Sociology: family, kinship and relationships Books

Book SynopsisAt a time when divorce and suicide rates are at record levels in the military, The Military Marriage Manual: Tactics for Successful Relationships is an invaluable aid to members of the military and their spouses and families. The book presents advice for couples on a range of issues, both extraordinary and mundane, both those specific to military marriages and those common to all marriages, such as: -the ceremony -relationships with friends and family -household responsibilities -finances -dealing with tension and conflict -raising a family -domestic violence -deployment -long periods apart -injuries -depression -relocating -and much more The information in the book is presented chronologically, beginning from the day a couple decides to get married. It follows them through the engagement, ceremony, and marriage, and discusses the many issues that arise, offering guidance on how to overcome them and strengthen a couple's marriage, as well as their relationships with those around them. There is no better, more comprehensive resource for those who are dealing with the pressures and problems unique to marriage in the military.Trade ReviewThis guide offers advice to military spouses on dealing with communication, anger management, drug use, intimacy, task-sharing, and even breastfeeding. Marrying into the military brings major changes, such as frequent moves, unaccompanied assignments, long hours, and combat deployments, and the authors (Philpott and Hill previously penned The Wounded Warrior Handbook) address numerous concerns, providing straight talk on life with the enlisted. About the honeymoon, for instance, they suggest giving a wedding night gift; 'if orders come through and you’re separated for a time, you’ll have something wonderful to hold on to.' They also share trade secrets, like the Armed Forces Vacation Club, a program allowing military members to rent luxury condos at greatly discounted rates, and urge newlyweds to 'splurge on one night in a great hotel rather than two in a mediocre one.' Serious concerns are dealt with in the direct manner one expects from the armed services, and lengthy 'Counseling' and 'Wounded Warrior' chapters provide detailed advice for handling partners who may be dealing with drug addiction, physical wounds, PTSD, or suicidal notions. For the intended readership, this will prove to be a valuable guide. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisA groundbreaking guide to managing the emotional and behavioral components of your child’s sensory processing challenges Imagine having the flu, while lying in a bed of ants, listening to heavy metal at high volume, and trying to do calculus. Now consider living in that body all the time. It becomes easy to understand how kids with difficulties processing and controlling sensory information can become avoidant, anxious, impatient, irritable, or oppositional. If you have a child who has a sensory regulation issue, you may find yourself confused or frustrated by their behavior. This book will help you understand your child’s behavior, as well as the root cause of their emotional outbursts, and provides an arsenal of tools to help your child self-regulate. This book addresses the often-overlooked connection between sensory sensitivity and emotional and behavioral issues, which can often lead to a diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), an anxiety disorder, or a host of other disorders of childhood. You’ll gain a better understanding of how your child’s sensory sensitivity affects how they feel and act, and also learn powerful sensory regulation skills to help your child manage their emotions and improve relationships with family and friends. Whether your child has been diagnosed with sensory processing disorder (SPD), ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), you’ll find proven-effective tips and strategies for dealing with the sensory sensitivity that drives your child’s emotions and behavior, and discover ways to ease tension in your home caused by your child’s disorganization, oppositional behavior, refusal to eat, disruptive behavior, and anxiety. Parenting can be challenging even when behavior is predictable and age-appropriate, and when a child has a nervous system that is dysregulated, it is even more so. With this book, you will not only learn to understand your child’s behaviors, but will also learn sensory regulation skills to help your child—and your family as a whole—find some much-needed balance.

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Book SynopsisVoice memos, care packages, hours-long phone conversations, treasured traditions that go back decades, glasses held aloft during wedding toasts, hands held at funerals, first cuddles with newborns, lunches with work wives, taking it to the group chat – our friendships touch and enrich every part of our lives. But how often do we stop to consider them deeply?Just Friends explores modern friendship – what it means to be, to make and, sometimes, to lose a friend. It is a celebration of friendship, shining a light on the many different forms they can take and the comfort they provide, whether they exist within the workplace, emerge in motherhood, are uncovered inside our neighbourhoods or become our chosen family. Just Friends is an ode to the people that shape us. It is a book to devour on the beach or with a book club, a book to return to again and again, and, most importantly, a book to press into the hands of the friends you love the most. PRAISE FOR JUST FRIENDS ‘Yankovich’s debut is a celebration of the people that often know us better than we know ourselves. Comforting, warming, and tender, by a very talented writer.’ – The Australian ‘a joyful, hopeful and considered book that will have you texting your friends in a hurry to tell them how much you appreciate them’ – Lucinda Price, author of Perfect Candidate ‘This book not only made me think about my friends in a different way, it also made me think about the kind of person I want to be.’ – Bridie Jabour, author of Trivial Grievances ‘a thoughtful, brilliant, and wholly comforting read’ – Elfy Scott, author of The One Thing We’ve Never Spoken About ‘This book honours our most significant relationships with the tender thoughtfulness of the best friend you’ve ever had.’ – Gina Rushton, author of The Most Important Job in the World

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Book SynopsisA.J. Jacobs has received some strange emails over the years, but this note was perhaps the strangest: “You don’t know me, but I’m your eighth cousin. And we have over 80,000 relatives of yours in our database.” And so begins A.J. Jacobs’s quest to build the biggest family tree in history. In an era of us-versus-them thinking, this book is a hilarious, heartfelt and profound exploration of what binds us all – where family begins, how far it goes, and the science that is revolutionizing the way we think about ethnicity, history and the human species. This book is about A.J. Jacobs’s family. But it’s also about your family. Because it is the same family.Trade Review'The Sower", the Simon & Schuster logo, is perfect opening icon for this story about human seed sown by our common ancestors out of Africa and how you and I are related to the Jacobs clan. Like AJ's previous hilarious books, this one involves way-over-the-top performance art -- this time the mother of all family reunions, at which I sang "We are family" (and the rest of you 7.5 billion were expected to sing along). Genealogy is now, deservedly, tied for the top hobby, along with other ancient biotechnologies, gardening and sex. You could have no better guide than ace jovialist and awesome jester, AJ. Now, more than ever, we celebrate our connections, we read, we smile.' * George Church, author of Regenesis *‘[An] enjoyable…light-hearted blend of popular science and sociology.’ * Irish Times *‘[A] reminder that family history bonkers and magnificent in equal measure.’ * Who Do You Think You Are? *'Over the years, many authors have weighed in on the mixed bag that is family, but few have done so with the keen eye, sharp tongue and big heart of A.J. Jacobs.' * Washington Post *'It’s A.J. Jacobs’s best book yet!' -- Kevin Kelly, co-founder of Wired and author of The Inevitable'It's All Relative is the funniest, most thoughtful, most original and entertaining book about family that you will ever read and wish you'd written.' * Mary Roach *'An incredibly moving, funny and inspirational read, exploring the utopian dream that the endeavours of family historians across the planet can reunite us as one happy family.' * Nick Barratt, consultant genealogist on Who Do You Think You Are *'A hilarious read from beginning to end.' * Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take, Originals, and Option B with Sheryl Sandberg *'A terrific read and A.J. is a terrific writer…funny and super-interesting.' * Michael Ian Black *'Esquire contributing editor Jacobs (The Year of Living Biblically) muses on the nature of family and the interconnectedness of humanity in this entertaining introduction to the world of genealogy...With short, lively chapters and an easygoing voice, Jacobs keeps the story flowing.' * Publishers Weekly *'Whimsical but also full of solid journalism and eye-opening revelations about the history of humanity, the book is a real treat.' * Booklist, Starred Review *'The astonishing discoveries he makes... remind us of the common bonds that unite us as a single global family. As Jacobs’s (however distant) cousin, I admit I may be biased in singing his praises, but as It’s All Relative proves, who isn’t?' * Henry Louis Gates, Jr. *'Consistently thought-provoking...and his natural gift for humor lightens the mood of even the most serious discussions. A delightful, easy-to-read, informative book.' -- Kirkus'A.J. Jacobs... takes us on another unique adventure that pits idealism vs. practicality: Bringing about world peace and harmony by finding “cousin” connections among people throughout the globe and then hosting a “Global Family Reunion.”' * Scott Fisher, host of Extreme Genes *

