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Book exploring global child welfare set to be launched at the House of Lords
Nick Frost, Professor of Social Work at Leeds Beckett and a national expert in child welfare, has helped to develop the book, which considers the challenges faced by children globally, and the difference families, services and professionals can make.
The book, the Routledge Handbook of Global Child Welfare, provides a compelling account of child welfare, grounded in the latest theory, policy and practice, and will be launched at the House of Lords on Tuesday 17 October by Doreen Elizabeth Massey, Baroness Massey of Darwen and Labour member of the House of Lords.
The launch at the House of Lords will bring together leaders in the field of Children’s Rights from across the globe. Briefings will be delivered on key themes from selected chapters such as preventing child sexual exploitation, the de-institutionalisation of children and the process and outcomes relating to multidisciplinary work with children and young people.
Briefings will be presented by Professor Frost, alongside Professor Pat Dolan, Director of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway, Professor Jenny Pearce, University of Bedfordshire, and Georgette Mulheir from the Lumos Foundation.
A qualified and registered social worker, Professor Frost gained 15 years’ experience in local authorities before moving into an academic career. He has been Professor of Social Work (Childhood, children and families) at Leeds Beckett since 2007 and has published books and articles on social work practice with families and children.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Professor Nick Frost. said: “It was a great pleasure to work with Pat Dolan in editing this collection of articles. We hope we have provided a comprehensive overview of global developments. Whilst it was impossible to cover every country and every theme, we hope we have highlighted the key challenges and suggested some realistic directions of travel for the future. Our volume does not explicitly cover issues common to all children, health and education, for example: it is concerned with children who may be regarded as ‘vulnerable’ and/or amongst the most disadvantaged on the planet.”
Professor Pat Dolan co-editor of the book and Director of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway, said: “This ambitious and far-reaching handbook is essential reading for everyone working to make the world a better and safer place for children. Whether it is deaths resulting from child protection failures, sexual abuse and exploitation or the impact of war and famine, child refugees, or the simple fact that corporal punishment is still in existence in a third of the world’s countries, the effects of these issues on children requires collective responses and calls for something to be done. This book brings together a group of leading commentators, academics and activists to offer a considered examination of the challenges and hopefulness towards solutions.”
Drawing on eminent international expertise, the book offers a coherent and comprehensive overview of the policies, systems and practices that can deliver the best outcomes for children.
In August Professor Frost was announced as the new Chair of the Calderdale Safeguarding Children Board. Professor Frost has also acted as an advisor and referee for the British government and for the governments of the Republic of Ireland, Spain and Denmark. He was appointed Chair of North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Board in 2012.