Developing Good Practice in Children's Services

This book is concerned with how social workers and managers can engage reflectively and proactively with changes in children's services. Vicky White and John Harris have drawn together the contributors' experiences of working with children in a broad range of settings, emphasising ways in which the current context of change can be used as an opportunity to enhance the quality of service provision and achieve better outcomes for children and their families. The authors examine approaches to the assessment of children in need and the analysis of risk, and consider the impact of poverty and social divisions on children's lives. Highlighting key concepts, such as community development and multi-agency interventions, they anticipate likely policy developments for the future. Examples are provided of the planning and implementation of new initiatives including: · preventive education to protect children · positive reinforcement of children's cultural heritage · therapeutic approaches to sexually inappropriate behaviour · training programmes for foster carers. The real-life material on which the book draws can be used as source material by students undertaking qualifying programmes in health, social care and social work and by more experienced professionals to reflect on their own practice, particularly if they are undertaking post-qualifying courses – a timely resource for all staff and students seeking to develop good practice in children's services.

Table of Contents:
1. Changing Children's Services. Vicky White and John Harris. 2. Strategic Development: Managing the Vision. Simon Lord, Warwickshire Social Services. 3. Analysing Risk in Child Protection: A Model for Assessment. Vic Tuck, Warwickshire Area Child Protection Committee. 4. Assessment of Children in Need and their Families. Jude Quiggin. 5. Children and Young People with Sexual Behaviour Difficulties: A Practice Framework for Holistic Interventions. Andrew Durham, Warwickshire Social Services. 6. Working in a Multi-agency Context: Children's Services Development Groups. Robin Hill, Derby Social Services. 7. Taking Care: Helping Children Learn to Keep Themselves Safer. Ann Seal, Taking Care project and South Warwickshire Primary Care Trust. 8. Recognising and Celebrating Children's Cultural Heritage. Satwant Shergill and Mandy de Waal. 9. Family Placements: Matching Needs and Services. Phil Sawbridge and Rebecca Johnson. 10. Developing an NVQ Assessment Centre for Foster Care. Sylvia Vickers. 11. Change…and More Change. Chris Hallet, Warwickshire County Council. Appendix One. The European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model. Appendix Two. Analysis of a Sample of 248 Referrals to SIBS of Children and Young People Reported to have Initiated Inappropriate Sexual Behaviours During the Five Year Period 1997 to 2001. Appendix Three. Aims and Objectives. Appendix Four. Outcome of Questionnaire. References. Index.

About the Author :
Vicky White is a lecturer and John Harris is a professor in the School of Health and Social Studies at the University of Warwick.

Review :
I found the book a thoroughly stimulating and thought-provoking campanion to read alongside one's own agency's vision for change. It helps to understand the why and where of change, when you are one of the many who have to 'engage' and assist in the design and delivery of that vision. The book's theme of seeing change as an opportunity rather than a threat is refreshing and observations about what changes might lie ahead are particularly helpful. 'This edited collection provides the reader with real-life material gained from the contributors' varied experiences of working with children and families across a range of settings... I would recommend this balanced and informative collection to all those with a professional interest in the development of children's services'. The book is successful in its attempt to analyse some of the changes which have occurred within children's services in recent years, and to show how these changes represent a positive opportunity to improve services. I would recommend this balanced and informative collection to all those with a professional interest in the development of children's services 'Any social work book that opens with reference to a Turner painting is worth pursuing and this one certainly fulfils its promise. A great deal of change has affected children's services since 1997 and this book sets out the response of one local authority- Warwickshire- to the government's "modernization" programme for children's services... Chapters are written mainly by managers and practitioners in the county and highlight a range of service developments and some imaginative initiatives... The gap at present in service development is often about practice and it is, therefore, encouraging to read thoughtful and stimulating accounts by practitioners themselves about their work. The evidence based practice movement needs a better balance between practitioners writing about and using research, not just researchers observing practice. This book should appeal to a wide social work and related audience'.