Synopses & Reviews
It is now clear that if professionals are to make a real difference for children and young people, they must be able to engage and communicate with children themselves, not just their parents and carers. Practitioners must be able to listen to children, support them, keep them informed, and fully involve them in matters which concern them. This timely book aspires to prepare social workers and other practitioners for this challenging set of roles and tasks. In particular, it aims to enthuse readers to develop the most powerful resource they have to offer in their direct work with children: themselves.
Review
This is one of the best texts on this subject to emerge in recent years - well written, scholarly with practice accounts that draw on Michelle Lefevre's direct experience. An essential text for all practitioners who encounter children and young people in their work. Pam Trevithick, University of Bristol
Review
This highly readable book makes a valuable contribution to an important but undeveloped area of practice. It combines theoretical perspectives on the dynamics of communication with children with opportunities for application, reflection and evaluation of one's own practice. Karen Tanner, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Social Work, Tavistock Clinic
Synopsis
A key principle of this book is that communication with children and young people is generally more effective if it takes place within an engaged direct work relationship. This means that each task is carried out in a child-centered manner through working collaboratively with a child or young person - seeking their views, providing them with information and explanations, and attending to their feelings and indirect communications, as well as what is said in more straightforward ways. The book works through a vignette of a family, presenting varied possible situations of communication with children and young people in children's services settings. The research findings and theoretical perspectives on communication skills are presented in an interactive way to ensure that learning is achieved through engaged 'doing' rather than passively receiving information. Utilizing a problem-based learning approach, it includes exercises which enable students and practitioners to learn through refle
Synopsis
This timely book prepares social workers and other practitioners for the challenge of engaging directly with children and young people in order to make a difference to their lives.
About the Author
Michelle Lefevre, School of Social Work and Social Care, University of Sussex
Table of Contents
Setting the scene
The importance of effective communication between children and young people and their social workers
Children and young people's views on what counts as effective communication with them
Some theoretical perspectives on the nature of communication
Communicative capability and how it might be achieved
Appraising capabilities and learning needs in communication with children and young people
Getting the context right for communication
Communication skills for assessment
Observing children and making sense of their play and behaviour
Communicating with children through play, activities and the expressive arts
Communication as the heart of social work