The Voice of Children in Social Work Assessments: What They Say? or What They Play?

In recent years social care policy makers in Ireland and beyond have been heard to advocate for 'The Voice of the Child'. This laudable position marks progress for children's involvement in matters concerning their well being and future. This is particularly pertinent in the area of child protection and welfare social work. But how is an approach highlighting The Voice of the Child to be applied on the ground? This book documents a plethora of research that maintains that Play is the langauge of children and the most effective way to learn about children is through their Play. One of the most important messages from this research is that social workers need to be skilled communicators to engage with children about their experiences which are often painful, sensitive or inaccessible at a verbal level. The term 'Play Skills' describes a set of playful and creative activities designed to engage with children in relation to their experiences. The author designed a Play Skills Training Programme to support social workers to engage with children in an age-appropriate manner during child protection and welfare assessments.