Child Protection Practice

How do practitioners step up to the professional challenge of keeping children safe? Leading author Harry Ferguson draws on his own research, personal experience and real-life case studies to challenge the way we think about child protection. This highly original and engaging book captures the daily reality of practice within life's most personal spaces, and offers a rare insight into the lived experience of working with vulnerable children, their parents and other carers. Blending diverse ideas from across the social sciences, the book addresses some of the key issues faced by practitioners today: a- How do you navigate the private areas of a child's life - their home, their bedroom, their emotional world? a- What do you do when confronted with parents or carers who are resistant, aggressive or deceitful? a- Why is appropriate touch an essential element of relating to children, and how can you develop the professional resilience to use it effectively? An inspiring declaration of the need for a new, intimate approach to child protection, this ground-breaking book lays the foundations of skilful, authoritative practice. It is a must for any student or practitioner within this challenging field.