Child Well-Being ─ Understanding Children's Lives

Child well-being is increasingly being talked about in policy and practice nationally and internationally. However, a lack of clarity remains about the concept and how it may be of benefit to children, families and professionals.

This book brings together contributions from international experts in order to define child well-being and to enhance our understanding of children's lives and how they can be improved. Issues covered include whether the concept assists professionals such as social workers, teachers and youth workers in their work with children; how children can contribute to the understanding of child well-being; and how the idea is being used in government policy and practice. The book also covers recent advances in the exploration of indicators and measures of well-being, and the importance of context in making comparisons. A concluding chapter explores whether child well-being is a useful concept in understanding children's lives, whether it contributes positively to policy and practice, and the value of international comparisons.

This edited collection is essential reading for all those involved in understanding children's lives and who have responsibility for improving them, including practitioners, policymakers, students and academics.

Colette McAuley is Professor of Social Work at the School of Applied Social Science at University College Dublin. She has published widely in the area of children and families, and is co-editor of Enhancing the Well-Being of Children and Families through Effective Interventions with Peter J. Pecora and Wendy Rose, published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Wendy Rose OBE is Senior Research Fellow at the Open University, UK and a former policy maker in the Department of Health. She works on national and international child welfare research development projects and has published widely.