
What is the best way to work with fathers who have a history of abusive behavior? This question is among the thorniest that social service and criminal justice professionals must deal with in their careers, and in this essential new work Jeffrey L. Edleson, Oliver J. Williams, and a group of international colleagues examine the host of equally difficult issues that surround it.Beginning with the voices of mothers and fathers who speak about men's contact with and parenting of their children, the authors then examine court and mental health services perspectives on how much involvement violent men should have in their children's lives. The second half of the book showcases programs such as the Boston-based Fathering After Violence initiative and the Caring Dads program in Canada, which introduce non-abusive parenting concepts and skills to batterers and have developed useful guidelines for intervention with these fathers.Visionary but also practical, Parenting by Men Who Batter distills the most relevant policy issues, research findings, and practice considerations for those who coordinate batterer programs or work with families, the courts, and the child welfare system. It guides professionals in understanding men who batter, assessing their parenting skills, making decisions about custody and visitation, and modeling treatment programs that engage fathers in their children's lives while maximizing safety.
This work investigates the complex intersection of domestic violence and fatherhood, specifically addressing how social service and legal systems can effectively assess and intervene with men who have histories of abusive behavior. Authors Jeffrey L. Edleson and Oliver J. Williams, alongside international contributors, synthesize research, policy, and clinical practice to navigate the tension between maintaining father-child relationships and ensuring the safety of children and mothers. The text provides a framework for evaluating parenting capacity in the context of battering and offers models for intervention programs that prioritize safety while addressing the behavioral patterns of abusive men.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Professionals in social work and family law identify this text as a foundational resource for navigating the difficult balance between parental rights and child safety. Experts frequently highlight the book's utility in bridging the gap between academic research and the practical, day-to-day requirements of child welfare and court systems.
Page Count:
176
Publication Date:
2006-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190294833
ISBN-13:
9780190294830
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