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Perry Pezzot-Pearce and John Pearce guide practitioners through the steps of assessment, from negotiating the initial referral, through data collection and report writing to court testimony.
This book addresses evaluations for child protection, one of the most delicate legal arenas in which forensic mental examiners play a part. The evaluations are highly specialized, requiring child clinical specialization, a knowledge of the legal and social context, and a thorough understanding of the professional and ethical guidelines for child protection evaluations. This volume provides that context, and presents established empirical foundations from the behavioral, social, and medical sciences. Finally, the book provides a detailed "how-to" for practitioners, including information on data collection, interpretation, report writing and expert testimony.
These are the sorts of questions that face mental health practitioners who are increasingly involved in complex child care cases which come before the courts. They have been given little guidance to date on how these assessments should be made, especially where a decision has to be taken as to whether a child has experienced `significant harm.' In this much needed book senior clinicians consider the principles and practice of parenting assessments and how they guide courts' decisions about children's welfare. They describe a number of frameworks for assessment and discuss the factors which help predict the risk of future maltreatment or the likelihood of successful rehabilitation. Throughout the book the emphasis is on the need to integrate the assessments of all relevant professionals in order to serve the best interests of the child, while also addressing the parents' potential to improve their caretaking skills. Offering guidance in areas of crucial significance for child, family and professional alike Assessment of Parenting will be widely welcomed.
Offers a review of the latest literature but moreover a practical guide essential to professionals who give their expert opinions to courts in child care cases.
Firmly rooted in current practice this is a practical tool for the assessment of children and their families, this guide enables professionals to make informed decisions about child protection issues. This book is a helpful tool for anyone undertaking assessments but also for others who may be involved in aspects of child protection work.
This thoroughly revised and updated second edition of Child and Family Assessment in Social Work Practice is an essential guide for social work students and practitioners involved in the assessment of children and their families. Focusing on ′core′ assessments and guiding the reader through the complexities of conducting assessments of need and risk, the book now includes within each chapter a range of specifically-tailored exercises and focus points which encourage readers both to reflect on what they have learnt and to understand how they can apply that learning to practice. Placing a strong emphasis on good, evidence-based, assessment practice, Sally Holland has also, for this new edition, included original research evidence from a wide range of up-to-date research studies which are relevant to today′s practice and which aim to promote a critical and reflective approach to the assessment process. The book is divided into three parts: - Part 1 explores different appoaches to assessment work, outlining policy changes and their implications for working with children and their families. - Part 2 studies those involved in child and family assessments: children and their parents; and the relationship between the assessors and the assessed. - Part 3 - a more practical guide - outlines the actual process of an assessment, illustrated by case studies, focusing on planning assessment methods, analysis, reporting and critical evaluation. Accessibly relating theory and research to actual practice through the use of case studies, exercises, and suggestions for good practice and further reading, this book has a student-friendly structure It will be an invaluable resource for practitioners and academics across the field of social welfare, particularly for those embarking on, or already involved in, child and family assessment.
Child welfare professionals, legal counsel, and judges will find this manual to be an indispensable reference with which to inform and structure their effort to advance what is in the best interest of a child at risk. Dr. Alexander T. Polgar created this remarkably comprehensive, user-friendly manual. It includes, in a single source, a clearly articulated rationale for a systematic methodology with which to conduct Parenting Capacity Assessments. Mental health professionals new to this area of practice regardless of jurisdiction will be able with the use of this manual, to conduct assessments of a quality that usually comes with practice wisdom derived from years of experience. Seasoned practitioners again, regardless of the jurisdiction in which they work, will welcome the benefits of this initiative to achieve standardization that is rationally based and empirically supported by a wealth of previously unsynthesized research. Child welfare professionals, legal counsel, and judges will find this manual to be an indispensable reference with which to inform and structure their effort to advance what is in the best interest of a child at risk. This manual includes two separate but related sections.
Forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) has grown into a specialization informed by research and professional guidelines. This series presents up-to-date information on the most important and frequently conducted forms of FMHA. The 19 topical volumes address best approaches to practice for particular types of evaluation in the criminal, civil, and juvenile/family areas. Each volume contains a thorough discussion of the relevant legal and psychological concepts, followed by a step-by-step description of the assessment process from preparing for the evaluation to writing the report and testifying in court. Volumes include the following helpful features: - Boxes that zero in on important information for use in evaluations - Tips for best practice and cautions against common pitfalls - Highlighting of relevant case law and statutes - Separate list of assessment tools for easy reference - Helpful glossary of key terms for the particular topic In making recommendations for best practice, authors consider empirical support, legal relevance, and consistency with ethical and professional standards. These volumes offer invaluable guidance for anyone involved in conducting or using forensic evaluations. This book addresses evaluations for child protection, one of the most delicate legal arenas in which forensic mental examiners play a part. The evaluations are highly specialized, requiring child clinical specialization, a knowledge of the legal and social context, and a thorough understanding of the professional and ethical guidelines for child protection evaluations. This volume provides the foundation that any mental health professional needs when pursuing specialization in evaluating children and parents before the court in child abuse and neglect cases.
This book draws on a wide range of evidence to explore the facts about the relationship between substance misuse and domestic violence and their effect on children, and examines the response of children's services when there are concerns about the safety and welfare of children. It reveals the vulnerability of these children and the extent to which domestic violence, parental alcohol or parental drug misuse impact on children's health and development, affect the adults' capacity to undertake key parenting tasks, and influence the response of wider family and the community. It includes parents' own voices and allows them to explain what help they feel would best support families in similar situations. The authors explore the extent to which current local authority plans, procedures, joint protocols and training support information sharing and collaborative working. Emphasising the importance of an holistic inter-agency approach to assessment, planning and service provision, the authors draw from the findings implications for policy and practice in both children and adult services. This book is essential reading for all professionals working to promote the welfare and wellbeing of children and those working with vulnerable adults, many of whom are parents.
