This book focuses on providing information and guidance for professionals involved in the newly emerging multi-agency, interdisciplinary children′s workforce. It does so by helping them to understand the theory behind the issues relating to communication and engagement in multi-agency settings for children and families. The book is of use to both students and those already working in the sector who are undertaking professional development to enhance understanding and skills in the new children′s workforce environment.

It is now clear that if professionals are to make a real difference for children and young people, they must be able to engage and communicate with children themselves, not just their parents and carers. Practitioners must be able to listen to children, support them, keep them informed, and fully involve them in matters which concern them. This timely book aspires to prepare social workers and other practitioners for this challenging set of roles and tasks. In particular, it aims to enthuse readers to develop the most powerful resource they have to offer in their direct work with children: themselves.

Improving the quality and effectiveness of relationships with families is a key concern for all those working in education. Here, Rita Cheminais provides an evaluation framework that will enable practitioners to review current practice, and further enhance and develop their partnership working with families. Six key themes of family partnership working are explored: - ethos, vision and policy - leadership, management and co-ordination - communication and information sharing - partnership in practice - early intervention - effectiveness. Guidance on auditing your own work and action planning is included, and the book provides a range of practical resources which are available to download from the SAGE website. This a vital handbook for those working with the Birth to 19 age range in Children′s Centres, primary and secondary schools, special schools, academies, Pupil Referral Units and Further Education colleges.

"Children's palliative care is an evolving specialty and as such our knowledge base cannot remain static. This book constantly challenges the reader to critically analyze their own practices and beliefs within an evidence-based framework and as such makes a valuable contribution to the growing body of knowledge on this important subject." - Susan Fowler-Kerry, in the Foreword. This book caters for readers from different working environments and levels of experience. It is ideal for paediatric nurses with no specialist palliative care knowledge, and also for palliative care nurses with no specialist paediatric experience. Other healthcare professionals and therapists working with children, young people and their families will also find this book invaluable. It will also be ideal for undergraduate and postgraduate health and social care students, and professionals involved in children's hospices, community services and charity groups. "This book captures not just the rapidly evolving evidence base, but also as many current developments as possible and applies them in a meaningful way to the care of infants, children, and young people living with life-limiting illness, and their families. It offers an overview of contemporary issues and helps to stimulate the type of dialogue that can bring about the actions that will make a real difference for the children, young people and families in our care." - Rita Pfund, in the Preface.

Practice and legislation in child and family social work are always changing and have once again come under the spotlight. This text contextualises the bureaucratisation and managerialism of modern social work while also covering the advanced and complex skills necessary for competent social work practice in this area. The recent introduction of a new framework for Post-Qualifying social work practice provides an opportunity for the development of a robust text covering the basics at an advanced level.

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.