Now fully updated and with up-to-the-minute guidance, this is the only book you will need to make sense of the key elements of law involved in social work with children and families in England and Wales

Now fully updated and with up-to-the-minute guidance, this is the only book you will need to make sense of the key elements of law involved in social work with children and families in England and Wales.

Accessible and jargon-free, this everyday reference explains the fundamental concepts of parental responsibility and human rights, and the provisions of private and public law, including care proceedings and adoption. This second edition incorporates recent changes including the Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance for inter-agency working, the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Crime and Courts Act 2013 as well as the latest case law. Checklists, charts and highlighted points allow for easy reference, and illustrative case scenarios put the law into context.

This comprehensive and easy-to-use guide will be an invaluable resource for practising social workers, as well as trainees, students and those studying for post-qualifying awards.

"Most of the chapters are punctuated by relevant and recent case law examples... this book is a useful tool for social workers... This book is comprehensive in its coverage of the vast array of issues in children and families law and... is very readable, bringing the complexity of this terrain to life." - Professional Social Work