Book reviews [International Journal of Emotional Education, 6(1)]

Abstract

A common theme among a number of the books reviewed in this issue is that of care and relationships as part of preparing future professionals, whether in the area of primary education, health and social care or youth work. Cefai & Cavioni’s book is concerned with Social and Emotional Education (SEE) in primary schools, adopting a layered focus through a multi-component, multiintervention, multi-population and multi-year approach that is largely psychological in focus. Brotherton & Parker’s book on education in health and social care takes a more sociological, social policy and political focus, while also seeking to address the needs of practitioners. Similarly Sapin’s book, engaging with relationships as part of developing creativity and reflection in youth work settings, offers perspectives that are relevant across disciplines and professional domains. Gray & Webb’s ambit of concern is with social work; they draw on a diverse and eclectic range of thinkers, mainly through a sociological and political theories lens. The commonality of themes, concerns and approaches, while obviously offering distinctive angles of specific concern as well, raise the issue as to how much current and future university courses across education, health and social care, social work and youth work could increasingly offer some similar joint modules as part of a broader multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach – some disciplinary boundaries may need expansion to benefit from such crossfertilisation of ideas and approaches. It is increasingly evident in the education, health, social care, social work and youth work domains that no domain is an island.