Promoting Children's Wellbeing: Policy and Practice

Collins, Janet and Foley, Pam (eds.) (2008).
Bristol, UK: Policy Press; 267 pages. $35.95. ISBN 9781847420596.

This textbook is part of Policy Press’ Working Together for Children trilogy. As the second book in the series, it builds upon the first book entitled, Connecting with Children and is followed by the book, Changing Children’s Services. True to the publisher’s claim, educators and researchers will find this illustrative teaching text an excellent resource full of examples and prompts that are certain to elicit thoughtful discussions. The seven chapters, written by multiple authors from different disciplines, are as follows: Chapter 1 – “Children and Identity” by Victoria Cooper and Janet Collins; Chapter 2 – “Children Negotiating Identities” by Susan Johnstone-Wilder and Janet Collins; Chapter 3 – “Health Matters” by Pam Foley; Chapter 4 – “Play Matters” by Doug Springate and Pam Foley; Chapter 5 – “Anxieties and Risks” by Mark Gladwin and Janet Collins; Chapter 6 – “Staying Safe” by James Blewett and Pam Foley; and Chapter 7 – “Children, Families and the Law” by Michael Isles. Although the book is meant to be a general reference and is not specifically about physical environments as they relate to children’s well-being, chapters 1, 3, 4, and 6 briefly address the importance of place and physical environments. Quotes from both children and practitioners, combined with easy-to-read charts and diagrams, make this book very accessible and enjoyable to read. Each chapter includes boxes that highlight core questions, thinking points, practice problems, and key points. CYE readers seeking concise and relevant examples of policy and practice focused on promoting children’s well-being will find this book useful.

Bambi Yost

Bambi Yost, MLA, MURP, is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in Design and Planning at the University of Colorado at Denver.