Taking a Holistic View: Critically Examining Complex Professional Issues

This chapter offers a perspective on the significance of professional assertiveness in the arena of child protection works and its merits within the evolving culture of Early Childhood Education and Care. A particular focus is given o the concept of the 'professional voice' in relation to challenging and difficult discussions between professionals who work with children and their families, when there is a concern about the safety and welfare of a child and where there are differences of opinion about assessed risk and the outcomes for the child. The commitment to promoting the voice of the child as a professional value is deeply embedded within the culture of early years practice; this value arguably has a strong place in the processes of assessment and decision making to protect a child, and in working with vulnerable families and abusive or neglectful parents.