News

Edited by Martin C Calder.
Russell House Publishing
£39.95
ISBN 1 898924 89 9

This collection makes an important contribution to humane and effective practice. It is divided into seven sections with chapters from England, Scotland, Wales, USA and Canada, which explore every aspect of the young person's life - individual, family, practitioner, managerial and substitute care. It puts a strong case for the young offender to be seen as a whole person and points to the need for a vision beyond "traditional professional polarities and approaches".

The contributors add to our understanding of developmental pathways to abuse, the complex inter-relationship between victimisation and victimising, the personal impact of the work, the needs of carers and a range of practice and managerial issues. They set a standard for effective practice that will enable existing programmes to evaluate their work, new programmes to develop and child protection decision-making to be made more effective.

The book is a companion volume to previous works of Calder's, but can stand alone. I recommend it not only to those working with young people who abuse but also to the whole field for its approach to an issue with which we all need to connect.

Sue Richardson is an attachment-based psychotherapist, trainer and co-author of Creative Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2001)