New book

[Brian Morgan <brianmorgan@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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You might be interested to know of the imminent publication of:

Dale, P., Green, R. & Fellows, R. (2005) Child Protection Assessment 
Following Serious Injuries to Infants: Fine Judgments. Chichester: John 
Wiley & Sons

I am attaching the flyer:


Bit of blurb:
This book is concerned with promoting good practice in child protection 
interventions in cases where infants have suffered serious injuries that 
give rise to child protection concerns. Much of the discussion is 
relevant to general child protection practice. It is asserted that the 
consistency and quality of child protection work needs to improve in two 
ways:

1. Infants need more effective protection from sources of real risk

2. Child protection systems need to be more consistent in not 
intervening in families in unnecessary, inappropriate, disproportionate 
and damaging ways.

Concern is expressed in this book about inappropriate and 
disproportionate child protection interventions and outcomes. Child 
protection systems are inconsistent in the ways that cases of serious 
injuries to infants are dealt with – particularly the cases where there 
are ‘uncertain perpetrators’ or discrepant explanations regarding the 
cause of the injury. Essentially similar cases can be handled in 
contradictory ways. Also, a culture of practice is developing whereby 
families are increasingly mistrusted by professionals, and where both 
motivation and resources for family support and therapeutic 
interventions that could keep some families intact is diminishing. 
Compulsory adoption is a much simpler (and cheaper) ‘solution’ in 
comparison to the uncertainties and more visible risks that are 
inevitably attached to more resource-intensive successful reunification 
programmes. However, this concern about unreasonable child protection 
interventions also sits within a context of the undeniable reality of 
fatal and severe maltreatment of children – and the need for effective 
protection for children who are at real risk of serious harm.

(end of blurb)

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