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Working together, or keeping apart? A critical discourse analysis of the revised working together guidance (2013)
- Author:
- DUGMORE Paul
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work Practice, 28(3), 2014, pp.329-341.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This article gives an account of a discourse analysis in which a section of revised Government policy, Working Together to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children, was subjected to critical discourse analysis (CDA). Setting out the context in which the policy was published, this article outlines the recent policy context and articulates the chosen method of CDA to undertake a small-scale study in relation to the revised Working Together and discusses the findings of the analysis. It offers an insight into how the issue of child protection is understood, managed and made tolerable, through the policy's discourse. It concludes that the revised documentation, a result of Munro's review of child protection (2011), fails to adequately acknowledge the complexity involved in protecting and safeguarding children. (Publisher abstract)
Thinking family? The complexities for family engagement in care and protection
- Author:
- MORRIS Kate
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 42(5), 2012, pp.906-920.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Recent child welfare policy developments in the UK have highlighted the family as either the subject of intervention or the partner for change. However, policy and practice developments concerned with engaging families in care and protection planning are set within complex and, at times, contradictory policy drivers. This article draws primarily on 2 reviews of the practice evidence and the conclusions from a series of expert focus groups, held to explore the impact of the recent UK government guidance on care proceedings on family engagement, to consider emerging issues in researching and delivering family-minded policy and practice. The article begins by describing the focus of concern and then considers the challenges for family-focused research. The complex policy context is reviewed and, from this, issues for development in practice are considered. Throughout, family group decision making is used as an illustrative policy and practice example. The article concludes by setting out some of the questions for future developments in family engagement in care and protection.
Professionals' understanding of government strategies for the management of child sexual abusers
- Author:
- MCCARTAN Kieran
- Journal article citation:
- Probation Journal, 59(2), 2012, pp.124-137.
- Publisher:
- Sage
The aim of this study was to examine professional perceptions of, and attitudes to, the UK government's policies on and management of child sexual abusers. The qualitative research involved 28 semi-structured interviews with a range of professionals working in and around the area of child sexual abuse (including probation, charities, non-government organisations, police, media, academics and therapists). The transcripts were interpreted through thematic content analysis, and 2 main themes were identified: what the government believes paedophilia to be and how the government monitors convicted offenders in the community. The article describes and discusses the findings, with illustrative examples from the interviews. It reports that the results indicate that the professionals sampled believe that the government misperceives child sexual abuse, focusing on risk reduction and public protection rather than treatment and reintegration, and that the majority of participants were against the public disclosure of sex offender information. It concludes that the findings suggest that current and future policy on child sexual abuse should be grounded and realistic, and should not be populist or punitive in nature.
A Lipskian analysis of child protection failures from Victoria Climbié to ‘Baby P’: a street-level re-evaluation of joined-up governance
- Author:
- MARINETTO Michael
- Journal article citation:
- Public Administration, 89(3), September 2011, pp.1164-1181.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This paper explores the issue of joined-up governance by considering child protection failures. It first considers the case of Victoria Climbié, killed by her guardians despite being known as an at risk child by various public agencies, and then that of ‘Baby P’. The paper argues that analysis of the micro-world inhabited by professional workers would benefit most from the policy-based concept of street-level bureaucracy developed by Michael Lipsky some 30 years ago. A Lipskian analysis generally offers, although there are some caveats, only pessimistic conclusions about the prospects of governing authorities being able to avoid future child protection disasters. There still exists optimism because street-level bureaucrats still remain accountable, but not necessarily in terms of top-down relations of authority rather, in terms of interpersonal forms of accountability – accountability to professionals and citizen consumers of services.
Safeguarding children: a cross-departmental statement on the protection of children and young people by the Northern Ireland Executive
- Author:
- NORTHERN IRELAND. Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister
- Publisher:
- Northern Ireland. Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister
- Publication year:
- 2009
- Pagination:
- 70p.