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Book SynopsisEvery year in England and Wales alone, one in twenty adults suffer domestic abuse, two thirds of them women. Every week, two men kill a woman they were intimate with. And still we ask the wrong question: Why didn't she leave? Instead, we should ask: Why did he do it? Investigative journalist Jess Hill puts perpetrators -- and the systems that enable them -- in the spotlight. Her radical reframing of domestic abuse takes us beyond the home to explore how power, culture and gender intersect to both produce and normalise abuse. She boldly confronts uncomfortable questions about how and why society creates abusers, but can't seem to protect their victims, and shows how we can end this dark cycle of fear and control. 'See What You Made Me Do' is a profound and bold confrontation of this urgent crisis and its deep roots. It will challenge everything you thought you knew about domestic abuse.Trade Review'A shattering book: clear-headed and meticulous, driving always at the truth' -- Helen Garner'[Offers] a clinical view on why domestic abuse happens, why it's so prevalent across the world and what the psychology is behind it.' -- Joanne Froggatt, Harper’s Bazaar UK'A much-needed, thought-provoking exploration of how victims can be blamed or disbelieved, and their experiences dismissed, whilst their abusers are often excused. Hill asks difficult questions about perpetrators and their need to exert power and control. A must-read.' -- Rosie Duffield MP'An absolute must-read for anyone concerned about domestic abuse. It is well-researched, well-written and raises the voices of survivors everywhere. An important contribution to our understanding in the UK.' -- Sarah Hill, Chair of Women's Aid'A widely researched and incisive analysis of domestic abuse, its multiple behaviours and harms, and possible solutions. Powerful and important.' -- Dame Vera Baird, Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales'A vital step forward. This is required reading for all politicians, and all who wish to better understand the diverse, complex nature of domestic terrorism.' -- David Challen, domestic abuse campaigner and Freedom Programme ambassador'Should be compulsory reading for politicians at every level' -- The Sydney Morning Herald'A call for action . . . unlike any that has yet been written . . . capture[s] the visceral feeling of domestic terror.' -- Sydney Review of BooksShortlisted for General Non-Fiction Book of the Year, 2020 Australian Book Industry AwardsFinalist for the 2019 Walkley Book Award'At a time when misogyny and male violence appear to be unbridled, this book gives hope to women everywhere. Its pages are a call to arms: Hill has outlined a manifesto that will contribute to ending male brutality in all its forms.' -- Julie Bindel, journalist and feminist campaignerLonglisted for the 2019 Indie Book Awards, AustraliaFinalist for the 2019 Australian Human Rights Commission Media AwardShortlisted for the 2019 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards

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Book SynopsisThe coming out process for LGBTQIA+ adolescents can be a terrifying moment, not only for themselves, but also for their family and friends. When intense emotions are running the gamut of concern, shock, joy or even anger and acceptance, it can be tricky to process how you feel while giving your child the support they need.Offering essential guidance and advice, this book is here to help you with chapters that explore LGBTQIA+ terminology, understanding the coming out process, effective communication strategies, talking to your LGBTQIA+ kid about sex, the parents' process of acceptance, and the family coming out process. Importantly, this guide also covers a wide range of lesser-known orientations such as pansexuality and asexuality as well as dedicated chapters on trans youth and the often overlooked grieving process for parents with stories of lived experience throughout.With a unique three step strategy, you and your family can support your LGBTQIA+ child's newly shared identity, create a stronger family unit, and move towards a more open, affirming relationship based on honest communication and understanding.Trade ReviewI can't think of more important subject to tackle with candor, simplicity and grace. This book should be on every parent's nightstand. -- Liz Vaccariello, Editor in Chief, Parents, Real Simple & People magazineWhen you find yourself not knowing where to turn, Out, is like sitting down with a trusted friend. This is the go to resource for any parent supporting their LGBTQIA+ kid through the coming out process. -- Stacy London, TV personality, CEO State of MenopauseThe book's conversational style truly translates complex themes into easily digestible topics that are sure to amplify support for all LGBTQIA+ kids! A must read for supporting today's LGBTQIA+ youth. -- Nick Grant, PhD, ABPP, President, GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ EqualityInformative, practical, and authentic. What a gift this book is to so many parents, kids, families. Sovec gives parents, wherever they are, the experience of being safe, seen, and soothed, gently helping them move toward being the parent their LGBTQ+ kid needs them to be. -- Tina Payne Bryson, LCSW, PhD, New York Times Bestselling co-author of The Whole-Brain Child & No-Drama Discipline, Founder of The Center for ConnectionOut is a comprehensive guide for parents who want to be there for their LGBTQIA+ kid's journey in the most supportive way possible. If you have questions, fears, or concerns, this book is an incredible resource to educate yourself, so you can respond to your child with love. -- Kristin Johansen, actress, activist, mom to trans teen actor Isaiah StannardThe best thing about this book is that you don't have to know anything before you pick it up - all you need to do is start on page one. It's not technical, it's deeply personal, in a way that can only come from years of working with LGBTQ youth and their families. -- Dr Laura Erickson-Schroth, Editor of Trans Bodies, Trans Selves, Chief Medical Officer at The Jed FoundationA powerful, intelligent, and empathetic book that guides parents and professionals in supporting LGBTQIA+ kids through the coming out process. Out, addresses many of the fears and anxieties parents of LGBTQIA+ children face in a kind and compassionate manner. -- Dr. Dustin Nowaskie, Founder & President OutCare Health

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Book SynopsisThis book argues for the importance of age as a source of diversity and difference amongst women. It compares three generations of women’s accounts of a range of gender issues, including the domestic division of labour, equality, abortion and sexuality. It also compares their understandings of and orientations toward the feminist movement. Drawing on Karl Mannheim’s argument that an individual’s location in historical time shapes their social outlooks or world views, it is shown that women of different ages do not share the same gendered life courses due to differing cohort memberships. Consequently, women of different ages interpret, define and give meaning to gender issues and to feminism in varied and contrasting ways. A key concern of the book is to show that findings from qualitative studies are an important supplement to surveys of cohort differences in women’s gender attitudes, in that they are more revealing of the complex ways cohort influences the construction of gender issues, including the very language used to do so.Trade Review’...a fascinating analysis of changing attitudes to the domestic division of labour, social issues and feminism during the twentieth century ...This study is unique and provides considerable insight into the everyday lives of families across the generations. It deserves to be widely read and enjoyed by academics and students alike.’ Teresa Rees, Professor of Labour Market Studies, University of Bristol, UK ’The overwhelming learning’s towards individualism found in this study have important implications for a feminist perspective based on women as a collectivity. Pilcher proves that women’s accounts of gender issues are important in their own right and must be adhered to if a future feminist politics is to thrive and be relevant to women of all ages.’ Work, Employment and SocietyTable of ContentsContents: Gender, generation and world views; Househusbands and bread winning wives: accounts of role reversal; A man’s world? accounts of equality and discrimination; A woman’s right? accounts of abortion; Freaks and normal people: accounts of homosexuality; Just a bit of fun for the men?: accounts of page three; Making things better for women or going over the top?: accounts of feminism; Conclusions; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisWhile clearing through her mother's bedroom after her death, Emma comes across a thirty-year-old newspaper clipping that her mother had kept, announcing the arrival of a new baby boy. Realizing that the baby must be the son she gave up for adoption, Emma becomes transfixed by this link to her first-born. But she now has a husband and two teenage children, all of whom know nothing of her past...Vividly recalling the stigma of her schoolgirl pregnancy and the pain of her separation from the baby, this absorbing and illuminating story follows Emma's search, years later, for Oliver, her adopted son.Trade ReviewMany mothers who have lost a child to adoption will be able to identify with Emma's experience. This novel could be usefully recommended to adopted adults and birth relatives of historical adoptions who are seeking contact or post-reunion, as well as to counsellors, therapists, students and social workers new to work with adults affected by adoption. -- Perlita Harris Lecturer University of Bristol.This novel could be usefully recommended to adopted adults and birth relatives of historical adoptions who are seeking a reunion or post-reunion, as well as to social work students and social workers new to post-adoption work with adults affected by adoption. -- Adoption & Fostering JournalTable of ContentsPart 1: Family Life - The Present, Chapters 1-2. Part 2: Giving up Oliver - 1966, Chapters 3-12. Part 3: Facing the Truth and the Adoption Triangle - The Present, Chapters 13-28. Part 4: A Reunion and a Family Party, Chapters 29-30.

