Abuse and Neglect: the Educator's Guide to the Identification and Prevention of Child Maltreatment.

Barbara Lowenthal. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes, 2001. 180 pp. $22.95 (softcover). This is a book every teacher should have, but hopes she never has to use. Since, as Lowenthal states, child maltreatment is currently on the increase--with roughly 4 percent of all children under 18 experiencing some form of maltreatment--educators need to be aware of the physical and psychosocial implications of child mistreatment, as well as of their own legal responsibilities for documenting and reporting specific cases.

Lowenthal, a professor of special education at Northeastern Illinois University, presents a comprehensive examination of the educational implications of child maltreatment. She begins with a historical overview of child abuse legislation in the United States, presenting both the legal definitions and psychosocial indicators of abuse and neglect. Next, she explores various effects of maltreatment on children's physical, cognitive, and social development, with specific reference to their impact on overall educational performance (e.g., language development, metacognition, and thinking skills).

Two key chapters in the book deal with the legal responsibility of teachers to document and report cases of child abuse and neglect, and to advocate for the right of every child to be raised in an environment free from maltreatment.

The final three chapters present interventions that educators can use to build strong collaborative relationships with families and teach social and academic skills in the classroom. The appendices contain a valuable and extensive listing of resources and organizations to which educators can refer for additional information and support. As an overview alone, this book has merit; but if it can achieve, in any way and in the life of any child, Lowenthal's goal of "prevention," its impact could, indeed, be significant. Reviewed by Kate Scorgie, Azusa Pacific University, San Diego, California.