ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that it is possible to allow and plan for physical contact between children and their carers, within limits and within a framework of open awareness. It focuses on the importance of physical contact in children’s development, before making some more detailed suggestions about ways of approaching the problem. The chapter shows that physical contact can and should be acknowledged as an integral part of professional care for children. Employers rightly want residential care to be ‘safe’ for everyone, partly on moral grounds and from concern for the individuals involved, and partly because they do not want to be open to public condemnation or to be liable for prosecution. Consistency of practice across a care team is vital and underlines the need for sound management and care plans. Therapeutic work with children and young people is a very disciplined activity.
