Out of the Woods: Tales of resilient teens, by Stuart T Hauser, Joseph P Allen and Eve Golden

AT 12, Billy went after his mother with a knife, then a kettle of boiling water – ferocity that barely stood out at the psychiatric children’s centre he was sent to, where violence and suicide attempts were the norm. Billy later forged an enviably happy life. Out of the Woods shows how he and a handful of other young residents managed it. The authors pinpoint three qualities as key to their resilience – reflectiveness, engagement with others and a belief that they themselves could find the motivation to bring about change in their lives. Anyone working with children may need…