Those working with families in the field of child abuseoften find themselves becoming intimately involved with Family Law. Although the involvement may produce confusion and frustration in professionals untrained in the law, it may also help facilitate appropriate and effective treatment of severely disordered families. A legal framework can help those working in the mental health field and a psychotherapeutic understanding of individuals, families and groups can aid lawyers steer families more effectively and humanely through the legal process. Roger Kennedy here describes and analyses the work of the Cassel Hospital in England, an internationally renowned centre for the treatment of families with severe emotional and psychological problems whose children are at risk and have been abused. For such families, and their mental health workers, the law can be seen as offering an emergency escape route for the abused child. Through many detailed case studies, the author illustrates the work of the hospital, including in- depth psychotherapeutic work and rehabilitation with the families, the purpose of which is to avoid the finality of legal proceedings and inevitable breakup of families. The extensive experience recorded in this book illustrates the complicated issues arising from the interaction between families, the law and mental health workers. Although based in England, the work of the Cassel Hospital will be rewarding to any professional working in the field of child protection.

"This is a fascinating and well written book, relevant both to those working in family therapy and to other mental health workers who seek insight into the issue of family dysfunction." Mental Health Care March 1998

"The most powerful aspect of this book is the use of case material. This brings to life what could otherwise be a somewhat abstract disscussion of risk and abuse issues in hard-to-reach families." Counselling News December 1997