Subjects:

Family Law

Contents:

Introduction - the national and international legal and social policy context

forms of child abuse

issues in child abuse

the legal framework

the identification, investigation and initiation of proceedings

inter agency co-operation

evidence in civil child abuse cases

civil proceedings - care and supervision order proceedings in the family proceedings court, the county court and the high court

criminal proceedings

contact

representations procedure and judicial review

child abuse - into the next millennium.

The third edition of this text provides a comprehensive explanation of the complex legal framework that surrounds child abuse, written for all professionals and agencies responsible for protecting children. ""Child Abuse"" provides a practical account of the range of civil and criminal proceedings, and describes the interaction of the various disciplines involved in the process.;This new edition has been completely revised to reflect the extensive changes to the law relevant to the protection of children from abuse and the prosecution of child abusers. Changes include amendments to the Children Act 1989; the introduction of the Human Rights Act 1998; the Protection of Children Act 1999; the Care Standards Act 2000; the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000; the Crime and Disorder Act 1998; and the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999. Other issues addressed include a review of the several inquiries arising from failures in the child protection scheme and the establishment of CAFCASS.