The UK legal system in the area of social work with children and families can be bewildering and complex and it is vital therefore that any textbook on the subject uses case law, case studies and research to critically-engage social workers and students alike. This book does just that - by examining, and putting into clear practical context, the current law and policy relating to social work with children and families. A guide for both students on placement as well as Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) entering their first roles within children and families teams, Practical Child Law for Social Workers is essential reading for a fast-paced and complex area of social work.
The English legal system in the area of social work with children and families can be bewildering and complex and it is vital therefore that any textbook on the subject uses case law, case studies and research to critically-engage social workers and students alike. This book does just that - by examining, and putting into clear practical context, the current law and policy relating to social work with children and families. A guide for both students on placement as well as Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) entering their first roles within children and families teams, Practical Child Law for Social Workers is essential reading for a fast-paced and complex area of social work.
An invaluable resource for all social workers in practice with children and families, this book examines key issues such as child protection, family support, care planning, adoption and case preparation for court. With illustrative case studies throughout, the text is divided into two sections: " Part 1 explores the legal context of social work practice with children, examining how international human rights standards are absorbed within domestic law. " Part 2 explores the application of the law, policies and systems to individual case work, illustrating rights-based thinking in practice. Accessible to those without a background in law, the book highlights links between social work standards and legal values and rules. With promotion of the rights of children and families a measure of professional competence and legal obligation, the book helps readers satisfy social work standards and use their knowledge of the law to improve their practice. The book is vital reading for all levels of social work student, including those undertaking the post-qualifying award in child care, as well as being an indispensable resource for practitioners working with children and families. Jane Williams is a lecturer in law at the University of Swansea. She specialises in social work law, and children′s rights. Other publications include Children and Citizenship (SAGE, 2007), co-edited with Antonella Invernizzi.
Working with children in foster care is a demanding and rigorous aspect of social work practice. Difficult decisions in fast-moving and often complex situations have to be made, and for students and practitioners alike, there is a vast array of legislation, law and social policy to understand. This book is written to help social workers and social work students get to grips with the complexity of foster care. The child is placed at the heart of the text and there are substantial chapters on law, policy frameworks and the overreaching theoretical and research evidence to support good practice. There is also a strong focus on practical skills such as empathy and relationship-based practice. This is an essential text for experienced social workers or those currently in training.
This revised edition details organisational systems and structures that are part of the assessment and planning process for looked after children. This is closely interwoven with discussions about their emotional development, educational, health and cultural needs and how these needs can be met through social work and a range of other services. The views of looked after children are highlighted through case studies and summaries of research findings, and the range of skills and knowledge necessary to support looked after children through the key events they experience, including loss, change and the development of new relationships, are explained and illustrated.
"[A] concise and detailed description of a very complex issue...rich in detail and insight." --Leslie J. Temme, LCSW School of Social Work, Adelphi University "[A] 'must have' resource for practicing professionals and an invaluable teaching tool for social work students....This is precisely the book that mandated reporters seek to assist in the reporting process and understanding their legal obligations." --Keva M. Miller, PhD, LCSW School of Social Work, Portland State University In all states, social workers are required to report suspected child abuse and neglect, and face serious penalties if they fail to do so. But not all cases of abuse are obvious. Mandated reporters are thus confronted with a host of both legal and ethical quandaries when filing a report: What are the responsibilities of mandated reporters? What are appropriate grounds for reporting abuse? How and when should a report be made? Does reporting suspected abuse violate client confidentiality? What if my employer encourages me not to report my suspicions? Addressing these questions and more, this book provides clear definitions of different types of child abuse, including physical, sexual, and emotional, and delineates guidelines on how to identify risk factors and signs of child maltreatment. The authors also clarify difficult ethical issues, including client confidentiality and privileged communication, and present numerous case studies and theoretical vignettes culled from their own experiences as social workers. This guide will be the one resource mandated reporters and social work students cannot do without.
Trusted for over 25 years, 'Law for Social Workers' expertly guides students throughout their studies and into practice. The authors skilfully combine accessible legal explanation, real-life case studies, and valuable practice-focused advice.
Social workers are constantly making decisions under pressure. How do policy, law, research and theory influence what they do? This important book provides the answers with a crystal-clear map of the field of social work with children and families. Focused on four major themes - family support work, child protection, adoption and fostering, and residential child care, and reveals in detail all the challenges that social workers face every day. Edited by the highly respected Martin Davies, this authoritative and illuminating book argues that the skill of the social worker can have life-enhancing consequences for some of the most vulnerable people in society. It is an essential investment for students, educators and practitioners alike.
How can professionals build constructive relationships with families where the parents dispute professional allegations of serious child abuse? How can meaningful safety for children be created in these families? How can professionals work together constructively in such cases? Situations where parents refute child abuse allegations made against them are often deemed to be impossible or untreatable by statutory and treatment professionals. These cases can consume enormous amounts of professional time and energy and frequently become bogged down by ongoing professional-family mistrust and dispute. Often, the decision to close such cases comes about not because the children are safe, but rather because the professionalsrun out of ideas, time and energy. Working with ‘Denied’ Child Abuse presents an innovative, safety-focused, partnership-based, model called Resolutions, which provides an alternative approach for responding rigourously and creatively to such cases. It describes each stage of this practical model and demonstrates the approach through many case examples from therapists, statutory social workers and other professionals working in Europe, North America and Australasia. The book is key reading for legal, health and social care professionals working in the area of child protection.
Now fully updated and with up-to-the-minute guidance, this is the only book you will need to make sense of the key elements of law involved in social work with children and families in England and Wales. Accessible and jargon-free, this everyday reference explains the fundamental concepts of parental responsibility and human rights, and the provisions of private and public law, including care proceedings and adoption. This second edition incorporates recent changes including the Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance for inter-agency working, the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Crime and Courts Act 2013 as well as the latest case law. Checklists, charts and highlighted points allow for easy reference, and illustrative case scenarios put the law into context. This comprehensive and easy-to-use guide will be an invaluable resource for practising social workers, as well as trainees, students and those studying for post-qualifying awards.
