ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some of the ideas Hamish Canham included in his many talks to social workers, teachers, and other health and social care professionals. Hamish Canham presenting is drawn from his lecture notes, entitled Ascertaining the Wishes and Feelings of Children. The examples in Canham’s lecture demonstrate just how complex a matter it is to take account of the “ascertainable wishes and feelings” of children and young people. His clinical observations clearly show what he sees as the difference between a wish and a feeling and how these relate to the difficult issue of advising local authorities and the family courts about the best interests of children. Ascertaining the wishes and feelings of children is never a simple matter and even when their views are strongly stated; it is possible that their best interests lie elsewhere.
