This is a rigorous scholarly text dedicated to a very real social problem, and it does try to identify successful and unsuccessful community and state-wide attempts to prevent or reduce youth problems. It doesn't pretend to be a self-help book or parenting manual, or indeed a profound philosophical or political analysis.

Tags: adolescents, children, parents, Research

Clearly written, down to Earth and at times humorous, this book is a practical guide to working with teens and adolescents. It is bursting with real life examples of characters who howl, swear, make up fantastic stories and fall asleep throughout their sessions -- but whom Bromfield portrays with respect and usually with affection.

Tags: adolescents, listening, therapy

This book works well as a manual for parents. It is clearly written, it has plenty of real life examples and regular eye-catching bite-sized summaries, and it convincingly explains the importance and the process of listening to your children's feelings, thereby defusing arguments before they start. For many parents, it may be a godsend.

Tags: children, listening, parents