Books in the Child Welfare: A Series in Child Welfare Practice, Policy, and Research series

Many countries are struggling with issues involving the definition of child maltreatment, reporting requirements, processes for responding to reports, and services to abused children and their families. This book illustrates approaches to dealing with these problems by examining and comparing the designs of child abuse systems.

The rise in HIV infection, particularly among heterosexual women and children, is forcing social workers and other service providers to confront a wide range of new public policy problems. Stein provides an overview of public policy and legislation regarding these issues, including federal and state statutes governing public services.

Kinship Foster Care: Policy, Practice, and Research assembles the thinking and research of experts from several professional fields concerning what has become the fastest growing type of substitute care for children by the state. The editors have contributed the initial and concluding chapters of the book, and the lead chapter in each of its three sections.

This work offers an overview of child welfare systems. It examines child abuse reporting patterns and discusses placement in foster care, reunification, and adoption. It also looks at public child welfare practice, and features examples of the children and families served by this system.