Ann Buchanan

As the new Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) takes over responsibility for the work previously undertaken by family court welfare officers, the experiences of the parents and children reported in this study will provide an invaluable service user perspective for the benefit of policy and practice. For the first time children, as well as parents, who have been subject to a court welfare report under Section 8 of the 1989 Children Act have been asked for their views on the process. Parents and children made suggestions for changing and improving the service.

Although most families do not repeat the patterns of abuse of their childhood, there is evidence that, for whatever reason, substantial numbers do. This book explores continuing intergenerational cycles of child maltreatment and the controversies that surround the theories, focusing mainly on physical abuse, neglect, and emotional abuse, rather than sexual abuse. Examining the facts and the fallacies permeating the international literature, the author suggests that in intergenerational child maltreatment, there may not be just one cycle, but four separate cycles: sociopolitical factors; recurring cultural patterns; psychological factors; and biological factors. Interventions need to be focused on each cycle independently to attempt to break the cycle of child maltreatment. Ann Buchanan draws on her wide range of both academic and research experience in this field, as well as on her clinical experience, to bring together both the theories and research in the mechanisms of transmission, and the practical aspects of interventions. The book is easily accessible with clear summaries and will prove an excellent introduction to all those working with children and families.