LOOKING BACKWARD - LOOKING FORWARD

THOSE WHO READ THE Doctor Doolittle books as children or who saw the movie will remember that strange animal, the Push-me-Pull-you which had the ability to look backwards and forwards simultaneously. When we work in an area as large and complex as child abuse, it is sometimes helpful to look back at things this way. Sometimes work in this area can be discouraging, and we may wonder if we have made any progress. This is when looking backwards helps. When we review past activities, it can often be quite reassuring as we may realize that quite a lot has been achieved. However it is important not to look back for too long. We must also look forward to the future and to plan. © 1990.