Making Connections with Vulnerable Children and Families

This delightful compendium of creative ways to work with children, parents and carers is an incredible treasure trove of resources for any professional. It will be invaluable for new workers or students, but with my 35 years of experience I still found loads of new ways of working with children, from online support through to games and new ways of bringing old favourites like genograms to life, so I would recommend it as the perfect resource for anyone working with children and their families. This is partly because the wonderful illustrations and concrete case examples bring alive the approaches and is partly because there are just so many ideas here - it is bursting with exciting and interesting ways of working with children and families. The author, illustrator and the many workers and children who helped create this fantastic resource have done us all a huge service. Thank you! -- Donald Forrester, Professor of Child and Family Social Work, Cardiff University
It is essential that practitioners across services in Education, Social care, Fostering and Looked After Children's Services, Health, and Offending services develop the skills to make connections with vulnerable children, young people, and their parents. Jan Horwath, Steve Wilkinson, Andy Wilkinson and their many collaborators provide a comprehensive, detailed, accessible, gold mine of downloadable, practical tools culled from many sources, to promote effective communication. Most importantly, through guidance and extensive case histories the practitioner is introduced to approaches to connect effectively with vulnerable children and their families, using the tools to promote understanding of lived experiences and transform their lives. -- Dr Arnon Bentovim, Director, Child and Family Training
I wish I had this book when I first qualified! It's packed with an impressive array of practical, evidence-based tools. Frontline social workers can easily grab this resource from their desks-right next to their cup of tea-before rushing out to see families. User-friendly and backed by useful examples, it's an essential companion for all social workers. -- Richard Devine, Consultant Social Worker
The Association of Child Protection Professionals welcomes this publication, which could prove invaluable to the newly qualified and less experienced practitioner seeking to develop their proverbial 'toolbox' of direct work examples. -- The Association of Child Protection Professionals (AoCPP)
There are many resources around for practitioners looking for ways to help them undertake 'direct work' with children and families, but Professor Horwath's book probably includes more ideas and applications all in one place. What I especially like is the book's emphasis on developing and maintaining an 'open, honest and trusting' connection with children and families. Without it, a compendium such as this could simply have become a 'toolkit', but the visible thread of 'relationships' gives this book a cutting edge. -- Professor David Shemmings OBE PhD, Emeritus Professor of Child Protection Research, University of Kent, UK
A comprehensive and thoughtful guide that champions a collaborative, co-productive approach to working with vulnerable children and their families. Its emphasis on multidisciplinary cooperation, the lived experiences of children and carers, and the importance of relational, restorative practices makes it an invaluable resource for practitioners. The practical tools that have been developed in partnership with multi disciplinary professionals provide an evidence based approach to achieving better outcomes for children and families. -- Louise Spragg, Shungu Chigocha and Tapiwa Julius - Principal Social Worker Children and Family National co-chairs
This excellent, helpful book provides wonderful guidance and practical tools to support practitioners to engage with and communicate effectively with children and young people and families. The chapter on digital communication and supporting children and young people in their use of the channels is especially helpful, especially for neurodiverse children and young people and those with learning disabilities. A must have for all those working with children, families and those who support them. -- Lyn Romeo , former Chief Social Worker for Adults , Department of Health and Social Care