Introduction to Rights-based Direct Practice with Children

The Sourcebook introduces the theoretical and ideological foundation and methodological basis of Rights-based Direct Practice with Children. It starts with the methodology of participatory group workshops to facilitate learning of the content. The content draws linkages among the foundation of life skills; psychosocial, sociological and critical theories of childhood; and child rights values, categories and principles; with the approaches, methods and skills of direct practice with children. The book takes examples from India but makes significant contribution to training and reference material for child rights teachers, trainers, facilitators and field workers, across the world, especially in the developing countries.

• decision-making skills
• conflict management skills
• methodology of training workshops
• psychoeducational group workshops
• interpersonal communication skills
• developing emotional intelligence
• self-empowerment training

• Former Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India

  Murli Desai

CRY had commissioned Dr. Murli Desai, MA and Ph.D. in Social Work, and former Professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, to prepare a Series of four Sourcebooks on Rights-Based Direct Practice with Children. Dr. Desai has prepared two of the Sourcebooks by adapting, updating and adding chapters to her book A Rights-Based Preventative Approach for Psychosocial Well-Being in Childhood, published by Springer, in 2010. Other two sourcebooks are newly prepared by her with a co-author. She has drawn from a comprehensive international literature review; curriculum planning and teaching courses on child development, child welfare and child rights in the United States, India and Singapore; consultancy projects with Governments of India, Tamil Nadu and Goa and with international organisations such as UNICEF, Child Protection Working Group and Save the Children; collaboration with voluntary organisations such as Butterflies and Child Rights in Goa; teacher training in schools; and experience of conducting and facilitating workshops for adolescents.

Policies and ethics