Making Child Protection Work

Harry Ferguson is Professor of Social Work at the University of Birmingham. He has taught and researched child protection for 35 years and is among the most read social work academics in the world.

• Introduction: Bringing child protection to life1. The Child Protection System: the making of practice 2. Starting Relationships: Investigating and assessing child protection concerns 3. Relationships Over Time: Care, holding and reliability 4. Automated Practice: The invisible, unheld child 5. Disorganised Practice: Chaotically thought about and unsafe children 6. The Intimate Pattern: Seen, heard and held children 7. Hands-On Practice: Making relationships with babies and young children 8. Holding Relationships: Helping parents, families and enabling change 9. Hostile Relationships: Conflict and good authority in working with involuntary service users 10. Close or Distant?: Relational styles in child protection work 11. Crafting Relational Spaces: Digital, outdoor and mobile practices 12. Beyond Reflective Practice: Help with thinking and non-thinking 13. Holding Environments: Supervision and live organisational support for relational practice 14. Making Child Protection Work WellAppendix A: Methodology and the research studies Appendix B: The Practice Cycle Worksheet

"The most important and useful child protection text for a generation." Child Abuse Review