Building Skills in High-Risk Families: Strategies for the Home-Based Practitioner

The book first discusses the foundations of in-home treatment, including cultural and family differences, community resources and networking, family assessment, building relationships, and detecting abuse and neglect. The intervention techniques of active listening, teaching, exploration, Effective Praise, metaphors, circular refocusing, criticism by suggestion, reframing, role playing, confrontation, mediation and contracting, and crisis intervention are described.

Identifying, increasing, and building on family strengths will make intervention quicker, more effective, and longer lasting. The book discusses how to create individualized treatment plans and a process called "phases" that helps the practitioner stay focused on treatment issues. Examples, references, and an index are also included.