Developing reflective practice challenges a number of stereotypes about social work. Far from not having a knowledge base, the writers demonstrate that expert practitioners use a wide range of existing theories and methodologies. The writers, all students on Goldsmith College's Advanced Programme, also widened their theoretical base by accessing the expertise of other professionals. Like any experts they know when they do not have the skills to do the work unaided, and to take the initiative in supplementing what they know and can do.

As a result their expertise as social workers shines out. Far from being bound by organisational procedures, they were creative in tailoring their work to individual children and young people. The chapters show how social work can make a difference to the way young people face their pasts and live their futures.

The book provides a welcome resource for identifying what needs to be in place for social workers to become expert in what they do. This cannot be achieved without support from experienced colleagues and access to other professions. Good practice is essentially interprofessional and crosses organisational boundaries. This recognition has all too often been absent in recent years, when supervision has often concentrated on accountability for budgets and procedures.

Important though this is, it is not enough if we are to move from routine to skilled practice tailored to the specific support required by individual children and young people. The opportunity to reflect on practice is essential if social workers are to develop their expertise and provide services that are child and young people centred.

A second theme is that good practice cannot be sustained if social workers cannot face the pain of working with young people who have had severe and damaging experiences (DoH, 1988). The fact that without support most workers will not hear what young people are saying has been well established for many years. We ignore this knowledge to the peril of young people's futures. The Quality Protects initiative has made these futures the core business of organisations working with children and young people.