Children in the Urban Environment: Linking Social Policy and Clinical Practice

Since the first edition of this book, American cities have experienced great changes with revitalization and enrichment by ever-increasing and diverse immigrant groups from around the world. As in the past, cities become home to those seeking new opportunities while also harboring those suffering economic deprivation. The chapters in this book discuss the cost in human terms of some of the missing opportunities for urban children and youth, and guide practitioners in their attempts to understand the impact of social policy and social service agencies on clinical practice. Key social factors, economic determinants, and childhood problems are discussed, including poverty, immigrant status, community and school violence, and youth gangs. Also examined are factors closer to home: parent-to-child violence, teenage parents, out-of-home placements, substance abuse in families, AIDS, homelessness, and runaway children. The key problems are wide-ranging and daunting, but the authors consider the full spectrum of services that are needed to improve the quality of life for children and to safeguard their futures. The breadth and depth of the book's analysis inspires hope for understanding children's environments, identifying the causes of childhood problems, and formulating effective policies and programs to help at-risk youngsters. This new edition provides a significant resource for students and professionals in social work, family counseling, human services, psychology, and criminal justice.