Working with Children and Parents through Separation and Divorce

EMILIA DOWLING is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Family Therapist. She is Head of Child Psychology in the Child and Family Department at the Tavistock Clinic, and Visiting Professor in the Psychology Department, Birkbeck College (University of London). In addition to her work with divorcing families, her research interests include systemic consultation with families, schools and general practice. In all areas of her work she is particularly interested in the children's perspective.GILL GORELL BARNES is Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at the Tavistock Clinic and works as a freelance Family Therapist and teacher. She acts as Consultant for Training at the Institute of Family Therapy in London and has worked with families for over 30 years in a variety of settings. She has recently completed some innovative research into children's experience of step-families (Growing up in Step-Families, OUP, 1998) and is now working on a further project on fathers, also based at the Child and Family Department at the Tavistock Clinic.

• AcknowledgementsIntroductionFamily Change and Children's AnxietiesTheoretical Framework Transitions and Risk Factors in Separation and DivorceFamilies Going through the Transitions of Divorce: Research Focus on a Clinical SampleWorking with Parents and their Children: A Focus on ParentsThe Children's Perspective Enabling the Child's Voice to be HeardBeyond Rational Control: Anger, Violence and Mental IllnessFamily Re-Ordering: New Households and New Patterns of ParentingThe School A Secure Base?Divorce and Primary Health CareBroadening the Context Applications in Different Professional ContextsAppendix A. The Goals of the Work and the Model for Doing the WorkAppendix B. Notes for ParentsBibliographyIndex.

'..divorce is a more common occurrence than ever before and it is heartening to see a book which, while amplifying the voice of the child, takes into account the effects of this painful process on all those involved. Dowling and Gorrell Barnes are well known in the family systems field and have produced a thorough book that combines research with clinical and practical approaches...this brief but comprehensive book is an excellent resource for all frontline workers in this area.' - Anne Bannister, Community Care '...a thorough book that combines research with clinical and practical approaches... this brief but comprehensive book is an excellent resources for all frontline workers in this area.' - Ged Smith, Community Care 'Almost every family therapist would find that a substantial proportion of their cases have been influenced by separation, divorce and reformation. The book by Gill Gorell Barnes and Emilia Dowling will prove to be a key text for all practitioners and trainees in family therapy, counselling and social work...This book makes an important contribution by linking family therapy (as well as counselling in general) with the body of substantial research in this area...As well, it is immensely practical. It is clearly written without unnecessary jargon or technical language and is a thorough overview of this topic...this book has broad applicability to all areas of practice within the human services. It should be on the reading list for every trainee in family therapy and counselling, and should be recommended reading for all practitioners.' - Bruce Hart, The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy