"The timing of the publication with the revised Working Together guidelines could not be more advantageous. This book is a unique and important contribution to child care literature. No agency should be without." - Child Abuse Review Professionals concerned with the protection of children face many challenges. This work demands knowledge from several disciplines, a wide variety of skills, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The editors, Howard Dubowitz, a pediatrician, and Diane DePanfilis, a social worker, together with over 70 experts in this field offer what is known about how best to work with maltreated children and their families, in a very practical, concise, and user-friendly way. Structured to follow the life of a case from the time a report of child maltreatment is made through the various pathways in the child protection system, this edited volume synthesizes the best practice principles for responding to reports of child abuse and neglect; engaging children and other family members in intervention; developing cross-cultural practice competencies; assessing risk, evaluating safety, and conducting family assessments; defining outcomes and planning intervention; evaluating risk reduction; and making permanency decisions; and discusses the unique legal, medical, ethical, and other practice issues that work in the child protection field involves. Professionals facing tough dilemmas in practice should find valuable guidance in these pages.

There has been considerable research and authorship on child sexual abuse, however, much of this research has focused on adult perpetrators and child victims. Less attention has been paid to children’s harmful sexual behaviour and the multitude of influences. Harmful Sexual Behaviour in Young Children and Pre-Teens provides evidence-based understanding on: typical sexual development versus harmful sexual behaviour; the prevalence and impacts associated with harmful sexual behaviour; Australian laws, policies and educator responsibilities; responses and support systems for children who display harmful sexual behaviour; and the implications and challenges for future practice. This book provides understandings that directly respond to the recent Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommendation 10.1 to address (a) primary prevention strategies to educate family, community members, carers, and professionals about preventing harmful sexual behaviours (b) secondary prevention strategies to ensure early intervention when harmful sexual behaviours are developing and (c) tertiary intervention strategies to address harmful sexual behaviours.. The authors present a review of psychological, sociological, legal, and educational research to inform and support professionals involved in the wellbeing and education of children to understand, manage, and reduce dysfunctional sexual development in children.

This Australian handbook presents detailed, practical advice on how preservice teachers can confidently approach professional experience placements and the work they undertake with their mentors. Throughout the text important research-based evidence and theoretical frameworks are highlighted to provide a lens through which professional experiences can be analysed. By providing a strong theoretical foundation, the handbook is designed to help preservice teachers to make sense of their classroom experiences and provide guidance on how to improve their pedagogy.

The Big Picture, 4e is written to support training delivery in CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care. It provides students with a practical introduction to working in a children’s service environment, whilst helping to bridge the gap between theory and best practice. It is designed to address the relevant units of competency in a holistic and integrated way while covering the skills and knowledge students need to be deemed competent in this qualification.