This book is nicely structured and covers a range of topics in the assessment and treatment of OCD and the use of CBT with children and adolescents. Overall, it is a good guide to the CBT treatment of OCD in children and young people, which most clinicians without specialist knowledge in the field would benefit from reading or consulting when treating a child or young person with OCD.

The book begins with a general introduction to OCD (Williams and Waite) and the use of CBT in children (Cresswell and Waite). The authors consider that there is good evidence for Exposure and Response Prevention and although there is no research evidence for CBT as yet, the authors encourage its use so as not to delay treatment that is likely to be effective.

The book also contains a good review chapter with practical recommendations as to which tools to use in the assessment of OCD in children and adolescents (Gallop). There is a lengthy but useful chapter on planning and carrying out treatment, which also highlights common obstacles to treatment and finding the right balance between not taking an authoritarian approach to treatment and also not being overly cautious in the therapeutic approach (Waite, Gallop and Atkinson). The chapter also addresses creating a blueprint of the therapy aims and what has been learned from therapy.

The chapters on treating OCD using CBT in younger children (Atkinson) and adolescents (Waite) are particularly helpful as practical guides to treatment in this client population. The role of the family of children with OCD is discussed in a separate chapter that highlights strategies that might be employed to involve carers or other family members in the treatment as necessary (Stobie). This chapter examines the role of other family members’ assumptions and beliefs in the aetiology of the young person's OCD, as well as the effect of the young person's threat appraisals upon the wider family network's assumptions and beliefs.

The book concludes with a chapter addressing future directions in childhood OCD (Salkovskis, Waite and Williams) and discussion of special considerations (e.g. developmental issues, co-morbidity, and family involvement) in the assessment and treatment of OCD.