Child Protection Systems: International Trends and Orientations

Child Protection Systems: International Trends and Orientations provides an overview and analysis of developments in child protection systems across selected countries since the publication of Combatting Child Abuse: International Perspectives and Trends (Gilbert, 1997). The format of this book enables local contributors to offer an internal insight into policy and services developed to support and protect children, with the editors" concluding chapter providing an analytical international overview. This book is essential reading for anyone with a critical interest in the development of policy and practice surrounding child welfare. One of the strengths of the book arises from each chapter being written by an author from within each of the countries included in the publication. The reader is provided with a rare insight into not only a factual summary, but also an insider's critical analysis of the impact of changes in child-care provision. The significant diversity of local and national governance of provision results in challenges at the micro level in making international comparisons. For example, while the incidence of reporting, assessment and different forms of intervention are discussed in most chapters, it is somewhat frustrating that making direct comparisons is not possible. The concluding discussion, however, does draw on the preceding chapters both to make a direct comparison of placements out of the home and to offer some important insights that illustrate the complexity of responding to the needs of children. These data illustrate effectively how international comparisons are both complex and potentially misleading. The rate of out-of-home placements in each country, for example, is affected by the age of children placed, the reason for separation and the nature of the placements.