Garland Publishing Inc. Description: This book consists of 36 chapters each dealing with a different issue of
child protection teams. Many of the authors are the old standbys of the child
protection movement
but some new chapters have been added since the 1978 handbook. The new handbook
includes more articles written by social workers and is somewhat more realistic
than was the 1978 handbook. Each chapter has its own bibliography and there is
an index for the book as a whole. Discussion: In general, this handbook is a great improvement over the 1978 edition but it remains uneven relative to the value and accuracy of individual chapters. Chapters 16, 17, and 18, which deal with real team dynamics, are interesting and helpful. However, there is no chapter devoted to erroneous charges and how to determine them. The chapter on team recommendations and the courts is disappointing and there is no chapter discussing the importance of allowing persons who are charged with child abuse to address the team. The impression from reading the book is that we should be wary of committee decisions in terms of the rights of individuals and that we have learned little about child protection teams and child abuse during the past 10 years. Reviewed by LeRoy Schultz, a professor of social work at 708 Allen Hall, Suite 710, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506.
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