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Book SynopsisHow can we determine success in foster placements? Based on exhaustive research, the authors discuss the primary concerns in foster placement planning, considering the high frequency of placement breakdowns, their impact on the child's behaviour and school performance, and the challenges this places on foster families.The specific needs of the foster child are given close attention in determining a pathway to success. By monitoring and describing the individual characteristics of the child within the context of the placement, the authors are able to reveal what types of supports are most beneficial.The implications for this research are considerable. Social workers are given new methods of assessing the needs of foster children which emphasise the process of care and not just the outcome. Policy makers are provided with rich qualitative accounts with which to increase and strengthen the success of foster placements. This is essential reading for social workers, policy makers and foster families.Trade ReviewOnce more, the team at the University of York presents us with a rigorous study replete with elements contributing to debate and decision-making. -- Child and Family Social WorkOne hopes that this excellent series will be widely read. -- Adoption & FosteringTable of Contents1. Introduction. 2.The Sample: Characteristics and Reasons for Placement. 3. Placements and Destinations. 4. A Kind of Loving: The Children's Accounts. 5. Outcomes. 6. Explanations: Social Worker and Carer Accounts. 7. The Case Studies. 8. Spirals of Interaction. 9. Measuring Success. 10. Foster Children: Characteristics, Personalities and Problems. 11. Birth Families: Characteristics and Patterns of Contact. 12. Foster Families' Characteristics: Reactions to Child and Approach to Main Carer. 13. Social Work Support. 14. Other Forms of Supports. 15. Change and Containment. 16. Summary and Conclusion. Appendix 1: Are our Samples Representative? Appendix 2: Selection of Placements for Interview. References.

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Book SynopsisHelping traumatized children develop the story of their life and the lives of people closest to them is key to their understanding and acceptance of who they are and their past experiences. The Child's Own Story is an introduction to life story work and how this effective tool can be used to help children and young people recover from abuse and make sense of a disrupted upbringing in multiple homes or families.The authors explain the concepts of attachment, separation, loss and identity, using these contexts to describe how to use techniques such as family trees, wallpaper work, and eco- and geno-scaling. They offer guidance on interviewing relatives and carers, and how to gain access to key documentation, including social workers' case files, legal papers, and health, registrar and police records.This sensitive, practice-focused guide to life story work includes case examples and exercises, and is an invaluable resource for social workers, child psychotherapists, residential care staff, long-term foster carers and other professionals working with traumatized children.Trade ReviewA fluent and engaging narrative. -- Children & SocietyI found the book both clear and well written with a sound and thorough explanation of methods to carry out this work. There are really useful exercises that foster carers (or anyone else carrying out this work) can use. -- Foster CareThis is an excellent guide for professionals undertaking life story work with children or practitioners working with traumatised children. It has useful sections on general work with children. For example, it briefly outlines attachment theory and breaks down the process of interviewing, offering advice about each stage. It is easy to read and the format makes it simple to find or recap particular sections. The authors offer examples from practice and also suggest a series of exercises which prompt and provoke the reader to empathise with the child involved in this process. The worker is encouraged to move away from viewing the process as the production of a book but rather to see it as an effective therapeutic tool. -- Community CareIt's easy to read and a good reference for multi disciplinary teams of staff and foster carers alike -- Adoption-net.co.uk`This is a valuable and must have resource for all those who work with and alongside traumatized children and young people. Work with traumatized children and young people requires a creative and supportive worker who is able to provide a 'afe place' to explore, discover, and ultimately piece together the perceptions that have developed through those experiences. This book gives a framework to go on the journey of discovery and face the known and unknown. It is a book that has case vignettes, creative exercises, and some reference to theory of attachment and identity. Its main focus though is the child and how to develop a coherent and understandable narrative, with the therapist being a guide who supports the journey of discovery.' -- British Psychodrama Journalhis book gives us solid reasons why abused children usually need therapeutic work, without which there is a great risk of the abuse continuing to the next generation. The authors feel that traumatised children, who may have had several foster-parents or institutional placements in their lives, need to be offered a special kind of life story work. This is much more than a simple explanation of their placements or basic information about their birth parents as is used in adoption. It includes full explanations about race, culture and religion which may even extend to children being given tapes of their parents' voices to demonstrate their accents. The authors begin with a very full explanation of attachment including the latest information about how the brain is affected by abuse... Condensed case histories are highlighted throughout the book and this adds clarity and interest to what is undoubtedly a good idea that will benefit children. -- Young Minds MagazineTable of ContentsForeword, Mary Walsh, Co-founder and Chief Executive of SACCS. 1. Who am I? The Importance of Identity and Meaning. 2. A Tale of Two Children. 3. The Truth and Something Other Than the Truth. 4. Interviewing: Art not Science. 5. Safe at Last: Providing a Safe and Stable Environment. 6. Internalization. 7. Making the Book. 8. But Does it Really Work Like This? 9. Life After Life Story. Appendix: The Story of SACCS. References.

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Book Synopsis* What are the consequences of fostering for children, their carers and their birth families?* What are the best ways of recruiting, retaining and supporting foster carers?* What are the most important elements of a successful placement?* Can foster care offer a permanent alternative to care at home?Fostering Now brings together authoritative research on foster care in the UK. It provides a succinct overview of a wide range of research projects and highlights the main implications for policymakers and all professionals involved in the fostering process.Drawing on the varied experiences and views of foster children, social workers, foster carers and parents, this book looks at how placement outcomes are influenced by factors such as foster carers' parenting styles, contact with the child's own parents, and the child's gender, ethnicity, age and physical and emotional health. Other important areas examined include care given by relatives, the effects of foster care on education, and what happens to foster children when they return home.Fostering Now identifies the most significant challenges currently faced by foster care and draws out the key messages for policy and practice. It offers important insights into the state of foster care today, and suggests how it can be improved in future. This book is essential reading for social workers, policy makers, academics and foster carers.Trade ReviewThe Department of Health can be justly pleased with the high quality of the research which it has commissioned and the reader can be assured that this book is built on solid foundations. There is, indeed, a substantial amount of the evidence upon which we are now exhorted to base practice. The book will be an excellent starting point for this, clarifying the particular issues with which the policy-makers, managers or practitioners may be grappling and referring them back to specific studies. -- Child and Fostering Social WorkThe book is well laid out. It helpfully begins with an overview of how fostering has changed in the last 20 years in the light of legislation and fostering... I would recommend it as an essential reading for all involved in fostering. -- Foster CareThis volume provides an overview of recent research on foster care in the UK. Drawing upon the varied experiences of foster children; social workers, foster carers, and parents, it identifies how placement outcomes are affected by factors such as foster carers' parenting styles and children's gender, ethnicity, age, and physical and emotional health. Other issues addressed include (for example) the recruitment and support of relative carers (such as grandparents) and the effects of foster care on education. -- Book NewsIan Sinclair has succeeded in producing a volume that deserves to be read and used by all those involved in the contemporary looked after system. The title implies that the focus is exclusively on foster care. Those working in other areas of family placement would also derive much benefit from reading this book. -- Research in Practice NewsletterTable of ContentsForeword. The Overview Process. 1. Introducing the Report. 2. Home or Away? Some Basic Issues. 3. Developing Roles for Foster Care? 4. What Should Foster Care Provide? 5. Placing Children in Foster Care. 6. Making Placements Work: The Children. 7. Making Placements Work: Foster Families. 8. Making Placements Work: Birth Family and Contact. 9. School and Education. 10. Recruitment and Retention. 11. Training, Professional Support and Organisations. 12. Conclusion. Appendix A: The Researchers' Summaries of their Projects. Appendix B: Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisInvaluable in providing vivid illustrations of the strengths and needs of young parents who have been 'looked after' and, therefore of their children at the start of their lives. It illuminates policy and practice implications and points the way forward to what needs to be done to ameliorate their lives. Throughout, it presents its research in an accessible style and measured tone that make it difficult to put down.'- Extract from the Foreword by Ann Phoenix, Co-Director of the Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of LondonSupporting Young Parents explores early pregnancy and parenthood from the perspectives of young men and women in and leaving care. Most discussion about teenage pregnancy and parenthood focuses on the negative consequences for teenagers and their children. Yet, for some young people, particularly those who have been disadvantaged in life, early parenthood may offer the security of a family life, a sense of stability and an opportunity to build emotional attachments. This book draws on authoritative research into the reasons for and experiences of pregnancy and parenthood among young people from local authority care. It questions the assumptions that early parenthood always limits young people's choices and opportunities and examines the types of support most likely to enable successful parenting. This book will be essential reading for community nurses, health visitors, social workers, academics and students working in the fields of health, education and social care.Trade ReviewThis book is a refreshingly honest read using real-life scenarios to depict key issues surrounding the subject manner. It sets out contemporary perspectives, current legislation and government policies, combined with an understanding of research methodology. I would recommend this book to anyone working with teenage pregnancy and young parenthood. -- Children & Young People NowTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Foreword by Ann Phoenix. 1. Introduction. 2. Putting Pregnancy and Parenthood in Context. 3. Being Young, Being in Care. 4. Going It Alone: Young People's Experiences of Learning about Sex and Relationships. 5. Deciding What to Do: Young People's Reactions and Responses to Pregnancy. 6. Being Pregnant. 7. Being a Mum, Being a Dad. 8. Finding a Balance: Young People's Experiences of Child Protection Proceedings. 9. Getting Help from Services. 10. Moving Forward. References. Subject Index. Author Index.

