Possible futures for social work with children and families in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States

There has been considerable interest in recent years in comparing the operation of social work services to children and families internationally, particularly between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Reviewing the respective policy environments and drawing on recent research experience in these three nations the author speculates as to how such services may be placed to respond to a converging agenda to tackle the high social and economic costs of social exclusion. It is argued that a conspiracy of circumstances have led child and family social work away from its more general child welfare objectives of the past and created consolidation of functions in relation to child protection work. This has left services ill prepared to play a central role within a new and resurgent child welfare agenda.

Safeguarding and promoting children in maternity services- implications for policy and practice

The article debates the issues involved in safeguarding and protecting children in maternity services and offers implications for professional practice. Midwives and other staff who work as members of the maternity team have a safeguarding role to play in the identification of babies and children who have been abused, or at risk of abuse, and in subsequent intervention and protection services. The study highlights how domestic violence increases during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and is significantly related to all types of child maltreatment up to the child's fifth year, and children under one being at the highest risk of injury, or death. Close inter-agency liaison is required with midwives who are accountable and not afraid to challeneg hiostorical working practices.

In Demand: Therapeutic Services for Children and Young People Who Have Experienced Sexual Abuse

This paper describes the key findings of an NSPCC study estimating need, in the UK, for therapeutic services for children who have experienced sexual abuse. This is based upon current estimates of the prevalence and impact of sexual abuse towards children and young people against the availability of therapeutic services in the UK. Data were collected on service location, availability, scope and coverage across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Researchers: (1) mapped 508 services; (2) collected data from 195 services via a structured questionnaire; (3) followed up 21 service managers and 11 service commissioners with a semi-structured interview; and (4) carried out two focus groups with young people. Data were collected on service location, availability, scope and coverage The overall level of specialist provision is low, with less than one service available per 10 000 children and young people in the UK. Calculations of need indicate that 57 156 children across the UK in the last year may have been unable to access a service. Findings from services support the view that need outstrips availability; that referral routes are limited, leaving few options for young people who have been raped or seriously sexually assaulted to directly access support; that significant waiting lists mean services must focus on reactive, rather than preventive, work; and that services are less accessible for certain groups, especially sexually abused teenagers, children with disabilities and those from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee backgrounds. Copyright (c) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Relevant professionals must be adequately trained to talk to children about sexual abuse and to identify those vulnerable in order to identify need. Expert specialist services are well placed to share learning on early help and identification with broader children's service providers. Active steps need to be taken by commissioners in consultation with young people, voluntary sector and adult sexual violence service providers to meet the shortfall at the level of local authorities.

Developing outcomes for educational services: a children's rights-based approach

This article provides a rationale for and insight into an explicit children's rights-based approach to the identification of outcomes for proposed educational interventions. It presents a critical reflection on a research project which sought to integrate international children's rights standards into the design of services through a children's rights audit of potential outcomes and the meaningful engagement of children in the research and service design processes. While children are involved increasingly as co-researchers in qualitative studies, it is less common for this to occur in quantitative studies. This article offers some additional insight into children's participation in the interpretation of data from a large-scale baseline survey. The article concludes with an argument that international children's rights law provides not just a legal imperative but also a comprehensive framework with which to assert the case for increased recognition of children as salient stakeholders in all aspects of service design.