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School upgrade
Reva Klein
This article looks at how officials in Chicago, set-up small schools in an attempt to turn-around failing schools in the city. The author states that currently there are 90 small schools run by the Chicago public school system. Plus, she looks at the problems of running such schools i.e. that it doesn’t suit every teacher and some of the advantages i.e. improving educational attainment.
Custody battle - children in secure settings
Barry Goldson
This article gives some historical facts about how governments have tried to improve penal institutions for young people. It discusses the high levels of mental health problems in young offenders and how bullying is widespread. The author concludes that the prison environment can never satisfactorily protect the damaged young people who are put in it and there should be a complete abolition of child incarceration.
Girls inside
Lorraine Atkinson
This article is based on a project, set up by the Howard League, which aims to support and provide an advocacy service for girls aged under 18 years in prison. Over half of the girls referred to the project have asked for help with a family problem. Bullying is another common problem. The government has pledged to remove all under 18’s from prison but has as yet failed to do so.
Living in fear
Angela Neustatter
This article is based on a report called ‘The Impact of a New War in Iraqi Children’. The researchers spent two week in Iraq in January 2003, and interviewed young people aged between 4 and 18 years. They found that the war was already impacting on the children’s mental health.
Model practice
Roger Booker
This article examines the various strategies for children’s services that are aimed at partnership working. The existing frameworks are discussed i.e the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families; the National Service Framework for Children, and the SEN Code of Practice. All of these frameworks are aimed at a particular discipline but share many features. The author proposes a model that includes these similar features. This could be used by all practitioners, and would allow them to think about all of the factors that impact on the child, rather than just seeing it solely from their discipline’s perspective.
Sticky label
Ruth Schmidt Neven
This article aims to look at how a disorder such as ADHD is often seen as a discreet and exclusively medical condition. It discusses how people are quick to label a child without looking at their background, and other factors that could contribute to their behaviour.
The Victoria Climbié report
Debbie Ariyo, Judith Trowell, Loretta Light
This article gives some background information on the report of the inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie and comments from three professionals. Judith Trowell focuses on child protection services, Debbie Ariyo from AFRUCA focuses on the needs of ethnic minority children and the need for the monitoring of private fostering and Loretta Light, consultant community paediatrician, focuses on issues from a health perspective.
Review: Autism
Dr Paul Gringras
This book brings together much of the available research that can be applied to the everyday lives of children with autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Much of the practice mentioned in this book is based on work in the USA, but it is still a valuable book for UK readers.
Review: Being alive: building on the work of Anne Alvarez
Monica Lanyado
This collection of papers is a fascinating international festschrift that builds on Anne Alvarez’s work on understanding primitive states of mind encountered in the treatment of autistic, borderline, deprived and abused children. The papers are divided into two sections: theoretical and clinical, and are written by well known psychoanalytic authors.
Review: Effective child protection
Ruth Gardner
This book looks at different methodologies; both formal and informal risk assessment and decision making. It also looks at the work environment and how multidimensional methodologies can be encouraged through better research, training and supervision in the field of child protection.
Review: The infant and family in the twenty-first century
Mick Wood
Using developmental, neuroscientific and cognitive research this book offers important ideas about how society might foster infant growth and development. The book also looks at the family and maternal attachment. The authors call for the research community and providers of health care services to co-operate in order to integrate biological, social and cultural perspectives to promote infantile development. The book offers ideas about how families and services may work together to develop programmes of high quality for children and families.
Review: The RHP companion to leaving care
Stephen McLeoad
The book is essentially a collection of essays and articles by many authors, aimed at professionals involved in helping young people leave different kinds of residential care. A number of themes are explored, including mental and physical health, money, and education. There are also case descriptions of workers and young people.
Webwatch: Treasure chest
Paula Lavis
This column lists websites that provide information about research in progress or completed research that hasn’t been published.
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