June Thoburn - Böcker

This volume brings together a selection of the most influential and informative English language refereed journal articles on children in out-of-home care, their birth relatives and carers. The articles, which include empirical research and critiques of policy and practice, are mainly from the UK and USA, but include some coverage of child placement policy and practice in Australia and mainland Europe. The volume starts with a joint introductory chapter by the two distinguished authors (one American, one British) reviewing the state of knowledge on children in care and drawing attention to other important sources not included as chapters.

Originally published in 1980 when about a third of all British children found to be in need of statutory care were living at home ‘on trial’ with parents or relatives. Still under-researched today, little had yet been written about these children, so this book, based on a detailed study of a sample of such children and their families, was welcomed by all who worked in the field of child care. It is especially concerned with the arguments about the ‘least detrimental alternative’ for children at risk. After a summary of the debate about how best to help such children and a survey of the relevant research, tape-recorded comments of parents and social workers are used to describe emotional, health and environmental problems of the families and the help offered at various stages. Comments and discussions are included about the legal and administrative procedures; the social workers’ use of authority, and the parents’ reactions to it; the process of decision making; and the problem of child placement. The book concludes with the author’s suggestions about how the service to such families could be improved.

Originally published in 1980 when about a third of all British children found to be in need of statutory care were living at home ‘on trial’ with parents or relatives. Still under-researched today, little had yet been written about these children, so this book, based on a detailed study of a sample of such children and their families, was welcomed by all who worked in the field of child care. It is especially concerned with the arguments about the ‘least detrimental alternative’ for children at risk. After a summary of the debate about how best to help such children and a survey of the relevant research, tape-recorded comments of parents and social workers are used to describe emotional, health and environmental problems of the families and the help offered at various stages. Comments and discussions are included about the legal and administrative procedures; the social workers’ use of authority, and the parents’ reactions to it; the process of decision making; and the problem of child placement. The book concludes with the author’s suggestions about how the service to such families could be improved.

This book provides an overview of the reasons (both in law and from practice) why collaborative working is an essential part of the service needed by vulnerable children and their families. It is helpful for diverse range of practitioners, managers and trainers working in a variety of settings.

EPDF and EPUB available Open Access under CC-BY-NC-ND.This book explores how children's rights are practised and weighed against birth and adoptive parents' rights and examines how governments and professionals balance rights when it is decided that children cannot return to parental care.From different socio-political and legal contexts in Europe and the United States, it provides an in-depth analysis of concepts of family, contact, the child's best-interest principle and human rights when children are adopted from care. Taking an international comparative approach to these issues, this book provides detailed information on adoption processes and shares learning from best practice and research across country boundaries to help improve outcomes for all children in care for whom adoption may be the placement of choice.

Based on extensive studies into child welfare services, this important book brings together research into what works in service provision for minority ethnic families. Reviewing studies of the nature and adequacy of the services provided, and the outcomes for the children and their families, this book provides much-needed guidance for policy and practice around issues of cultural and ethnic background and identity, and puts forward suggestions for future research. The authors consider in particular:* the complex needs and identities of minority ethnic families who might use child welfare services* how families using social services view current practice* the impact of the formal child protection and court systems on ethnic minority families* placement patterns and outcomes for children from the different minority ethnic groups who are in residential care, foster care or adopted* cultural issues and `matching' the social worker to the family.Drawing on current government statistical returns and the 2001 national census, this wide-ranging analysis challenges dated research and practice and proposes a revisionary agenda for future research and culturally sensitive child welfare practice, making it essential reading for all child welfare professionals.

Collaborative Practice with Vulnerable Children and Their Families focuses on the knowledge and skills needed by professionals who work across disciplines to meet the needs of parents and children experiencing complex difficulties. It establishes the importance of both interprofessional and interagency collaboration. After detailing the characteristics of parents and children who may be in need of specialized services, the authors describe different approaches to service delivery in theory and practice, provide case examples and exercises, and address the developments in interprofessional education for those currently working in the field. They present evidence supporting collaborative practice as a means of achieving better outcomes for vulnerable children and their families, and explore the difficulties in working successfully across agencies and disciplines.A provocative examination focused on the wellbeing of families in crisis and the care they receive, this book: Introduces terms that are used in collaborative practiceDetails the legal mandate for working with families experiencing complex problemsProvides legal definitions of ‘children in need’ and with a right to receive "targeted" servicesOutlines the circumstances that require court action (family law and criminal law) to protect children from "significant harm"Collaborative Practice with Vulnerable Children and Their Families examines the values and ethical standards shared by all professionals who work together to help at-risk children and their families, and serves as a definitive guide to professionals in social work, nursing, general practice, pediatrics and related professions.A volume in the series CAIPE Collaborative Practice SeriesSeries edited by Hugh Barr and Marion Helme

This book is based on the life accounts of 244 children of minority ethnic origin who were in need of permanent family placement, and who were placed with predominantly white foster carers and adopters. The book provides a most interesting overview of the decision-making and planning processes that shape the placement in care of children of minority ethnic origin in the UK. Its most important contribution is to provide informaion on placement outcome, which will undoubtably assist policy-makers, practitioners, foster carers, adopters and researchers in their efforts to develop enhanced programmes and services for children and their families when they are in need of alternative care.International Social WorkConsidering both `matched' and trans-racial child placements, this balanced and thoroughly researched book moves beyond the often simplistic and limiting racial distinctions such as `black' and `white' that inform much policy and practice around permanent placement.Using evidence from a long-term study of children placed with new families in the 1980s, and reviewing the available literature on ethnicity and child placement, the book looks at different types of placements and discusses whether they are more or less likely to break down, and their impact on aspects of well-being including ethnic identity.It includes first-hand accounts from young people and their adoptive or foster parents, and considers factors such as:choosing between foster placement and adoptionthe nature of ethnic and adoptive identitiessocial work practice with black and white adoptive and foster familiesissues of contact with birth family members.The authors emphasise that social workers, social services managers and policy makers need to consider adoption and family life within a wider social context, and outline positive new directions for both research and practice.