This new edition is essential reading for anyone concerned with improving child protection practice. Building on the strengths of the first edition, it provides a deeper understanding of how practice judgements and decisions can be improved in child protection work.

Updates include:

- an account of how intuition, emotion, and analytic thinking are combined in practice

- an analysis of how the nature of the task determines what combination is needed

- an updated chapter on how we can detect errors

- new material on how organisations can promote good reasoning skills

- a simpler way to understand risk assessment instruments.

Illustrated with detailed case studies throughout, it will be invaluable reading for students, researchers and practitioners in all areas of child protection, including social work, education, health and policing.

Eileen Munro is a Reader in Social Policy at the London School of Economics, specialising in child protection. Other publications include Child Protection (SAGE 2006).