Forty Years of Research, Policy and Practice in Children's Services

Forty Years of Research, Policy and Practice in Children's Services PDF

Author: Nick Axford

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2005-06-24

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 047001475X

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Founded in 1963, Dartington Social Research Unit conducts scientific research into child development within the context of children?s services with a view to informing interventions for children in need. Originating from a festschrift to celebrate the work of Roger Bullock, one of Dartington?s first researchers and a Fellow of the Centre for Social Policy, this book from a prestigious author team examines developments in children?s services over the past forty years, providing a context for future policy making. Ten key areas are covered including foster care and family support, while two overview chapters explore ?40 years of Social Research? and ?Gaps in the Knowledge and Future Challenges?.

Research for Action

Research for Action PDF

Author: Robert J. Chaskin

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 193

ISBN-13: 0195314085

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Across the social welfare and human services fields, interest is growing in how to apply research to influence policy and practice; simultaneously, with globalization's advance, it is clearer than ever that an international perspective is vital in understanding how social, political, and institutional contexts affect research and dissemination practices. This volume, with contributions from an array of eminent researchers and practitioners, provides valuable insight into effective research practice and the factors involved in putting research findings to use.Leading with experience - narratives of six child welfare case studies from the UK, Ireland, Israel, South Africa, and the US - the book frames those cases in the context of relevant literatures to build up a cross-case analysis that distills lessons, throws enduring questions into relief, and lays a foundation for informing future practice. It mines the cross-national experience to develop perspective for a better understanding of the importance of different policy and cultural environments, while nonetheless emphasizing issues that are applicable across borders. The ground prepared by the case studies allows the volume to tease out themes and lessons, placing the empirical findings against relevant theoretical frameworks and developing guidelines for improving research practice in this arena.Researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and advocates concerned with promoting effective policy and practice will find this book a vital aid in understanding how to apply knowledge to the real world and bring about in ways that can inform and contribute to social change.

Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8

Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 PDF

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2015-07-23

Total Pages: 587

ISBN-13: 0309324882

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Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

Research for Action

Research for Action PDF

Author: Robert J. Chaskin

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2007-10-01

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 0190295414

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Across the social welfare and human services fields, interest is growing in how to apply research to influence policy and practice; simultaneously, with globalization's advance, it is clearer than ever that an international perspective is vital in understanding how social, political, and institutional contexts affect research and dissemination practices. This volume, with contributions from an array of eminent researchers and practitioners, provides valuable insight into effective research practice and the factors involved in putting research findings to use. Leading with experience - narratives of six child welfare case studies from the UK, Ireland, Israel, South Africa, and the US - the book frames those cases in the context of relevant literatures to build up a cross-case analysis that distills lessons, throws enduring questions into relief, and lays a foundation for informing future practice. It mines the cross-national experience to develop perspective for a better understanding of the importance of different policy and cultural environments, while nonetheless emphasizing issues that are applicable across borders. The ground prepared by the case studies allows the volume to tease out themes and lessons, placing the empirical findings against relevant theoretical frameworks and developing guidelines for improving research practice in this arena. Researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and advocates concerned with promoting effective policy and practice will find this book a vital aid in understanding how to apply knowledge to the real world and bring about in ways that can inform and contribute to social change.

The School Services Sourcebook

The School Services Sourcebook PDF

Author: Cynthia Franklin

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2024-03-22

Total Pages: 881

ISBN-13: 0197603416

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A practical resource book for school social workers and mental health professionals. This third edition will appeal to practicing professionals in schools and become a popular textbook for graduate level students enrolled in school social work and school counselling courses.

Child Welfare for the Twenty-first Century

Child Welfare for the Twenty-first Century PDF

Author: Gerald P. Mallon

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2014-09-09

Total Pages: 771

ISBN-13: 0231525354

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The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA), which became law in 1997, elicited a major shift in federal policy and thinking toward child welfare, emphasizing children's safety, permanency, and well-being over preserving biological ties at all costs. The first edition of this volume mapped the field of child welfare after ASFA's passage, detailing the practices, policies, programs, and research affected by the legislation's new attitude toward care. This second edition highlights the continuously changing child welfare climate in the U.S., including content on the Fostering Connections Act of 2008. The authors have updated the text throughout, drawing from real-world case examples and data obtained from the national Child and Family Services Reviews and emerging empirically based practices. They have also added chapters addressing child welfare workforce issues, supervision, and research and evaluation. The volume is divided into four sections—child and adolescent well-being, child and adolescent safety, permanency for children and adolescents, and systemic issues within services, policies, and programs. Recognized scholars, practitioners, and policy makers discuss meaningful engagement with families, particularly Latino families; health care for children and youth, including mental health care; effective practices with LGBT youth and their families; placement stability; foster parent recruitment and retention; and the challenges of working with immigrant children, youth, and families.

