Communication Skills for Working with Children and Young People

Pat Petrie is Professor of Education at the Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, UK, where she leads the Centre for Understanding Social Pedagogy (CUSP). Her interests lie in social and educational policy and practice towards children in the UK and elsewhere, with a strong focus on social pedagogy. Her work has included research into play and childcare, services for disabled children and their families, the place of creativity and the arts in social pedagogy, and children in residential and foster care. She is part of the team at the Thomas Coram Research Unit carrying out the Department of Education-funded pilot project investigating the impact of a social pedagogic approach in residential child care. Her publications attract national and international attention.

• Acknowledgements. Introduction. 1 Interpersonal communication and social pedagogy. 2. Preverbal communication. 3. Careful listening. 4 Being an encouraging listener. 5. Feedback. 6. Reflecting feelings. 7. Communications about yourself. 8. Questions. 9 Messages about power, messages about equality. 10. Conflict: when you are criticised. 11. Conflict: confronting problems. 12. Communicating in groups and meetings. 13. Confidentiality. 14. Interpersonal communication in children's services – overview. References. Index.

Petries's book, now in its third edition, is intended for people who work with or intend to work with children and young people in settings that range from nurseries to child minding, adventure playgrounds, clubs, play schemes, fostering and residential care. The third edition enlarges on previous editions with ideas from social pedagogy and interpersonal communication... The book aims to introduce ideas and values of social pedagogy that help practitioners become aware of the centrality of relationships and interpersonal communication to their practice, understand that effective interpersonal communication depends on acquiring relevant skills, and learn to communicate with respect and recognition of service users' equal worth... Petrie's deceptively simple approach succeeds in explaining how to deal with some complex practice situations... Petrie succeeds in conveying useful knowledge that could help practitioners to develop their skills.