Protecting powers

Drawing on two research projects on emergency intervention led by the author and her colleagues, this book examines how urgent child protection decisions are made. Its findings are organised around three themes: how agencies work together, how practitioners judge safety, and the question of where children are placed and what resources are available.

The author combines quantitative and qualitative methods to build a detailed picture of practice. Rather than simply recording procedures, she looks at how the people involved understand and experience these decisions. Her sources include social workers, police officers, magistrates and magistrates' legal advisers, as well as the lawyers who advise social workers and parents.

The book offers a critical review of current emergency child protection practice. It highlights examples of good practice and sets out proposals for reform.