Visitor's Intervention
T his case study outlines the interventions of a specialist health visitor in an assessment and treatment programme for an emotionally abused child in a family setting. A behaviour modi®cation programme, suggested by a child psychologist, had already failed to produce any signi®cant change in the family. The programme devised by the specialist health visitor used the assessment and intervention techniques contained in The Emotionally Abused and Neglected Child by Dorota Iwaniec (1995) and descriptions of normal child development from Fitting the Pieces Together by V. Fahlberg (1988). Apart from attempting to break the cycle of emotional harm that health visitors observe on a regular basis, the saving on scarce mental health and social services budgets could be signi®cant.
The case study demonstrates that the intensive work programme with the family, with support and supervision from other community professionals, can circumvent the disruption and further damage to a child who may otherwise be removed from home as a consequence of serious emotional risk. A professional and a practice checklist are outlined to assist intervention.
Case Study
Amy was born the ®rst child of a two-parent family, where a normal pregnancy and birth were recorded. Amy's mother CCC 0952±9136/98/010058±05. $17.