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The therapeutic alliance has long been recognized as a central component of clinical work with adults, adolescents and children. Process research with adults has repeatedly demonstrated a robust association between measures of the alliance and outcomes in therapy, and research findings have coalesced around a central concept of an alliance. However, work with children and adolescents does not have the same breadth of investigation and its conceptual description has long relied upon adult models to guide clinical work and research endeavours. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study, informed by grounded theory, which explores children's experiences of their therapeutic relationship with a counsellor. Children's responses led to the development of The Child Alliance Process Theory, and is presented as a clinical template to help guide the development of a therapeutic alliance with children.

Family mediation includes working with peoples of diverse cultures. Mediators need to learn about other cultures and become creative in their work with clients with diverse backgrounds. Using examples from Vietnamese, Pakistani, and Ismaili communities, this article discusses ways mediators can enhance their ability to work with people from different cultures.

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Social work educators are challenged to create educational environments that are conducive to learning. PBL offers a structured and innovative learning experience different from a traditional theory-laden and lecture-based classroom. Social work educators are starting to embrace PBL because students can become active partners in their educational experience and can integrate knowledge and practice skills. This article describes the history, the rationale, and the processes involved in using problem-based learning. It then describes how the case method format of PBL was implemented in an undergraduate social work family class. Implications for implementation of this method in social work education are discussed.