Abstract

Some children face traumatic or difficult events in their lives, and it's essential that they are helped to understand such events and given permission to talk. To do this, helping adults need to be equipped and confident to start these conversations.

Conversation Starters for Direct Work with Children and Young People provides guidance and support for any adult who needs to talk to children about difficult issues. The issues covered include domestic abuse and drug use, mental health issues, adoption and fostering, family illness and bereavement, as well as giving evidence in court.

Co-authored by the bestselling author of Direct Work with Vulnerable Children and Direct Work with Family Groups, this book combines seasoned practice wisdom with practical examples and activity ideas to enable you to best help the children in your care.

Audrey Tait is a Senior Practitioner with the Children and Families Practice Team, City of Edinburgh Council. She has over 20 years' experience working with children in social work settings.

Becky Dunn is a Senior Practitioner delivering child protection training for Edinburgh Council, and has worked with children for 15 years in a variety of settings.

This book is built on longstanding knowledge and experience. It will provide professionals a suite of resources and ideas that can inform their own practice and add to the emotional toolkit of our most vulnerable young people as they journey through their lives.
Paul Hunter, Head Teacher, St. Catherine's R.C. Primary School, Edinburgh
Audrey and Becky have written a thoughtful, practical and sensitive book which will help practitioners to communicate with children and young people. Audrey and Becky are qualified social workers, and draw on their own experiences of engaging with children and young people about subjects which are difficult for adults and children to talk about. Although titled 'conversation' starters, one of the joys of this book is that it doesn't only rely on talk-based encounters, and describes activities which have been road-tested by children and the authors. I will be recommending it to social work students and to practitioners on our post-qualifying Masters in Applied Professional Studies (Child Welfare and Protection).
Helen Whincup, Lecturer in Social Work, Faculty of Applied Social Science, University of Stirling