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Book SynopsisChildren in public care complain that they have too many placements. Professionals agree but little is known about the reasons for this instability or how it affects different groups of children. The Pursuit of Permanence explores this core issue for children's services.Based on the largest study of the English care system in recent years, the book examines the children (what they need and what they want), their movements into, out of and within the care system, the nature and quality of their placements and the outcomes (whether the children are settled or happy). It analyses the reasons for movements and outcomes in different groups of children, and the relative impacts of the departments, social work teams and placements. It concludes with suggestions about how the care system should work, what it should offer and how it should be managed and inspected.This detailed, innovative and comprehensive study is essential reading for all professionals and academics involved with fostering, leaving care, adoption and children's services, as well as policy makers and students on social work courses.Trade ReviewThe primary value of the study is in its detailed insights into the workings of the care system, helping to move beyond the patchwork that is generated by official statistics, performance measurement and relatively small-scale research... This is a long awaited study and represents a very welcome and valuable addition to the child-care literature -definitely a recommended read. -- British Journal of Social WorkThis study provides a rich source of information for those in quest of permanent placements for children in care. -- Adoption & FosteringThis book is the result of a large in depth study of the English child care system, designed to provide reasoning for the movements of children throughout the care system. It looks at why some placements are more successful than others and how things differ between councils...a very comprehensive study, carried out by highly qualified individuals. -- Adoption TodayThe findings of this research are likely to have significant implications for policy decisions and funding in Emgland in the next few years. -- CAFCASSFor any professional involved in making or supporting decisions about children the book provides both evidence and inspiration to develop quality placements, decisions and staffing to ensure that care matters. -- Lawyers for ChildrenSome clients of Britain's foster care system complain they are moved from place to place so often they have difficulties bonding with their caregivers and establishing place relationships in the communities and schools in which they are sent. Others settle in their first foster homes and thrive. Are these differences the result of individual differences? How much influence do professional and their agencies have on whether a foster care placement is successful? This study, the largest of the English foster care in recent years, examines the reasons for movements, the nature and quality and quality of placements, and the role of social status or other individual characteristics of children and youth. -- Book NewsThe Book is a strong reminder that amid all the complexities of the care system, there is a very simple aim - helping children to feel secure and giving them a chance to develop the positive attachments that we all need as human beings. -- Children and Young People NowTable of ContentsPreface. Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction. 2. Who is Looked After? The Children's Characteristics. 3. Who is Looked After? The Children's Families, Wishes and Behaviour. 4. Groups of Children and Their Chance of Permanence. 5. Admissions and Discharges. 6. The Children and Their Different Paths in Care. 7. Going Home and Leaving Care: The Case Studies. 8. Placements: How They are Used. 9. Placements: How One Leads to Another. 10. Children Based in Care. 11. Children and Outcomes. 12. Placements and Outcomes. 13. Carers, Homes and Outcomes. 14. Teams and Outcomes. 15. Councils and Outcomes. 16. An Overview. Appendix 1. Representativeness of the Study Samples. Appendix 2. Analysis of National Data. Appendix 3. Monitoring and Quality Assurance. References. Subject index. Author index.

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Book SynopsisNurturing Attachments combines the experience and wisdom of parents and carers with that of professionals to provide support and practical guidance for foster and adoptive parents looking after children with insecure attachment relationships.It gives an overview of attachment theory and a step-by-step model of parenting which provides the reader with a tried-and-tested framework for developing resilience and emotional growth. Featuring throughout are the stories of Catherine, Zoe, Marcus and Luke, four fictional children in foster care or adoptive homes, who are used to illustrate the ideas and strategies described. The book offers sound advice and provides exercises for parents and their children, as well as useful tools that supervising social workers can use both in individual support of carers as well as in training exercises.This is an essential guide for adoptive and foster parents, professionals including health and social care practitioners, clinical psychologists, child care professionals, and lecturers and students in this field.Trade ReviewThis book is both informative and engaging to read. Golding deliberately focuses on the relationship between child and parent, rather than on the child's difficulties... This is a useful book to remind professionals in adoption and fostering that parenting children from damaging backgrounds is not an easy task and we ask a great deal of parents when placing these children... The necessity for parents, as well as professionals, to know and understand attachment theory and what has gone wrong, in order to care for children with attachment problems, becomes clear from reading this book. -- Social Work in ActionI liked Golding's knowledgeable but unpretentious style, her commitment to understanding a child's internal experience and the encouragement of empathy for children and for carers when the going gets tough. -- Children and Young People NowThis is an excellent book which should be of interest to many adopters and social workers. It is by a British psychologist who works with an integrated service for looked after and adopted children, and her experience shines through in the book. The book provides a good starting point for anyone who wants to understand more about attachment, and explains the theory in detail. I wish this book had been available when I was bringing up my children, and so would defiantly recommend it to parents. Finally I would strongly recommend this book to social workers in adoption and adoption support work as it offers insight into the issues families and children may experience from placement through to adulthood. -- Adoption TodayTable of ContentsSection 1: Attachment Theory. 1. Overview of Attachment Theory. 2. Attachment Theory: Caregiving and Its Impact on Attachment and Exploration. 3. Attachment Theory: Patterns of Attachment. 4. Difficulties in Development: The Impact of Loss and Trauma. 5. Parenting Children with Attachment Difficulties. Experiencing Relationships as Secure. 6. Parenting and Patterns of Attachment. Section 2: A Model for Parenting the Child with Difficulties in Attachment Relationships: Providing a Secure Base. 7. Introduction to the Model and Creating a Secure Base. 8. Empathy and Support from the Secure Base. 9. Attunement and Empathy. 10. Protecting the Family Atmosphere and the Development of Emotional Regulation. 11. Creating a Feeling of Belonging for the Child. 12. Looking after Yourself. Section 3: A Model for Parenting the Child with Difficulties in Attachment Relationships: Building Relationships and Managing Behaviour. 13. Helping the child to enjoy being part of the family. 14. Learning to Parent with PACE and Building Relationships with Stories. 15. Providing Structure and Supervision. 16. Managing Confrontation and Coercive Interactions. 17. Thinking, Feeling and Behavioural Choices. 18. Managing Special Difficulties: Lying, Stealing and Self Harm. 19. Conclusion. References. Glossary. Reading list. Subject index. Author index.

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Book SynopsisThis book is full of the techniques that we have used successfully over the years. Many we have adapted to suit their needs and many we have made up ourselves. What we have become particularly good at is not giving up!'A mother of two adopted children, Celia Foster wrote Big Steps for Little People as a personal `insider's guide' to parenting adopted children.Drawing on the hard-won wisdom gained in her own family life, the book offers a thoughtful account of life with adopted children and examines the issues that many adoptive families encounter, including the development of children with attachment problems and how to tackle behavioural difficulties. It combines real-life anecdotes with suggestions and strategies that other parents can put to use.This book will be a great comfort and help to all adoptive families and offers insights for the professionals who work with them.Trade ReviewAll those involved in the adoption of children, old hands and new, will be stimulated and encouraged by this infectious read. -- From the Foreword by David Howe, Dean of the School of Social Work and Psychosocial Sciences, University of East AngliaThis work is a treasure for foster and adoptive parents and for the professionals who work to assist them. -- From the Foreword by Daniel A. Hughes, clinical psychologist, consultant, trainer and author, Pennsylvania, USAPersonally, I feel that it is ideal for prospective adopters or adopters with young children and would be a good point of reference and an insight for social workers... She writes in a way that as a fellow adopter I could really relate to. She writes with refesing honesty and just when you think that this woman is too good to be true with all these charts and tools and good ideas that her children respond to, she admits that it is an uphill struggle and she has despaired at times. She also points out that although children can appear to be all right it is still wise to address their past as difficulties may arise at a later date. It is little things like this that appealed to me. This book really does have all bases covered. After the first read it is the type of book that you can go back to dip in again and again. Overall I would say this it is a good, easy and interesting read that meets all its aims and objectives. -- Adoption TodayBig Steps for Little People is a practical book that addresses the issues of parenting adopted children...This book is especially useful where professionals are working with parents. It is an excellent tool for educational psychologists and Children's Care specialist colleagues running support groups for adoptive parents. -- Debate, Pamela Melville-Slade, Educational Psychologist, Devon Learning and Development PartnershipTable of Contents1. Being Taken into Care. 2. Settling In. 3. Some of the Realities of Settling In. 4. Early Steps, Chores and Tasks. 5. The Grieving Process. 6. Brain Development. 7. Family History. 8. Dealing with Emotions. 9. Different Types of Behaviour. 10. Control Issues. 11. Dealing with the effects of Difficult Behaviour. 12. Time Frame of Children's Development. 13. Big Steps Forward. 14. Back to the Story.

