ABSTRACT
Social workers engage with children in a variety of settings. They often hold a significant amount of power over children and families. This chapter examines the areas of child social work practice, including family support, early intervention, well-being in school, community work, aboriginal practice, youth work, youth justice and intersections between health and social work with children. It focuses on practice in English-speaking countries including the UK, Ireland, Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand. The chapter illustrates some of the most commonly referenced theories used in practice with children regardless of context. It provides some illustration of the impact of theory in practice in a few sample locations. Social work's evolution slowly brought psychological and social theories into its mix, particularly as the schools of social work started to spread. The chapter explores a ‘plurality of possible ways’ children’s well-being has been approached by practitioners with a myriad of theoretical underpinnings.
