The Sexual Abuse of Adolescent Girls: Social Workers' Child Protection Practice

by Stewart Kirk

Overview

First published in 1999, this volume examines the ‘meanings’ specific child protection cases involving the familial sexual abuse of adolescent girls hold for social workers. This is achieved through a qualitative analysis of a series of interviews with social workers regarding current or recent cases. The analysis reveals various influences on social workers’ practice: the organisation and administrative structure of child protection, governmental requirements to interagency coordination, the abused girl, her family, and the skills and limitations of the social worker. The findings point to a series of tensions between social workers’ perceptions of appropriate intervention practice on the one hand and organisational needs, the demands of the criminal justice system and client choice on the other. This leads to recommendations for improved in-service training, including joint training for social workers and police officers, and a review of the transitional procedures between child protection and adult services.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780429781377
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	01/04/2019
Series:	Routledge Revivals
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	285
File size:	657 KB

About the Author

Stewart Kirk

Table of Contents

1. Introduction. 2. Methodology. 3. Procedure and Organisation. 4. Practice and the Actions of Other Agencies. 5. The Girl and Practice. 6. The Girls’ Families and Practice. 7. The Worker and Practice. 8. Conclusion.

Editorial Reviews

Drawing from in-depth interviews with social workers about recent cases they have handled, Kirk (U. of York, England) investigates how a variety of factors influence the actions of the social workers in child protection cases involving the sexual abuse of adolescent girls by a family member. He finds five important factors: government policy and services, government mandates for inter-agency cooperation, the girl<-->especially her age<-->and the seriousness of the abuse, the perpetrators and other family members, and the skills and limitations of the social workers. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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