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Book SynopsisWhy was I abandoned?Why did my parents adopt me?What if I want to meet my biological parents?Children who find out they are adopted have many questions that are difficult for a parent to answer. This book explores children's thoughts and feelings and provides parents with guidance on how to respond to difficult questions.The author covers all the common questions that children ask and provides sensitive, candid answers in a way that children will be able to understand and relate to. Each chapter is devoted to a particular issue, such as why a child is adopted, who chose the child's first name and what happens when the child grows up. The book recognizes the emotions and reactions of everyone in the family and includes separate conclusions for parents and children.This handy guide offers useful advice for parents and will also be of interest to counsellors and other professionals working with children.Trade ReviewThis is a small, easy to read book...There are helpful chapters on how children might ask about looking different from their adoptive family or manage ambivalent feelings about their country of birth. -- Youth in MindThis little book is written in a very accessible format; dealing with a range of questions that might arise about adoption, these matters are dealt with gently and thoughtfully. -- Seen + HeardChapters are well constructed with an introductory section followed by excerpts from interviews with adopted children of various ages. The checklist for children and notes for parents in the final chapters are succinct and reassuring, as is advice to parents that they should bear in mind that asking fro help is not a sign of parental incompetence. -- RostrumTable of ContentsContents: Preface. 1. Why was I abandoned: could it happen again? 2. Why have my parents chosen me? 3. How did my parents adopt me? 4. We're a family now – just like other people! 5. Everyone says I'm different! 6. Where does my first name come from? 7. Who were my parents when I was born? 8. Where do I come from? 9. Sometimes it's hard to be adopted! 10. What about when I grow up? 11. Will I be able to adopt a child when I grow up? Appendix 1: A checklist for children. Appendix 2: A note for parents only. Appendix 3: Useful websites.

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Book SynopsisAdoptive, foster and stepmothers, like biological mothers, find their lives completely changed by motherhood although they are not always granted the rights and privileges accorded to those who give birth. Barbara Waterman explores the common experiences that are shared by all those who enter the motherhood portal. She highlights the importance of wider family, community and professional support for non-biological parents and primary care-givers of both genders, and their children. A stepmother herself and a practicing psychologist, Waterman's writing is illustrated throughout with vignettes of children and parents from a range of backgrounds. She shows the important ways in which a non-biological attachment is both more similar to and more different from a biological attachment than is currently understood. In doing this, Waterman broadens the notion of the `traditional' family, and offers a positive alternative to the myth of the perfect mother. All kinds of step-, adoptive and foster families and those coming into contact with them will find this thoroughly researched and personal book an indispensable guide.Trade ReviewA well-informed and passionate book, interspersing real life stories with research findings from social psychology, films and novels. The tone is intense and committed and likely to inspire and support many non-birth mothers and challenge some prejudices. -- Community CareIn this much anticipated book, Barbara Waterman artfully draws us into the world of the non-biological mother and her children. Readers will be impressed with the broad spectrum of psychoanalytic theory to feminist object relations. Whether we parent children, the pluralism of family and parenting situations is increasingly part of our patients worlds, and this book will help all of us gain greater understanding. -- Anna Sweetnam Ph.DTable of Contents1. When the Child is Delivered to You Rather than You Delivering the Child. 2. Cracked Wide Open. 3. Longing and Belonging. 4. Holding the Mirror; Holding Up the Ideal. 5. Love and Difference. 6. The Supporting Matrix. 7. Becoming a Mother. 8. Mothering as a Spiritual Commitment. 9. Conclusion. References. Index.

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Book SynopsisChild Adoption is a straightforward, concise and comprehensive guide which adoptive parents and the professionals who advise them will find invaluable. R.A.C. Hoksbergen covers the practical and emotional issues and possible problems which affect child and parents in adoption, such as:* preparation of the family and the child* adopting from different races or cultures, and dealing with discrimination* helping the child adjust to school* discussing the adoptive status with the child.This handbook provides much-needed information so that everyone involved in the adoption process can make educated and fully thought-out decisions. It is invaluable reading for any professional involved in the process of adoption including adoption workers and lawyers, social workers and couples who are considering adoption.Trade ReviewHere is a truly international perspective, perceptive, gentle, humorous and ironic. The views and utterances of adoptive children and adults who were adopted in childhood, are particularly enlightening....a welcome addition to the learning material of adoption educators and trainers. -- Issues in Social Work EducationCovers a whole range of issues related to adoption. The book is indeed very useful for couples preparing for international adoption, especially when they are preparing for a home-study or when a home-study is already in progress. The book is well worth reading. The book contains a welath of information, is very concise and the list of references makes it easy to find more information on the subjects touched upon in the book. -- Adoption UKThis book will be of interest to all professionals dealing with adoption, as it outlines possible problems realistically and backs up its case with plenty of research. I would recommend it to all trans-racial adopters unreservedly. -- Child Care in PracticeThe book is informative, non-judgemental, and sensitive to the initial problems for both adopters and adoptees. Its contents are supported by research and from the writer's own experiences of over 20 years of work in this area... The advice given can be of help to those adopting in many situations. My experience, having read the book, is that it achieves what it set out to do. For anyone who feels they need information or guidelines to adoption this is a book that is worth reading, especially if you work in this field. -- Psychotherapy and CounsellingAn informative, comprehensive guide to the possible challenges of adoption. -- ParentwiseTable of ContentsPreface 1. What do adoptive parents have to take into consideration? 2. Why do people adopt a child? 3. Adoptive parents need intensive preparation 4. The arrival of the child changes the family 5. The adoptive child at school 6. Some years later 7. Psychic homelessness and adoption 8. Transracial adoption and discrimination 9. The adoptive status should be discussable for the parents as well as for the children Conclusion. Appendix: Adoption Centre Brochure

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Book SynopsisThis is a book of real life stories of adopters which takes the reader through every stage of the adoption process starting with the moment when they decide that adoption is the right option for them to the stories of adoptees brought up by adoptive parents.In between, the book looks at all the different types of adoption that are carried out by all sorts of families from all sorts of children of every race and age and with every kind of problem. They range from babies who are only days old when they are taken into an adoptive family to teenagers with a multitude of psychological and physical problems. The book looks at both the success and failure of these adoptions.Its aim is to inform and enlighten professionals, adopters, potential adopters and all those whose lives have in some way been touched by adoption or want to know more about it.In 15 chapters it includes more than 70 real life stories which are all told from the heart sometimes in a moment of crisis and sometimes at a time of joy. They are not analysed, they are true stories about how it feels to be at the centre of adoption. All the stories, which have been recounted over the past 10 years, are reflective of adoption today in Britain.The book also includes a chapter on the legal aspects of adoption and a further chapter of useful information and addresses.Trade ReviewWould that there had been such a book when our sons were little, especially when we added a seven year old with emotional and behavioral difficulties to the family. I hope that everyone involved in adoption will be aware of the existence of this book, since it covers the actual experience of adoption form every aspect... Those who have contributed to this rich collection of personal experiences have been generous in sharing their hopes and fears: the good moments and the moments of utter despair and even failure... Like any book that is a compendium of writings, it would be easy to imagine that people, for whom adoption was a painful experience, would not have a voice here. This might be true to some extent but there are accounts of adoptions that failed, and times when tracing a birth-parent did not bring complete happiness. There are stories that might have been painful to write but can shed light on what it means to be an aopder or an adoptee, such as the story of the family whose badly damaged son suddenly seemed to thrive, and went on to become a successful business and family man, only to committ suicide at 27. This book should be required reading for all social workers, teachers, would be adopters, adopters and their doctors. For years adoption was a family secret for the birth-mother and the adopters. Now we are passed that stage it is important that the stories be heard. -- Mental Health Care and Learning Disabilities.The most appealing aspect of this book is that it consists of actual stories from actual adopters, incorporating every part of the adoption process from the 'short moment of pure joy and excitement for most potential adopters when they first decide that they want to adopt' to their feelings about their children seeking a reunion with their natural families or simply leaving home. The accounts, taken from this very journal over the past 10 years, have a rare honesty about them, resulting in an unadulterated insight into both the joys and the nightmares that adoption can bring. It is for this reason that I would describe it as a must for anyone considering adoption - including professionals - whose life has already been touched by adoption. Read from start to finish, it is as compelling as any novel, but the way the accounts are separated into themes such as "You want to adopt" and "Telling, tracing and the need to know more" - each with an introduction by the editor - also makes it a volume that can be accessed as a reference book. -- Adoption UKThis collection of first hand experiences of adoption has been compiled by Adoption UK. It is aimed primarily at adopters and prospective adopters and has the express aim of encouraging those who are thinking about adoption to consider it more seriously. However, it will be of general interest and offers an engaging and informative read for anyone interested in the adoption process and the issues it raises. Adoption UK believe that all children have a right to a family life, and lament the number of children who still wait for suitable adopters- particularly black children, older white children and children with disabilities. Through adopters own experiences the book covers the decision to adopt and the process of adoption, the adoption of school children and adolescents, children with a physical or learning disability, children who have been abused, adoption by single parents and gay couples and race and adoptions. -- ChildrightTable of Contents1. You want to adopt. 2. First meetings, first months, falling in love - good times, bad times, bonding. 3. Adopting babies and toddlers. 4. Adopting schoolchildren. 5. Taking on an adolescent. 6. Adopting children with a physical or mental disability. 7. Adopting a physically or sexually abused child. 8. Unusual adopters - single parents, unmarried couples, homosexuals, adoption over birth choice. 9. Adoption and race. 10. Openness in adoption. 11. Attached or unattached, the ongoing problem. 12. The nightmare - when an adoption breaks down. 13. Telling and talking. 14. Tracing. 15. The birth mother's story. 16. What adoptees say. Appendix 1. Legal issues. 2. Index of organisations.

