Book Review

Safeguarding and Promoting the Well-being of Children, Families and

Communities

Jane Scott & Harriet Ward (Eds)

Series Editor: Harriet Ward, Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough

University, UK

London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2005

ISBN 1 84310 141 6, 304 pp., £39.95

The 17 chapters in Safeguarding and Promoting the Well-being of Children, Families and

Communities will contribute very usefully to the current debates on these issues. They are

written by different authors, and cover wide ranging aspects of this important subject

including recent developments in social policy, and well researched examples of inter-

ventions. The book usefully identifies both the importance and difficulties of monitoring and

evaluation. It sets a context that includes in its remit the influences of working practices used

in specific interventions such as community development work and also has an international

perspective, offering chapters which identify experiences from Australia, Canada, England,

Scotland and the United States of America.

It is of use to a wide range of readers and holds ideas and examples to enable

developments in statutory and voluntary agencies, at both management and practice levels.

It offers a useful informed base, examples of multi-agency initiatives, and support for

evaluation of partnerships and interventions. It will be of interest to and useful in the

training of social workers, teachers, health service managers and workers, and allied

professionals.

The first part begins by offering a context of the affluent west. The definition of ‘‘well-

being’’ used is taken from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

referring to the creation of a ‘‘world fit for children’’. It discusses evidence about children in

need, and identifies emerging policy initiatives aimed at bringing change for the better.

There is emphasis placed on the importance of the context in which children live: their

families, networks and communities.

The second part gives a range of examples of the needs of children and adolescents,

including initiatives to improve the lives of young people with mental health needs, children

with disabilities, and those from indigenous minorities. It also has a chapter on the

experiences of children in care and leaving care. The third part works well to bring together

examples of the effects of poverty, discrimination, powerlessness and poor self esteem, with

well researched examples of appropriate interventions. In parts three and four we see the

need for improvements in housing, of increasing family incomes, and for involvement and

engagement of people in making policies. Examples of successful support for families are

given, including a study on pre-natal nutrition. There is also a chapter on a community-

based intervention which identifies the difficulties in evaluating complex initiatives.

Part five identifies the importance of accountability and monitoring. Chapter 16 parti-

cularly describes the experience of applying outcome-based accountability to partnership

working, and given that it does not purport to define the elements of good partnership

Journal of Interprofessional Care,

March 2006; 20(2): 215 – 216

ISSN 1356-1820 print/ISSN 1469-9567 online � 2006 Taylor & Francis

DOI: 10.1080/13561820600627140

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working, the definitions are useful. It shows the importance of accountability and the

usefulness of identifying indicators and outcomes in partnership working. The final chapter

looks at the increasing trend to evaluate, and the importance of an integrated child-care

system. There is significance for all agencies, practitioners and user/carers in the discussion

about organizational cultures supporting learning, skills to analyse and use information, and

the formation of sound useful information bases. I believe that this book has a great deal to

contribute, and was a pleasure to read.

SUE HOLDEN

Lecturer in Social Work,

University of Hull,

UK

216 Book Review

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