Preface

Professionals working in child welfare and child protection are making decisions with crucial implicationsfor children and families on a daily basis. The types of judgments and decisions they make vary and include determining whether to substantiate a child abuse allegation, whether a child is at risk of significant harm by parents, and whether to remove a child from home or reunify a child with parents after some time in care. These decisions are intended to help achieve the best interests of the child. Unfortunately, they can sometimes also doom children and families unnecessarily to many years of pain and suffering