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Book Synopsis`This excellent book looks at the attachment and development of very young children in the fostering and adoption situation. It deals sensitively and practically with the young child's "hurts" to help adopters and foster carers understand and cope with the many traumas they may experience in integrating a young child into their family. Caroline Archer is a real adoptive parent speaking from experience so this book provides good, practical advice and encouragement for the mothering figure when things are not following the normal attachment and development patterns… This highly readable book is highly recommended for everyone fostering or adopting very young children.'- Adoption and Fostering`Written by an adoptive parent [this book aims] to give practical advice and parenting tips to other adoptive and long-term foster parents. The author's basic premise is that all children who have been adopted or placed in long-term care have undergone some form of psychological hurt. She argues that while some children will be more resilient to this hurt than others, many children will need their hurt to be acknowledged by their parents/carers, and be allowed to grieve for their losses in order to move forward to a life of greater well-being and fulfilment. [The book begins] by exploring such issues as bringing a child home, child development and what to do when things "don't seem quite right". Other issues covered are the effects of trauma on a child, and how to handle specific difficulties that may arise with an adopted child. [It is] written in a clear easy-to-read format, and contain[s] a list of references for further reading.'- Family MattersTrade Review[Reviewed with Next Steps] `Combining thorough and pertinent research with practical wisdom drawn from years of personal experience, these books manage the rare accomplishment of being both informed and passionate. They provide a clear, accessible account of contemporary research and theory on the effects of trauma in infancy and childhood, along with a wealth of tested ideas, approaches and techniques for living and working effectively with children who have suffered such trauma… Both volumes should be of immense value to adopters, foster carers, social workers with looked after children, family placement workers and anyone who seeks to improve their understanding of child development and childhood trauma.' -- Adoption and Fostering`So little adoption research seems rooted in the real world. Now Caroline Archer, an adoptive parent herself, has written two working sourcebooks that seek to provide practical solutions to very practical problems. First Steps looks at adoption of what are described as "tiddlers and toddlers", dealing with everything from building a relationship to dealing with, say, the challenges of insecure attachment. For parents who adopt babies this book will be helpful. It uses popular psychology to make sense of child development theory and intersperses this with practical exercises. These look at life story work, contact with birth families, eating patterns, sleep and the over-riding importance of play. Archer is good here at alerting adoptive parents to those triggers which might re-awaken memories of earlier abuse or neglect… Next Steps deals with "tykes and teens". It looks at a similar range of potential hazards, such as addictive behaviour, sexual acting out and drug and alcohol use, all now, arguably, the birth-right of any parent. Of particular use here is a section called "Principles into Practice" where a range of scenarios is proposed with possible outcomes. These could also serve as training material. Both books are grounded in hard won experience.' -- Community Care`Primarily aimed at adoptive parents, but of considerable use to foster carers of young children, this publication approaches attachment and developmental issues arising when even the smallest child is in your care. Extremely well researched, it offers practical, sensitive guidance through the dark areas of separation, loss and trauma in early childhood. It reassures that no problem faced as a result of your child's early experiences is insignificant or undeserving of a solution. Neither is the reader patronised by assumptions that some matters should already be common knowledge. Archer sets out purposefully to encourage confidence and thereby to enable enjoyment of the young life in your care, confessing this to be the book she herself would have welcomed 20 years ago.' -- Foster Care`This book is written by a parent who has direct experience of the difficulties that very young children can present to their new parents. The seven chapters are eminently readable and offer very useful methods of helping to understand and work to alleviate the hurt felt by very young children who have been or are in the process of being transferred to new permanent situations, whether by adoption or fostering. The chapters are not loaded with references for the reader to wade through, although the information is provided at the back of the book, along with a no-nonsense, very understandable glossary of the jargon (which has been kept to a minimum anyway). The style of the writer made me feel able to grasp immediately what she was trying to explain, with the illustrations involving the family of hedgehogs bringing the sensitivity of the content alive for me. The sense of intimacy in the book made me want to read more. It offers new parents and professionals everywhere a practical guide in a delightful, sensitive, and above all, informative way. I thoroughly recommend it and will go out and buy the next companion book "Tykes and Teens".' -- Professional Social Work`A "must have" book for both adoptive parents and for those professionals who help adoptive families forge new family ties…the author, herself an adoptive parent, addresses a wide variety of very complex topics with a marked sensitivity to the varying needs of children who may have had a wide range of early life experiences. Although in general the text is easy to read and understand, there is a glossary for those who might be unfamiliar with some of the terminology. References are made to well established issues as well as to some of the newer research on the impact of early abuse and neglect on brain development. I particularly appreciated the special focus on identifying abnormal arousal patterns and helping the child with these. Parents and professionals alike will value the specific ideas provided for coping with problem behaviours and for building closer family ties.' -- from the Foreword by Dr Vera FahlbergTable of ContentsForeword by Dr Vera Fahlberg, MD. 1. Coming Home. 2. New Beginnings. 3. When Things don't Seem Quite Right. 4. The Effects of Trauma on Attachment and Development. 5. Getting Back on Track. 6. Special Difficulties with your Family. 7. The Spiritual Dimension. Closing Thoughts. Glossary. References and Recommended Reading.

