While adults battle, children suffer: future problems for Iraq

The recent International Committee of the Red Cross report, Civilians without Protection, makes it clear that the conflict in Iraq is inflicting immense suffering on the civilian population.[1] Mental health as an aspect of suffering in war has been receiving increasing attention, with particular concerns centring on children because of their vulnerability and the growing … Read more

“Do Animals go to Heaven?”

You never know what the really significant events in a child’s life are likely to be, let alone when they are going to happen. But when they do occur there is always the challenge of the unpredictable questions that these events provoke. With this in mind let me try to describe a sequence of events … Read more

Educate the Parents to Educate the Child

As the festivities come to an end for another year, it is important to remember that although it is a period of great joy for many, for some it is a very difficult time, filled with feelings of isolation and loss, and for others who cannot afford to celebrate it is dominated by feelings of … Read more

Merry Christmas

I spent the weeks leading up to Christmas wandering around watching all the hurly burly as usual. People dashing around, pushing and shoving each other, banging into each other with huge bags of shopping and generally showing a great lack of goodwill. Sometimes if I was tired I just sat on the steps around the … Read more

Accountability and Resolutions

Over the last few months I have been waxing lyrically about the importance of accepting that all of us are accountable for the state we find our world in. We are accountable for all the many small and large problems. It is our responsibility to do something to rectify the damage.We are also accountable for … Read more

Heroes and Role Models

A hundred years ago, children in schools were taught about heroes and heroines. They were people to be admired. They had shown bravery and courage, or devotion and compassion. They were selfless, sometimes unassuming, sometimes talented and brilliant. They were often people who had made Britain great in the days of the Empire. Admiral Nelson, … Read more

Learning from History : Lesson 5 :Realistic Expectations

In the August 2007 edition of the Webmag, we explained that a study of social work files covering the last three or four decades had suggested that there were lessons for today’s practitioners. For the purpose of this series, six topics have been chosen, and in each case, David Lane describes what he has found … Read more

Bridge to Terebithia

Panel Review The Daily Mirror gave this DVD five stars. “The best family film you’ll see all year”, they said, while the Daily Star gave it 10 out of 10 – “charming, magical and moving”. Our Panel agreed. “This a brilliant story for anyone having a tough time”, they said. “It shows how people do … Read more

Who Thinks about the Ripples?

Quite often these days I do not watch programmes on TV which I suspect will be harrowing. There is only so much grief and despair which one can take on, and so, if I can choose to avoid it being beamed into my sitting room, I do so. This is why I did not intend … Read more