Narrating Practice with Children and Adolescents

Mery F. Diaz is assistant professor of health and human services at the New York City College of Technology. Benjamin Shepard is professor of health and human services at the New York City College of Technology and the author or editor of ten other books, including Illuminations on Market Street.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: On Narrating Practice with Children and Adolescents, by Mery F. Diaz and Benjamin Heim ShepardPart I. Ethnographies, Narrative Inquiries, and Life Stories1. From Disempowerment to Self-Belief: A Center of Hope for Vulnerable Youth in Cape Town, by Sharon Johnson2. Aging Out and On My Own: Stories of Youth Transitions Out of Foster Care, by Sabrina Gonzalez3. Dreaming Despite Status: Immigrant Youths in Contingent Migration Contexts, by Stephen Ruszczyk 4. “Hear Me”: Collaborating with Youth to Address Sexual Exploitation, by Margot K. Jackson, Vera Caine, Janice Huber, and Muneerah Amin Vastani5. In Between Worlds: Narrating Ecological Heritage Practices for Teenage Wellness, by Kristina Baines6. Neighborhood Surveillance and the Prison Assembly Line, by Trevor B. Milton7. Considering Inequalities: Experiences in Part-Time Youth Work Experiences, by Yasemin Besen-CassinoPart II. Autoethnography and Storytelling8. Finding Justice: Transforming Schools with the Children We Serve, by Mery F. Diaz9. Fitting In, Letting Go, and Other Common Concerns for Children with Disabilities, by Sherri L. Rings10. Between Life Stories and the Struggle for Homeless Youth, Benjamin Heim Shepard11. Childhood and the Politics of Care, by Elizabeth Palley12. Living on the Frontline: Reality-Based Drug Education in the Era of Black Lives Matter, by Jerry Otero13. Poor Mothers, Poor Children: The Feminization of Poverty in Rural India, by Gretta M. FernandesPart III. Practice Reflections and Case Narratives14. Understand the Brain, Understand Our Children, by Deborah Courtney 15. Beyond Deficits: Shifting Perspectives in Child and Youth Mental Health, by Margot K. Jackson16. Shifting Identities, Shifting Meanings: Adolescent Siblings and Grief, by Erica Goldblatt Hyatt17. Creating Spaces for Sam: A Story of Healing Trauma Through Narrative Means and Art Therapy, by Susan Macdonald and Stephanie Wise18. Stories of Youth and Family Navigating a New Frontier of Social Media, by Rebecca G. Judd and Benjamin T. MayContributorsIndex

Exploring children’s lives through narrative lenses illuminates aspects of their lived experience that are often invisible or overlooked in conventional research studies. Such information enriches our understanding of children’s lives, enabling a more holistic context from which new and relevant practices can be developed. As such, the book is an important addition to social work curricula and a useful resource for practitioners.