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Book SynopsisWritten by an experienced adoptive parent, this clear, sensitive and practical handbook is designed to encourage and support adoptive and long-term foster parents, their children and adolescents. An adopted child may well have suffered abuse, neglect or inconsistent parenting in the past; he or she will certainly have experienced painful separations and losses. These early traumatic experiences, often expressed in emotional and behavioural problems within the family, can conceal a broad range of subtle alterations to the brain and nervous system of the developing child. They may become increasingly problematic as the youngster approaches the developmental challenges of adolescence.Drawing on both firsthand experience and some of the latest medical research, Caroline Archer presents strategies to help parents deal with their youngsters' troubling behaviour and to make them feel more comfortable, in what seems to them a hostile world.Archer sets out to provide adoptive and foster parents with an understanding of the complex range of difficulties with which their children may struggle as a result of their early experience of adversity. By exploring, in very simple ways, the effects of adverse experiences on the child's built-in biological response systems, she assists parents to make sense of the frequently perplexing behaviours of the hurt child within their family. Common situations which she specifically addresses include: sleep problems; anger, aggression and violence; lying and stealing; staying out late and running away; addictive behaviours and self harm; impulsiveness and risk-taking; sex; suicide and compulsive eating disorders.Following on from First Steps in Parenting the Child Who Hurts: Tiddlers and Toddlers (2nd edition), Next Steps will be an invaluable resource for adoptive and foster parents seeking to support their child through the later stages of childhood and adolescence. This book will also be an essential practical guide for professionals working with families and eager to gain a thorough understanding of the on-going developmental and relationship difficulties of adopted children.Trade ReviewIf you don't buy another book buy this one. For adoptive parents and foster carers, and for professionals working in either field, this is a must. Here the perplexing behaviours that drive us to despair and seriously threaten relationships, are explored with great sensitivity and a depth of understanding that has long been awaited. Caroline Archer draws upon new medical research to illustrate the changes to the brain and development of young people who have endured early trauma, and uses first hand experiences to provide a practical guide to the egg-shell-strewn daily journey with pre-teens and adolescents, All the problems we thought were ours alone – and surely due to our personal mismanagement – are explained here in this clear and well-constructed publication. Easy to read, it tackles with honesty all circumstances from bed-wetting to suicide attempts, lying to exploitation, sexuality to addictions and self-injury to protection of siblings. It also offers reassurance, encouragement and strategies allowing you to recognise and reach out to the child who hurts. -- Foster Care[Reviewed with First Steps] 'The holistic approach makes it particularly relevant to occupational therapists. They will be pleased to see references to neurological development and a mention of the value of sensory integration for some children whose trauma has caused tactile defensiveness or some other sensory problem. However, the majority of the chapters rightly deal with the psychological aspects. The focus on parents and carers does not prevent realistic advice on when to seek help from professionals. A sympathetic understanding of the children's feelings is balanced by a real concern for the needs of carers and the rest of the family. There is a clear recognition that firm boundaries are essential and there is frequent emphasis on positive approaches… I have found “Tykes and Teens” so supportive in my work with children who hurt and their foster or adoptive families that I am recommending it to parents and colleagues alike. I also recommend it to all NAPOT members who are involved in this field.' -- NAPOT Journal…this is a clear, sensitive and extremely practical handbook which looks at the reasons behind difficult behaviour, especially the effects of early trauma in a child's life, as well as suggesting strategies for dealing with it… This is a must-have book for adopters and foster carers and is also highly recommended for ordinary parents and step-parents whose children hurt for other reasons. If you are only in the early stages of considering adopting or fostering, it may open your eyes to issues you have not considered but try not to let its realism put you off unnecessarily. Not all children who have been through the care system have extreme problems, especially if they are given the sensitive support suggested here. -- Adoption and FosteringThis book follows on logically from the First Steps book and continues the challenging journey through childhood and into adolescence… In essence this is a book about love, and the ability to express it towards the adopted child, despite persistent and often extreme tests of that love. The author uses innovative imagery to explain the effects of emotional trauma early in the adopted child's life which may result in the “scared kid”, the “stuffed kid” and finally the “superkid”. The “looking glass” model is particularly effective at describing the marked perceptual differences that may arise between the child and the parent… A large section of the book is devoted to a review of specific sensitive situations that commonly arise… These range from bedwetting to stealing to self-injury and suicide. No attempt is made to offer all the answers and indeed the author emphasises that only the parent will know what is right for their own particular family and set of circumstances. This is another excellent book which draws on the real experiences of many adoptive parents and their families… For some the solutions suggested will not prove appropriate and for others very different problems will arise. However the basic tenets of the book deserve the widest possible readership amongst all those involved with adoptive children. -- Ed Abrahamson, Consultant Paediatrician, for Adoption UK JournalThe author's basic premise is that all children who have been adopted or placed in long-term care have undergone some form of psychological hurt. She argues that while some children will be more resilient to this hurt than others, many children will need their hurt to be acknowledged by their parents/carers, and be allowed to grieve for their losses in order to move forward to a life of greater well-being and fulfillment. [The book begins] by exploring such issues as bringing a child home, child development and what to do when things “don't seem quite right”. Other issues covered are the effects of trauma on a child, and how to handle specific difficulties that may arise with an adopted child. -- Family MattersNext Steps deals with “tykes and teens”. It looks at... potential hazards, such as addictive behaviour, sexual acting out and drug and alcohol use, all now, arguably, the birth-right of any parent. Of particular use here is a section called “Principles into Practice” where a range of scenarios is proposed with possible outcomes. These could also serve as training material…grounded in hard won experience. -- Community CareTable of ContentsForeword by Professor David Howe. What is Adoption UK? Introduction. 1. Coming Home. 2. More Beginnings: Continuing Child Development. 3. When Things Don't Seem Quite Right. 4. Through the Looking Glass. 5. Fundamental Principles. 6. Principles into Practice. 7. Sensitive Situations. Glossary. References. Hope Against Hope.

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Book SynopsisAlthough the Victorian white wedding dominates western bridal dress and large portions of former colonial empires, marriage rituals vary significantly throughout the world. The Japanese, for instance, combine both traditional ceremonies with receptions utilizing western approaches to dress. In the Andes the bride will personally create a multi-layered dress to showcase her weaving skills. Berber brides in Morocco wear binding clothing that covers their faces, a notable contrast to Canadian prairie-province brides whose stylized gowns individualize and enhance body shape. This engaging book examines the evolution and ritual functions of wedding attire within the context of particular cultures. It raises questions as to the relationship between contemporary wedding attire and traditional values. It discusses the changes international migrations have had upon the wedding dress of several ethnic groups. It provides insights into numerous societal relationships to weddings, such as the ban on bridal-produced embroidery in dowries in India, the challenges individual values have to larger societal ones in themed weddings, and the relationship between the return to pre-western attire and identity politics. Exploring these issues, the authors provide unusual insights into the centrality of dress in shaping individual identity as well as its importance in reflecting cultural values and ideals.Trade ReviewThe essays in Wedding Dress Across Cultures eloquently support the premise that costume for weddings is the most profound and exquisite way that a society distinguishes itself in the language of dress. The Journal of American Culture A tremendous amount of research has gone into this book, and every page is crammed with interesting and significant facts. It has absolutely everything a student or researcher needs to know about weddings. Elizabeth EmanuelTable of Contents1. Something plain and simple? Unpacking custom-made wedding dresses from western Canada, 1950-1955. Kathryn Church (Independent Scholar, Toronto, Canada) 2. Satin dresses and caribou kamiks: negotiation of tradition in northern Alaska Inupiaq weddings. Cyd Martin (University of Alaska, Fairbanks) 3. Packaged in Japan: elite weddings in Osaka. Masami Suga (Independent scholar, St. Paul, Minnesota) 4. Korean wedding dress from the Chosun Dynasty (1392-1910) to the present. Na Young Hong (Ewha Women's University, Seoul, Korea) 5. Marriage and dowry customs of the Rabadi of Kachchh: evolving traditions. Eiluned Moir Edwards (De Montford University) 6. Pragmatism and enigmas: the Panetar and Gharcholu saris in Gujarati weddings. Donald Clay Johnson (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis) 7. Swazi bridal attire: culture, traditions, customs. Laura Kidd (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Lombuso S. Khoza, Southern Illinois University) 8. Gender, identity, and Moroccan weddings: the adornment of the Ait Khabhash Berber bride and groom. Cynthia Becker(University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota) 9. An Athenian wedding, year 2000. Helen Bradley Foster (College of Visual Arts, St. Paul, Minnesota) 10. An historic perspective of English and Soviet bridalwear between 1900 and 1960. Janice Mee (De Montford University, Leicester, England, Irina Safronova, St. Petersburg State University of Technology and Design) 11. He gave her sandals and she gave him a tunic: cloth and weddings in the Andes. Lynn A. Meisch (St. Mary's College of California, Moraga) 12. Slavic wedding customs on two continents. Patricia Williams (University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point) 13. Always remembering the motherland: Tai Dam wedding textiles and dress. Elyse Demaray (Iowa State University, Ames, Melody Keim-Shenk, Iowa State University) 14. The groom wore a kilt: carnivalesque and theme weddings. Theresa Winge (and Joanne Eicher, both University of Minnesota)

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Book SynopsisUnderstanding Difference brings together wide-ranging evidence to gain a better understanding of ethnicity for young people. Many aspects of Britain's young multicultural population's lives are examined: who they are, the meaning of their own ethnicity, their home circumstances, health, education and welfare, and their experiences of racist behaviour.This book will be of interest to professionals, researchers, service providers and policy-makers and anyone else working with young people.

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Book SynopsisThis book of reflections on a mother's journey from craving 'normality' for her gay son to celebrating him as a blessedly extraordinary creature of God is not only a chronicle of a remarkable change of attitude. It is also an argument for letting go of our preconceptions about other people.

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Book SynopsisIt’s the thought that counts. So, while society has changed, the need for thoughtfulness, courtesy and good manners has not. What is the etiquette for internet use, emails and mobile phone calls? How does one handle the delicate politics of flat-sharing? What are the rules for meeting through a dating agency? Mind Your Manners provides effective answers to these and many more dilemmas of modern decorum. Covering all situations – weddings, work, throwing a party, visits to a restaurant or theatre, driving – Robert O’Byrne gives witty and urbane advice on how best to behave with style in the twenty-first century. Here are practical tips for getting though Christmas with a smile on your face; being a good host ( how do you introduce Susan self-Effacing to Aileen Assured?); and dealing with a funeral (not a good time to network). Combing humorous but indispensable advice with hilarious cartoons from Merrily Harper, knowing correct conduct has never been easier

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Book SynopsisA DfES funded study based on a complete sample of 130 children for whom an adoption in best interests decision was made within one UK authority during a defined period.

