This practical guide gives foster parents and other child welfare professionals information, training tips, and copious references for those who want to go beyond the basics. The developmental needs and normal behaviour of different age groups are discussed throughout. Signs and symptoms of sexual abuse are presented according to the child's age.

Chapters include information on sex and sexuality, distinguishing normal from abnormal sexual behavior, treatment methods, research on sexual abuse assessment and methods, concerns about the sexually aggressive child, emotional cost of treating sexual abuse survivors in foster care, and a look ahead to recommended research topics and improvements in training foster parents and other professionals. Sally Hoyle recognizes that those who work in foster care are extremely busy, and condenses a large amount of information into bulleted lists for easy reference.