This book examines systems complexity theory and specifically, system and dynamic characteristics of complexity, with a key focus on self/organisation/emergence/adaptation; path-dependence; and bifurcation.Exploring systems complexity at the heart of child protection and welfare policymaking, leadership, practice, and evaluation and implications for policymakers, leaders, practitioners and evaluators in managing its impact, it proposes a systems complexity evaluation framework to a...

This book provides an account of parenting support initiatives in children and family services from a number of jurisdictions, paying particular attention to their impact on both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ outcomes for participants and to the inclusion of parents in the design and delivery of these supports.By focusing on parents who are experiencing challenges outside of the normal day-to-day task of parenting and in receipt of formal support services, their perspectives on the experience ...

This book provides an account of the experience of a multifaceted system-change programme to strengthen the capacity of Ireland’s statutory child protection and welfare agency in the areas of prevention, early intervention and family support.Many jurisdictions globally are involved in system change processes focused on increasing investment in services that seek to prevent children’s entry into child protection and welfare systems, through early intervention, greater support to fam...

Building Better Schools with Evidence-based Policy: Adaptable Policy for Teachers and School Leaders provides an extensive set of free-to-use policies for building better schools.The policies included in this book cover a broad range of popular topics for schools that are not readily accessible, and each policy is built on theory, driven by research, and created by experts. Each policy is based on substantial evidence, and this is ensured through the inclusion of contribut...

Poverty, domestic violence, marginalisation, drug and alcohol dependence are just some of the issues faced by many Australian families. Now in its second edition, Working with Vulnerable Families provides a comprehensive and evidence-based introduction to family-centred practice in Australia. It explores the ways in which health, education and social welfare professionals can support and protect children and their families. Fully revised and updated, with eight new chapters, the book exami...

This ground-breaking text provides a comprehensive guide to the occupational therapy profession in Australia, from the profession’s role in the health care system to the broad scope and nature of its practice.The book is organised into three sections: the Australian context; professional issues and practice issues. Contributions from 80 Australian occupational therapists working in education, research, policy and practice bring together the most relevant and up-to-date information ...

Almost twenty years ago, conceptual work began in the United Kingdom on what was to become the international Looking After Children initiative. Looking After Children has had a profound influence on child welfare in Canada and some fifteen other countries, including the UK, Australia, Sweden, and Hungary. It has sharpened the developmental focus and improved the quality of services for children and adolescents who, because of abuse, neglect, extreme poverty, or other circumstances, live in...

There is an increasing emphasis on post-qualifying training for social workers, especially in the complex and demanding area of working with children and families. This essential textbook is especially designed for practitioners studying at this level.Accessible and thorough, the text focuses on a mixture of conceptual and organisational topics, skills, law, policy and key practice issues. It includes chapters on:Social work values and ethicsRisk, ...

What are the developments influencing supervision in clinical psychology?Supervision is crucial to good professional practice and an essential part of training and continuing professional development. This second edition of Supervision and Clinical Psychology has been fully updated to include the recent developments in research, policy and the practice of supervision.With contributions from senior trainers and clinicians who draw on both r...

The idea that professionals in health and social care should ‘learn together to work together’ in ‘interprofessional education’ (IPE) is not new. Nevertheless, interest in this concept has grown dramatically. By learning together, professions will better understand each other and value what others bring to the practice of collaboration. Through working together more effectively, the quality of care and outcomes for users will be improved, but what is the evidence to support this? How can e...

The book provides an insight into the current situation of PE in schools across Europe as a forerunner to addressing PE-related existing and emerging issues in various contexts. It is aimed, primarily, at students pursuing entire programmes or discrete courses and modules in the broad area of PE and related areas such as health and exercise science.

This authoritative collection sets out the critical role and application of evaluation in identifying and developing good practice in a range of dementia care settings.The contributors discuss the evaluation of care at different levels and in various settings, particularly long stay care, covering evaluation methods, ethics, use of technology and the user's role in the evaluation process itself. Their contributions on evaluating aspects of dementia care ranging from life story work...