This book provides a review of up-to-date theoretical and research findings in child and family social work. It is part of Springer’s Major Research Works series, with a focus on Social Work. It presents a critical analysis of emerging policy and methods of intervention for child and family wellbeing, resilience building, safeguarding and child protection, including global trends in childcare reform. Other areas of focus include, out of home care, family reintegration as well as recent debates around institutional care of children. Global policy developments and how these are transforming the way children are cared for in different parts of the world are discussed, including critical questions around social norms, interculture and cross-cultural issues, indigenist perspectives, ethics and values in social work with children and families. Chapters are drawn from experts in different parts of the world to provide a rich representation of varied perspectives on research and scholarshipin this field and demonstrate the implications for social work practice and policy developments.

Janestic Mwende Twikirize is an Associate Professor of social work at Makerere University, Uganda. She has authored and co-authored seven books and more than 20 journal articles and book chapters, and made more than 30 international conference presentations in the last 6 years. In 2024, she received a Makerere University Vice Chancellor’s award for outstanding research excellence. She is the current Secretary of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and previously served as Vice President of the Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA). She is involved in several international academic partnerships and collaborative research projects globally, regionally and locally. Her research interests include decolonisation and indigenisation of social work, child and family social work, international social work and migration and social transformation.

Kwabena Frimpong-Manso is a senior lecturer in social work at the University of Suffolk in the UK. He has over 30 journal articles and book chapters and has presented at several international conferences. He is an executive member of the International Research Network on Transitions to Adulthood from Care. His research interests focus on child protection, care-leaving, alternative care for children, and community development.