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Book SynopsisA story for adopted children exploring some of the problems they may experience in the school environment.

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Book SynopsisRecently there has been a renewed interest in family placement, its effectiveness and its value for money. What Works in Adoption and Foster Care? reviews changes in policy and practice and will assist managers and practitioners in family and childcare social work to make decisions based on sound evidence about where to place children and what sort of practice is likely to bring about the desired outcomes for children, birth relatives, foster carers and the adoptive family. The authors explore the factors that research indicates are likely to be associated with positive outcomes, how practice can be evaluated and what outcome measures can be used, and also look at the shortcoming of this research.

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Book SynopsisA single parent adopter describes in an inspiring and accessible way the realities of life on your own with an adopted child.

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Book SynopsisAn easy to read, accessible quick refernce guide to all family placements that pulls together and distils practcie wisdom.

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Book SynopsisA timely and meticulously researched study exploring the use of foster care as an alternative to custodial and residential accommodation for young people on remand.

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Book SynopsisThe true story of an adoption and an adoption breakdown, bravely told by the adoptive mother.

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Book SynopsisBreaking the Maafa Chain chronicles two sisters' struggle for true freedom in the mid-nineteenth century, when transporting slaves from Africa to America was an illegal but lucrative businessNineteenth century-Two sisters, Fatmata and Salimatu, are captured and sold separately into slavery. Forced to change their names to Faith and Sarah, they end up in two different countries with opposite slavery laws. Faith ends up in America, where slavery is still legal and slaves don't have any rights. Sarah ends up in a Victorian England and as the goddaughter of Queen Victoria. Can the two sisters reclaim their freedom and identity in a world that is trying to break them down and mold them to its coloniser's will?Based on the true story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Breaking the Maafa Chain will take the readers on a journey of loss, survival, hope, identity and tradition.Trade ReviewPart fact, part fiction, Breaking the Maafa Chain is an important book, beautifully told. Domingo's premise is a bold and uncompromising one - taking what is known, the story of Salimatu, the 'black princess', Sarah Forbes Bonetta, and weaving through it the story of her fictionalised sister, Fatmata, Faith. Domingo makes an eloquent point: that although the sisters suffered different fates, both were unfree: Fatmata enslaved in North America and Salimatu gifted to Queen Victoria, and utterly at her whim.It is a story that has resonance today, where Meghan Markle was expected to shape herself to a white institution, to belong. * Guinevere Glasfurd *The story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, extraordinary even in extraordinary times, known to some in Sierra Leone , though virtually unknown elsewhere. Now Anni Domingo has brought her vividly to life in this richly imagined and compellingly told tale. Breaking the Maafa Chain is a gift to readers everywhere. * Aminatta Forna *Anni Domingo's Breaking the Maafa Chain is so rich in detail and dialogue, it is simply seductive. She captures so well, a little girl, Salimatu, who recalls the security of her family life, who is transported to a bewildering future in England to become Sarah, where she has to stand strong and survive. Not only will this book be read for the sheer enjoyment of a beautifully written novel, but for the learning gained. It is a historical novel that cannot be ignored. * Kadija Sesay, Literary Activist, author of Irki *Anni Domingo brings great sensitivity to her fictionalised account of the remarkable young life of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, the 'African Princess', who became a god-daughter to Queen Victoria. The internal struggles of Salimatu (Sarah) are movingly explored as she struggles to remain true to her identity as an African after being taken from her homeland and brought to England as a gift from "the King of the Blacks to the Queen of the Whites." A comparable story is told of Salimatu's sister Fatmata (Faith) who is transported to the United States before emancipation. Carefully constructed with a keen eye for historical accuracy, Domingo reveals a compassionate and affectionate Queen Victoria who is devoted to her African god-daughter. This is also an epic story of two sisters who are separated towards the end of the transatlantic slave trade, but never forget each other. * Stephen Bourne, author of War to Windrush and Evelyn Dove *

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Book Synopsis1. It was literally unbelievable to me that this was possible': Introduction.- 2. You were on your own': Pregnancy, Birth and Early Parenthood.- 3. I'm not a teacher': Provision of Childcare and Education to Toddlers and Older Children.- 4. I'd never been on work calls before where I hung up the phone and wept': Changes to Parents' Working Lives.- 5. I feel like my wings have been clipped': Leisure and the Closing in of Horizons on the Home.- 6. I felt as low as I ever have in my adult life': The Impact of the Pandemic on Parents' and Children's Health.- 7. Rainbows in the Windows: Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisKann es in einer reichen Stadt wie Hamburg Kinderarmut geben? Es gibt sie in erschreckendem Ausmaß, ebenso die hieraus resultierende Bildungsbenachteiligung. Der Band greift nicht nur die risikoreichen individuellen Bildungsprozesse unter den Bedingungen von Armut auf, sondern stellt auch den traditionellen Bildungsbegriff in Frage. Welche zivilgesellschaftlichen Kompetenzen und welche zukunftsfähigen Qualifikationen erlauben eine legale und anerkannte Teilhabe am gesellschaftlichen Leben? Wie können junge Menschen in Armutslagen am Rechtsgut Bildung derzeit überhaupt partizipieren? Die soziale und kulturelle Heterogenität in Hamburg erfordert ein gemeinsames Nachdenken und engagiertes Handeln aller an schulischen und außerschulischen Bildungsprozessen beteiligten Akteure sowie die Verantwortung der Politikerinnen und Politiker.Table of ContentsBildung: ein Wundermittel gegen die (Kinder-) Armut? Pädagogik kann weder Familien- noch Sozialpolitik ersetzen - Bildung: Ressource zur Bekämpfung von Armut - Jedes Kind zählt: Armutsprävention als strategisch unterschätzte Zukunftsaufgabe in Deutschland - Armut macht Angst und demütigt ... - Armut stigmatisiert - Armut isoliert - Armut macht krank - Armut macht Kinder und Jugendliche psychisch krank - Armutsbekämpfung und Bildung: Resümee Mit Beiträgen von Ursel Becher, Christoph Butterwegge, Hedi Colberg-Schrader, Burkhard Czarnitzi, Birgit Herz, Charlotte Köttgen, Ingrid Kurz, Ursula Mangelsdorff, Uta Meier-Gräwe, Joachim Schröder

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Book SynopsisDas Handbuch Familie in der überarbeiteten, aktualisierten und erweiterten 2. Auflage repräsentiert den theoretischen und empirischen Stand der Familienforschung aus interdisziplinärer Sicht. Mit dem Schwerpunkt auf Gesellschaft und differentielle Felder werden besondere Konstellationen von Familie und Familienbeziehungen in einem vollständigen Überblick beschrieben und dargestellt. In der neu strukturierten, überarbeiteten und erweiterten Auflage wird ein umfassendes Bild von Familie als Beziehungs- und Lebensform gezeichnet, in das die aktuellen wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisse und Forschungsergebnisse einfließen.Table of ContentsFamilie und Gesellschaft.- Familienkonstellationen und Beziehungen.- Differenzielle Felder von Familie.

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Book SynopsisDas Handbuch Körpersoziologie verfolgt das Ziel, den grundlegenden Stellenwert des Körpers für soziologisches Denken zu veranschaulichen. Die Körpersoziologie begreift den Körper als bedeutsam für subjektiv sinnhaftes Handeln sowie als eine soziale Tatsache, die hilft, Soziales zu verstehen und zu erklären. Der Körper ist Produzent und Effekt des Sozialen, er ist gesellschaftliches und kulturelles Symbol wie auch Agent, Medium und Instrument sozialen Handelns. Die Körpersoziologie analysiert, wie soziale Strukturen sich in den Körper einschreiben, soziale Ordnung in körperlichen Handlungen und Interaktionen hergestellt und sozialer Wandel durch körperliche Empfindungen motiviert sowie durch körperliche Aktionen gestaltet wird. Körpersoziologie ist in diesem Sinne als verkörperte Soziologie aufzufassen. Das zweibändige Handbuch Körpersoziologie dokumentiert das breite Spektrum an körpersoziologischen Perspektiven und Ansätzen sowie den aktuellen Status Quo der Körpersoziologie. Band 1 präsentiert eine Übersicht zentraler körpersoziologischer Grundbegriffe sowie die Perspektiven einer Vielzahl soziologischer Theorien auf den Körper.Table of ContentsGrundbegriffe.- Theoretische Perspektiven.

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