ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the wider context within which the Henley Project was planned and developed. It discusses known links between high child protection referrals, other evidence of harm to children and aspects of disadvantage. The chapter discusses some approaches which have had success in preventing harm and the principles on which they have been based. It emphasises value of community wide, interdisciplinary strategies. The social and economic circumstances of substantial minorities of families are associated with difficulties in bringing up children in health and safety. In many hard pressed local authorities, the necessary attention to the core business of investigating allegations of abuse and setting up case conferences in child protection swallows up a huge proportion of resources. A strong emphasis is on training parents in child development and childcare and involvement and training to support other parents and maintain the work of Newpin.
