This text provides the basics of child welfare, including an overview of the generalist perspective, a history of child welfare, and a discussion of child welfare services; however, it is distinguished by its multicultural approach.

The text includes chapters on working with diverse family systems, including African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islander, and American Indian families. This new edition also incorporates discussion and analysis of the many changes in child welfare policy since the early 1990s, including Family Preservation, the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act, and the Welfare Reform Act of 1996. New material is also presented on child maltreatment and child welfare in rural America, kinship care, the link between the community and the family, and managed care.

Chapter contributors, in conjunction with lead author Neil Cohen, include instructors and professionals who are at the forefront of new developments in child welfare. Case examples are included throughout the text to provide topical and multicultural illustrations of the concepts presented and to aid classroom discussion.