I am proud to announce that the book I have been working on for the last year is due for publication very soon!
Child to Parent Violence and Abuse, a Practitioner’s Guide to Working with Families, published by Pavilion, is the culmination of my collecting testimony over a much longer period of time – listening particularly to families for their insights into the kinds of support which have been helpful, or not. At the same time, social workers, schools workers, practitioners within housing, domestic abuse, the police, and health have also shared their experiences both of successful interventions and of the horror of not knowing how to help. I have tried to make it accessible and practical. By that I mean that it is not particularly academic, though there are plenty of references to follow up for those who want a more academic approach; and it is full of suggestions of things to think about and to do, as well as places to find resources or more information. I fear I may have disappointed anyone hoping for a step by step, walk-you-through every possible scenario. As we learn more about child to parent violence and abuse, we see that each family’s situation and experience is unique to them and so it would be impossible to cover every eventuality. There are, however, enough commonalities to offer clear guidelines, based on an understanding of the issues, and a challenge to put aside myths and stereotypes.
Whether you work with families full time or once in a while, whether you consider ourself highly experienced or just starting out, whether you are in a statutory setting or a small voluntary group, I hope there will be something in there for everyone who encounters this issue, to enable you to feel better equipped to offer families the support they so desperately need.
I would like to acknowledge and thank all those who have made this possible, whether through talking about their own experiences, sharing research and thinking, or offering encouragement and practical help; and of course Pavilion over the last months for the publication process itself.
This is just a taster! I hope to be able to offer more news soon.
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