Children Forsaken

A shocking reminder of the cruel history of childhood that has been largely hidden and forgotten.
Children Forsaken provides a long, historical, overarching examination of the phenomenon of child abuse. In the UK battered child syndrome was 'discovered' in the 1960s, whilst child sexual abuse gained attention in the early 1980s. Subsequent enquiries, legislation and practice developments have focused narrowly on reacting to events giving the impression that child abuse is a recent problem.

Yet the historical record provides a multitude of examples of the ritual slaughter, sexual and physical abuse of children continuing since Ancient times. This book place child abuse in the context of the way children and childhood have been understood throughout the ages, but also show that despite legal definitions, and children's rights laws, children and young people continue to suffer.

This book enables practitioners and those training in the helping professions to gain a deeper understanding of how embedded in human society child abuse has been and still is. Practitioners need to perceive child abuse as a long-standing problem about children's status in the World, their legal and human rights, and that much work is still needed to ensure children's needs and safety are paramount.

This ambitious book paints an important and erudite picture of child abuse and social responses to it, bringing us up-to-date with a call for continued vigilance, compassion, and action.
Professor Jonathan Parker, Bournemouth University.

Steven Walker is an Alumnus of the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he gained an MSc in Social Work and Social Policy. He has an MPhil in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and qualified as a Psychotherapist in 1992. Steven worked in Child Protection and CAMHS for 20 years and then Head of Child and Adolescent Mental Health at Anglia Ruskin University, where he designed and developed award-winning multi-disciplinary CAMH training.

Steven has published 14 text books, presented his research at 15 International Conferences and published over 50 scholarly papers for International Journals. Steven is a former Unicef Children's Champion, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a member of the International Council of Professional Therapists. He works as an Expert Witness in Child Care and CAMHS legal cases, a visiting lecturer at the University of Essex, a volunteer Psychotherapist with the Youth Enquiry Service charity and is a member of the Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Coalition.