Jim Richards studies an account of foster carers in Scotland; Ged Smith looks at the effects on children of having alcoholic parents; and Terry Bamford recommends an essential guide to changes in social care

Jim Richards is director, Catholic Children's Society (Westminster)

Richard Velleman and Jim Orford

Harwood Academic Publishers

£30.00

ISBN 90 5702 366 0

Excessive consumption of alcohol is now recognised as one of the top health and social problems in the world, and in the UK there are two to three million children living in circumstances where one or both parents have a drinking problem. This book looks at what happens to such children as they grow up, focussing on three themes; what is the likelihood of these young adults developing drinking problems themselves; of developing other problems; and are some vulnerable while others are resilient?

The authors begin with four varied case studies which exemplify how complex these questions are. They show that children of problem drinkers are not destined to develop problems themselves, but that their parents' drinking will have an impact in adulthood.

Typically, such children will be drawn into fights in their families, act as peacemakers, have little or no fun, fulfil many household tasks and often act as carers. They may experience confusion, violence, unpredictability, embarrassment and relationship problems, often with both parents. As children they will often exhibit anti-social behaviour, school, emotional and psychological problems. Yet despite all this they are a much neglected group of people in the offices of the helping professions, and have been called the "forgotten children".

What Velleman and Orford make clear, however, is that parental drinking in itself is not necessarily at the root of all this. In fact, the associated degree of parental conflict or hostility can have a greater negative impact than anything else. They also point out that the risk of children of problem drinkers going on to have more problems themselves in adulthood than other young people has been heavily overstated.

Just like physical or sexual abuse, the mechanisms of transmission are complex and dependent on many variables. Transmission is far from inevitable and a good relationship with a significant other helps foster feelings of worthiness.

This book deals with its subject thoroughly and comprehensively as you would expect from two authors so familiar with the topic. Some of the research chapters may be too academic for the non-specialist reader, but most of the book is very accessible and highly informative in an area which, like the children referred to, is too often neglected by workers in the field.

Ged Smith is a family therapist, Bexley and Greenwich NHS Trust

The Changing Role of Social Care

Edited by Bob Hudson

Jessica Kingsley Publishers

£16.95

ISBN 1 85302 752 9

The press of events in social care since the introduction of the community care changes has been relentless, and has gathered pace since the government launched its modernisation programme.

Bob Hudson has assembled a talented group of contributors who offer perspectives on these changes in the private sector, the voluntary sector and for users and carers. Like all collections the quality is variable but there are some gems offering important insights.

John Stewart sees the community leadership role of local government as generating more fundamental changes than the changes in local management arrangements. They demand a commitment to partnership working. The partnership theme is followed through in sections examining work across boundaries with housing and social security and with the private and voluntary sectors.

Disappointingly, the partnership with health, which offers both opportunities and threats to social care, is given cursory treatment although Hudson has written extensively elsewhere on this.

Hardy and Wistow provide a stimulating analysis of the continuing tension between local authorities and the private sector. The former distrusts the profit orientation and sometimes the competence of private providers, and the latter mistrusts the competence and motives of local authorities. Hardy and Wistow's research shows the gap between the two is one of perception. In practice the values and approach of private sector providers are similar to those of the public sector.

The emphasis on users and carers in the changing social care system is reviewed by Twigg. The social model of disability has become the dominant influence in the disability lobby, but Twigg notes that many people with disabilities are locked in a world of relative poverty and limited expectations.

Carers and users often have different aspirations as well as different needs. The rhetoric of user empowerment sometimes melts in the face of services cuts and rationing. Despite the introduction of direct payments, few users wish to pursue their power as purchasers to shape the market.

Mapping social care in flux gives clues to the future. This book is an essential guide to the direction of travel.

Terry Bamford is a former executive director (housing and social services), Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea