Child Advocacy: Psychological Issues and Interventions

ISBN-13: 9781461335894 / Angielski / Miękka / 2012 / 228 str.

Gary Melton

Opis

The details of the history of child advocacy have been vividly described in an article by Takanishi (1978). In reviewing her work and that of others, four historical phases in child advocacy can be identified: 1. The first period was the evolution of the concept of childhood as a distinct and separate developmental stage. Aries (1962) has described how the concept of childhood as a period different from adulthood did not evolve philosophically until the sixteenth century. It was only after that time, through the influence of Rousseau and other philosophers, that childhood was seen, at first romantically, and later more realistically, as a special time for growth and learning, with unique styles and mechanisms. 2. It was not until the nineteenth century, however, with the rapid rise that a formal effort was made to of science and major socioeconomic changes identify and try to meet children's needs. A number of organizations specifi- cally devoted to children arose and attempts to help children in ways consis- tent with the developing knowledge became a major social issue. Initially, the interest was in children's health with infant mortality, child labor, and safety as paramount issues. Although socioeconomic factors initiated the change (children's labor was no longer economically necessary), a basic humanistic philosophy underlay this phase. Major dedication to alleviating the pain and injury done to children who were helpless to defend themselves and who were being deprived of opportunities for growth became the goal.

Spis treści

1 Children’s Rights: The Foundation of Child Advocacy.- What are Children’s Rights?.- Attitudes toward Children’s Rights.- Factor Structure of Rights Attitudes.- Factors Affecting Attitudes.- Social Welfare Orientation and Child Saving.- Problems of “Informed Consent”.- The Social Scientist’s Role in Child Advocacy.- 2 The Consumer’s Point of View: Children’s Concepts of Their Rights.- Children’s Legal Status.- Review of the Literature and Hypotheses.- Method.- Results and Discussion.- Effects of Maturation and Social Class.- Content of Children’s Concerns about Rights.- Implications for Public Policy and Educational Practice.- 3 Human Ecology and Child Advocacy.- Support Systems.- The Quality of Life.- Ecological Assessment.- A Framework for Evaluation.- The Case of John H..- Conclusions.- 4 Social Interventions with Children.- Child Therapy.- Problems of Current Outcome Research.- Vocational Treatments.- The Need for Social Change.- Vocationally Oriented Psychotherapy.- New Haven’s Residential Youth Center.- Educational Treatments.- Rochester Primary Mental Health Project.- Interpersonal Cognitive Problem-Solving Training.- Primary Prevention.- Problems of Implementation.- 5 The Nature of Advocacy.- Forms of Advocacy.- Inside or Outside.- Class or Case.- Toward Clinical Advocacy.- Direct Psychological Benefits.- Summary: The Case of George R..- 6 Administrative Advocacy: Changing Bureaucracies.- The Nature of Bureaucracy.- Weberian Theory.- Bureaucratic Personality.- The Client’s Perspective.- Administrative Remedies.- Regulating Children’s Advertising.- History of Regulation of Children’s Advertising.- Conclusions.- Making Bureaucracy Responsive.- Ombudsmen.- Rule Making.- The Need for Evaluation.- The Problem of Expertise.- 7 Legislative Advocacy: Lobbying on Behalf of Children.- The Need for Lobbying.- Who Lobbies on Behalf of Children?.- Public Interest Lobbies.- Professional Interests.- Problems of Coalition Building.- Needed: Rationality and Commitment.- Tactics.- Direct Contact.- Use of Intermediaries.- Testimony.- Grassroots Campaigns and Protests.- Legal Problems Connected with Lobbying.- Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act.- Tax Reform Act of 1976.- Training and Research Needs.- 8 Legal Advocacy: Social Change and the Law.- Bringing Child Psychology to the Courtroom.- Some Paradigm Problems.- Practical Problems in Use of the Courts.- Changes Wrought by the Courts.- Children and Liberty.- Children and the Right to Treatment.- Conclusions.- 9 Concepts of Childhood: Implications for Child Advocacy.- Childhood in the Context of Modern Philosophy.- The Ethnology of the Child.- The Child and Authority.- Practices and Rigor: Theories of Causal Circumstances.- The Ideology of Childhood.- Conclusions: An Agenda for Advocacy.- Appendix: Children’s Rights Interview.- References.- Table of Cases.- Author Index.