Comprehensive Care for Children With Chronic Health Conditions

Comprehensive Care for Children With Chronic Health Conditions PDF

Author: Dennis Drotar

Publisher: Psychology Press

Published: 2001-09-01

Total Pages: 112

ISBN-13: 9781410608079

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This special issue focuses on important issues related to comprehensive care and describes relevant policy related recommendations. The first article describes family members' perspectives concerning comprehensive care and relevant barriers based on data from the Family Partners Project--a national survey of the healthcare experiences of families of children with special healthcare needs. The next two articles describe empirically supported models or principles of comprehensive care that can be generalized across different chronic conditions. Next, the results of controlled studies of parent-to-parent support programs for children with a range of chronic health condition conducted in various settings are described. The final two articles--based on keynote presentations--describe models of comprehensive care for children with specific chronic illnesses that have been successfully implemented in clinical care settings.

Social Policy for Children and Families

Social Policy for Children and Families PDF

Author: Jeffrey M. Jenson

Publisher: SAGE

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 324

ISBN-13: 9781412904131

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Winnner of the SRA Social Policy Award for Best Edited Volume 2006-2008′Jenson, Fraser and their impressive contributors have provided us with something all too rare in the child &BAD:amp; family services literature: a truly integrative volume. They argue cogently for a cross-systems perspective, an orientation to developmental ′risk′ &BAD:amp; ′protective′ factors and a strategic process for identifying most favorable targets for intervention .The summaries of different service domains and the editor′s emphasis on crafting the proper policy context for the integration of ′evidence-based′ practices make this volume a ′must read′ for seasoned policy makers, as well as beginning practitioners. This book will be an important resource for all involved in the kind of creative, science-based innovation so desperately needed in the child &BAD:amp; family services field.′á- James K. Whittaker, University of WashingtonôWhat a book! A must read for those who provide services to at-risk children and their families. Jensen and Fraser call attention to the professionÆs blatant unwillingness to systematically draw upon existing research, and translate it to policy to advance the design of programs that remediate and prevent mental and physical health problems among the nation′s youth. The application of the public health framework to programs and policies adds value to the usual suspects of perspectives/frameworks drawn upon by the social work profession. This book is very consistent with the ideas expressed in related professional and social science literatures, as well as that of federal and private funding sources. The authors boldly call for the triangulation of relevant theories and models of risk and resilience, and make a major contribution to social work research by advocating for the translation of empirical evidence into practical application.öá - Paula Allen-Meares, University of Michigan School of Social Workáááááá We now know, more than ever, about why some children and adolescents develop social and health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases, drug use, and delinquency. However, this knowledge is not yet systematically applied to policy or program design, resulting in poorly integrated and often duplicative services for children and families. Social Policy for Children and Families: A Risk and Resilience Perspective uses a unique framework to help students understand effective public policy development. Authors Jeffrey M. Jenson and Mark W. Fraser argue that a public health framework rooted in ecological theory and based on principles of risk, protection, and resilience is essential for the successful design of social policy. This book applies the authorsÆ conceptual model across the substantive areas of social policy, including child welfare, education, mental health, health, developmental disabilities, substance use, and juvenile justice.áá Key Features: Applies a risk and resilience model to help readers understand and develop effective public policies for children, youth, and families Offers recommendations for ways to advance a public health framework in policy design, implementation, and evaluationIncludes case studies, discussion questions, and web-based resources to prompt critical thinking and future research á Social Policy for Children and Families is designed for undergraduate and graduate students studying social welfare policy in the field of Social Work. It can also be used in a variety of Political Science, Public Policy, and Sociology courses. á

Developing Multiprofessional Teamwork for Integrated Children's Services: Research, Policy, Practice

Developing Multiprofessional Teamwork for Integrated Children's Services: Research, Policy, Practice PDF

Author: Nick Frost

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education (UK)

Published: 2016-07-16

Total Pages: 202

ISBN-13: 0335263976

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There is continuing emphasis on delivering services for children through 'joined up' thinking and integrated working. This fully updated new edition is an important practical resource for all professionals charged with planning, implementing and evaluating multi-professional teamwork and practice in children's services. The book investigates the reality for professionals behind the rhetoric of 'joined up' thinking and explores the perspectives of professionals about the impact of multi-agency teamwork on their professional knowledge and their ways of working. In addition it identifies dilemmas and challenges and presents exemplars of good practice. It skillfully combines theoretical perspectives, research evidence from the 'real world' of children's services and reflections on policy and practice in inter-agency services in England. Retaining its popular approach and reflecting the numerous changes to policy, practice and research the book: Exemplifies what multi-professional work looks like in practice Examines real dilemmas faced by professionals trying to make it work, and shows how these dilemmas can be resolved Considers lessons to be learnt, implications for practice and recommendations for making multi-professional practice effective As well as supportive guidance, useful theoretical frameworks and helpful evidence-based insights into practice, this new edition has been expanded to include a whole new section covering emerging themes in working together such as 'sexploitation' and children's 'front door' approaches to integrated working. Written by a multi-disciplinary writing team and without the use of unnecessary jargon, this book is a key resource for students on courses studying early childhood and families, as well as social workers, teachers, family support workers, health workers, and managers of a range of children and youth services.