A study was conducted to investigate reductions in the numbers of social work posts located within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in the UK. Results suggested that reductions in posts noted in earlier studies are continuing. Interviewees' ideas about factors contributing to the survival of such posts are summarised. The significance of the loss of posts is discussed, with an account of changing ideas about the role of social workers within CAMHS teams, and of an audit undertaken of one service lacking such a post. Conclusions are drawn concerning ways of ensuring the preservation of such posts.

As sustained methylphenidate becomes available in the United Kingdom, there is likely to be considerable demand related to the difficulties that frequently arise with standard methylphenidate due to the need for midday doses at school, as well as the pronounced ‘on/off’ therapeutic effects sometimes seen with multiple doses. This article briefly discusses longer acting stimulants, reviews the available literature, anticipates possible problems in the use of slow release methylphenidate, and presents clinical guidelines for its use.

This paper describes the care arrangements made for children when their mothers are admitted to psychiatric hospital. It also describes at admission, and at 3 months follow-up, the views and opinions of mothers and carers with regard to the admission, its impact on the family, and the service received. It was found that children are predominantly cared for within their family when their mother is admitted to hospital, and that mothers and carers are concerned about the impact of the admission and its associated problems.

This review describes the current situation with regard to diagnostic instruments for Asperger syndrome. The paucity of such instruments, and the lack of adequate standardisation data amongst the few that do exist, represent a serious omission for both clinicians and researchers. The major problem limiting the development of effective diagnostic or screening instruments is the confusion inherent in ICD-10 and DSM-1V systems in differentiating autism from Asperger syndrome. In the absence of clear and clinically satisfactory diagnostic criteria, efforts to develop valid assessment instruments may be attempting to put the horse before the cart!

I have what I consider to be a healthy scepticism regarding new assessment instruments. Many of these are announced with great enthusiasm but fairly rapidly disappear or are used mainly by those who have developed them and by their associates.

Although the tone of the paper by Gowers et al. (2000) seems rather strong on enthusiasm and perhaps a little lacking in its critical view, I do have great respect for colleagues associated with development of HoNOSCA and other respected colleagues talk well of it. Clearly, it deserves careful scrutiny. For me relevant questions include: ‘Is it easy to use?’, ‘Is it useful in terms of describing a patient population?’ and ‘Is it useful in looking at outcome?’

HoNOSCA is a timely newcomer to the field of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) research. In its short life it has already been thoroughly and successfully evaluated. Its user-friendliness has made it acceptable and even popular in routine clinical practice. It was central to clinical data gathering for the recent national survey of CAMH provision in the UK (Audit Commission, 1999). What are the reasons for its popularity? What are its limitations? And what about possible future uses?

The facts of the Bulger case and its legal consequences, in particular the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), are summarised. A review of the literature on child homicide indicates that this continues to be rare, can neither be predicted nor prevented, and suggests that the future outlook for such offenders may be good. The recommendations of a committee set up by Justice (1996) for changes in legislation and procedures concerning children who have killed, are congruent with the European Court's judgements, but still woefully at odds with public attitudes.

The three articles from Volume 14 that are reviewed here are linked by a common theme: the social interactions of children with special educational needs. The countries involved, the target group of pupils and the methodology vary but each one draws attention to the complexities of the social dimension of inclusion and suggest that physical proximity alone does not ensure positive social interaction.