Supporting adult care-leavers: International good practice

Description

Growing up in care is not just a part of childhood, but can have ongoing impacts across a person's life. Various inquiries have revealed accounts of abuse and neglect, and a fracturing of family relationships. Organised thematically to allow comparison of different initiatives, this book considers the range of responses to adult care leavers in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK. Initiatives examined include public inquiries, symbolic acknowledgements, redress schemes, specialist support services, access to personal records and family reunification programs. Featuring detailed case studies and examples of good practice, this is an excellent international source book for practitioners and policy makers in social work and social care.

Associate Professor Suellen Murray is based in the Centre for Applied Social Research at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. She has specialised in research in two areas of social policy: the life histories of adult care-leavers and related social policy and social work practice; and violence against women and its related policy and practice responses. Suellen is the author of several books and numerous papers on social work and social policy.

"An ambitious book on an immensely significant but often marginalised topic. Suellen Murray's respectful, accessible and compassionate writing provides a foundation for cross-pollination of policy ideas and practices. A must-read." Cathy Humphreys, Professor of Social Work, University of Melbourne "A pioneering work in the largely uncharted, and vast, territory of life after care. In bringing together diverse areas of existing work, this valuable book will be welcomed by a global audience." Dr Jim Goddard, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Bradford, Chairperson, Care Leavers Association