized and simplistic political debate about women''s and children''s needs. They also show how such an approach can inform and improve professional practice.

Children''s rights, lone motherhood and the breakdown of families are all issues at the forefront of current social debate in the West, with little agreement on what constitutes good parenting, or how the needs of both mother and child are best met. The feminist contribution to this debate is particularly important in keeping in view the diverse identities of all those who provide mothering. The psychoanalytic contribution is often undervalued and misunderstood.Mothering and Ambivalence brings together authors from therapeutic, academic and social work backgrounds to discuss dependency, anxiety and gender relations within families. Drawing on extensive professional experience the contributors combine a psychoanalytic and feminist approach to mothering which transcends the polarized and simplistic political debate about women''s and children''s needs. They also show how such an approach can inform and improve professional practice.

In their day-to-day practice, social work and human services practitioners frequently find themselves in confusing ethical quandaries, trying to balance the numerous competing interests of protecting children from harm and promoting family and community capacity. This book explores the ethical issues surrounding child protection interventions and offers a process-oriented approach to ethical practice and decision making in child protection and family welfare practice. Its aim is to prepare students and early-career professionals for roles in the complex and challenging work of child protection and family support.

Beginning with a critical analysis and appreciation of the diverse organisational and cultural contexts of contemporary child protection and ethical decision-making frameworks, the authors outline a practical ‘real-world’ model for reshaping frontline ethical practice. Moving away from a focus on the child apart from the family, the authors recognise that child safeguarding affects the lives, not just of children, but also of parents, grandparents and communities. Working Ethically in Child Protection eschews dominant rational-technical models for relational ones that are value centred and focus on family well-being as a whole.

Rather than a single focus on assessing risk and diagnosing deficit, this book recognises that our child protection systems bear down disproportionately on those from disadvantaged and marginalised communities and argues that what is needed is real support and practical assistance for poor and vulnerable parents and children. It uses real-world case examples to illustrate the relevant ethical and practice principles, and ways in which students and practitioners can practise ethically when dealing with complex, multi-faceted issues.

In their day-to-day practice, social work and human services practitioners frequently find themselves in confusing ethical quandaries, trying to balance the numerous competing interests of protecting children from harm and promoting family and community capacity. This book explores the ethical issues surrounding child protection interventions and offers a process-oriented approach to ethical practice and decision making in child protection and family welfare practice. Its aim is to prepare students and early-career professionals for roles in the complex and challenging work of child protection and family support.

Beginning with a critical analysis and appreciation of the diverse organisational and cultural contexts of contemporary child protection and ethical decision-making frameworks, the authors outline a practical ‘real-world’ model for reshaping frontline ethical practice. Moving away from a focus on the child apart from the family, the authors recognise that child safeguarding affects the lives, not just of children, but also of parents, grandparents and communities. Working Ethically in Child Protection eschews dominant rational-technical models for relational ones that are value centred and focus on family well-being as a whole.

Rather than a single focus on assessing risk and diagnosing deficit, this book recognises that our child protection systems bear down disproportionately on those from disadvantaged and marginalised communities and argues that what is needed is real support and practical assistance for poor and vulnerable parents and children. It uses real-world case examples to illustrate the relevant ethical and practice principles, and ways in which students and practitioners can practise ethically when dealing with complex, multi-faceted issues.

Working with Men in Health and Social Care is an important and timely book that introduces the complex issues and debates involved in working with men in a range of professional settings. The authors locate academic and popular discourse on masculinities within the specific context of health and social care settings, critically analysing the theory and policy that underpin and inform practice, and continually linking theoretical frameworks to 'real-life' practice examples.

Section 1 contextualises the topic with a discussion of gender theory, social policy and the occupational culture of relevant organisations

Section 2 provides a summary of practice models, examining practice with men as individuals, as well as in groups, families and communities

Section 3 is organised according to specific groups of service users and includes chapters on fathers, abusive men, physical and mental health, boys, and older men

This thought-provoking and topical book will be essential reading for students and academics in social work, health care, probation, counselling, and allied disciplines, and for those facing the reality of working with men in their day-to-day practice.

Working with Men in Health and Social Care is an important and timely book that introduces the complex issues and debates involved in working with men in a range of professional settings. The authors locate academic and popular discourse on masculinities within the specific context of health and social care settings, critically analysing the theory and policy that underpin and inform practice, and continually linking theoretical frameworks to 'real-life' practice examples.

Section 1 contextualises the topic with a discussion of gender theory, social policy and the occupational culture of relevant organisations

Section 2 provides a summary of practice models, examining practice with men as individuals, as well as in groups, families and communities

Section 3 is organised according to specific groups of service users and includes chapters on fathers, abusive men, physical and mental health, boys, and older men

This thought-provoking and topical book will be essential reading for students and academics in social work, health care, probation, counselling, and allied disciplines, and for those facing the reality of working with men in their day-to-day practice.

Why has the language of the child and of child protection become so hegemonic? What is lost and gained by such language? Who is being protected, and from what, in a risk society? Given that the focus is overwhelmingly on those families who are multiply deprived, do services reinforce or ameliorate such deprivations? And is it ethical to remove children from their parents in a society riven by inequalities?

This timely book challenges a child protection culture that has become mired in muscular authoritarianism towards multiply deprived families. It calls for family-minded humane practice where children are understood as relational beings, parents are recognized as people with needs and hopes and families as carrying extraordinary capacities for care and protection. The authors, who have over three decades of experience as social workers, managers, educators and researchers in England, also identify the key ingredients of just organizational cultures where learning is celebrated.

This important book will be required reading for students on qualifying and post-qualifying courses in child protection, social workers, managers, academics and policy makers.

Why has the language of the child and of child protection become so hegemonic? What is lost and gained by such language? Who is being protected, and from what, in a risk society? Given that the focus is overwhelmingly on those families who are multiply deprived, do services reinforce or ameliorate such deprivations? And is it ethical to remove children from their parents in a society riven by inequalities?

This timely book challenges a child protection culture that has become mired in muscular authoritarianism towards multiply deprived families. It calls for family-minded humane practice where children are understood as relational beings, parents are recognized as people with needs and hopes and families as carrying extraordinary capacities for care and protection. The authors, who have over three decades of experience as social workers, managers, educators and researchers in England, also identify the key ingredients of just organizational cultures where learning is celebrated.

This important book will be required reading for students on qualifying and post-qualifying courses in child protection, social workers, managers, academics and policy makers.