Abstract
The mistreatment of children is a complex, pervasive and common problem in every society. Furthermore, no single agency can be expected to prevent, detect and manage child abuse comprehensively alone. Treatment of Child Abuse: Common Ground for Mental Health, Medical and Legal Practitioners is keenly aware of this and provides an excellent overview of the different roles specialists may play and how they might intersect.
The discussion of the role of medical practitioners is admirably thorough, ranging from comprehensive chapters on topics you may expect (such as how to manage the sequelae of physical and sexual abuse, how to assess and treat failure to thrive), all the way through to how to deal with the psychological consequences of such work to the healthcare provider. These chapters are expanded by discussions on how to properly equip medical professionals with the skills needed to tackle child abuse. This ranges from enhancing the knowledge base of already existing emergency medicine physicians through to the qualities and skills needed to be a child abuse paediatrician or a specialist within child and adolescent mental health services. Each of these chapters serves as a blueprint for both individual doctors and service provision as a whole.
The chapters on psychological interventions are also very impressive, managing not only to offer a potted guide to the theory and practice behind approaches such as trauma-focused cognitive-based therapy but also to provide a brief overview of their evidence base to date. These chapters also emphasise the role of caregivers, not just as potential abusers or bystanders but also as stakeholders in the therapeutic process.
This book is also to be praised for successfully tackling what may be regarded as difficult subjects. The management of sexually problematic behaviour in children and adolescents is discussed judiciously with rigorous reference to the academic literature.
The principal drawback to this book is that it is largely written and directed towards an American readership. For most topics, this proves no problem as the principles of sound practice are widely applicable. However, those chapters dealing with legislation or various intra-governmental bodies, although as clear and comprehensive as other chapters in this book, are less relevant to the international reader. The chapter on cultural considerations within minority groups is a key example of this, focusing only on those groups one is likely to encounter in a North American context.
These minor issues aside, this is an excellent starting resource for any professional who may have to deal with children at risk of abuse, while giving more experienced practitioners a clearer insight into the role and practice of colleagues from other disciplines. The editors and their contributors have produced a textbook which offers both concision and depth on an impressive range of disparate, but vital topics.