Practitioners must be able to listen, talk, communicate and engage with children and young people if they are going to make a real difference to their lives. The key principles of collaborative, relational, child-centred working underpin all the ideas in this bestselling, practice-focused textbook.
Using an innovative 'Knowing, Being, Doing' model, it features reflective exercises, practice examples, vignettes, cutting-edge research findings and theoretical perspectives.
This new edition includes:
• Updated references to policy, legislation, professional requirements, practice tools and research, including around unaccompanied young refugees and asylum seekers, and child sexual exploitation;
• New learning from ethnographic and observational research of social workers' direct practice with children;
• Added focus on the context for practice, including the role of supervision and organisational containment in developing practitioners' emotional capabilities.
With detailed coverage of key skills, this book will equip students and practitioners with the critical thinking and tools needed for effective practice in order to promote the welfare, protection and rights of children and young people.
Setting the scene;
The importance of effective communication between children and young people;
Children and young people's views on what counts as effective engagement and communication with them;
Some theoretical perspectives on the nature of communication;
Knowing, Being and Doing: developing capability in direct work;
Appraising your capabilities and learning needs;
A facilitating context for practice with children and young people;
Involving and engaging children and young people in assessments;
Observing children and making sense of their play and behaviour;
Engaging with children and young people through play, activities and the expressive arts;
Relational communication as the heart of social work.