- Place of publication:
- Belfast
This policy statement aims to take forward and develop the 'living in safety and with stability' outcome of the 10 Year Strategy for Children and Young People in Northern Ireland and, in particular, elements relating to the safeguarding of children and young people. Chapters include: the extent of the problem, including key safeguarding and child protection statistics; measures to keep all children protected; protecting vulnerable children and young people (such as looked after children, disabled children, those involved with the criminal justice system, and those with mental health problems); responding when children have been abused; and implementing safeguarding arrangements. The concept of 'safeguarding' incorporates all preventable harm that impacts on the lives of children, with a clear focus on children’s personal development and well-being and making children’s lives better.
An examination of the Indian Child Welfare Act section of state Title IV-B Child and Family Services Plans
- Authors:
- LIMB Gordon E., BROWN Eddie F.
- Journal article citation:
- Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 25(2), April 2008, pp.99-110.
- Publisher:
- Springer
The current study examined a nationwide sample of the ICWA section within state Title IV-B Child and Family Services Plans. Content analysis was performed to examine whether states were meeting ICWA mandates and federal requirements and interviews with regional/central Administration for Children and Families administrators and state officials were conducted. Major findings included ACF program instructions lacked detail and clarity as to what should be included, a majority of states reported consulting with tribes in the CFSP development, and over half of all state CFSPs did not reference any of the three specific measures outlined in ACF guidelines. Implications of findings are discussed and recommendations are offered to develop measurable outcomes to evaluate ICWA compliance and improve the federal monitoring processes.
Quo vadis? Trends in South African child welfare policies
- Author:
- SCHMID Jeanette
- Journal article citation:
- International Social Work, 50(4), July 2007, pp.500-514.
- Publisher:
- Sage
South African child welfare remains in transition a decade post-apartheid. Child Protection assumptions impede policy efforts towards a more intersectoral, holistic, strengths-based, family-centered and community-based approach. Since the Anglo-American child protection orientation is criticized internationally, it is useful to reflect on the South African lessons when considering system change.
Children left at risk by the law
- Author:
- GOLDING Nick
- Journal article citation:
- Local Government Chronicle, 29.09.05, 2005, pp.26-27.
- Publisher:
- Emap Business
Teachers have more child contact than other professional, but schools were left out of the Children Act. This article discusses attempts to get greater involvement from schools in child protection.
Duties to report child abuse in England
- Author:
- FOSTER David
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons Library
- Publication year:
- 2022
- Pagination:
- 19
- Place of publication:
- London
A briefing on the current position regarding reporting child abuse in England, and calls for the introduction for a mandatory reporting duty. While statutory guidance does not impose a legislative requirement to report abuse, it creates an expectation that those working with children will comply with the guidance unless there are exceptional circumstances. In addition, a number of professional regulators and bodies (predominantly those in the health and social care sectors) require their members to report any concerns about a child's safety or well-being. A professional's failure to adhere to such standards or codes of conduct may result in misconduct or fitness to practise proceedings against them. There have been calls for a mandatory duty to report known or suspected child abuse and neglect to be introduced for specific groups, such as social workers and teachers. Proponents argue that a mandatory reporting duty would offer greater protection to children. In its response to a consultation which sought views on two possible reforms in relation to reporting child abuse and neglect, the Government said it had decided against introducing either a mandatory reporting duty or a duty to take appropriate action. While recognising the argument that mandatory reporting could reduce the risk that serious cases pass unnoticed, the Government response raised a number of risks associated with such a duty or a duty to act. More recently, the final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse recommended it should be a criminal offence for mandated reporters to not report child sexual abuse where they are in receipt of a disclosure of child sexual abuse from a child or perpetrator, or witness a child being sexually abused. The Government has said it will provide "a comprehensive response" to the report's recommendations within six months of its publication. Since April 2016 certain public bodies in Wales have been under a duty to inform the local authority if they have "reasonable cause to suspect that a child" who has needs for care and support is at risk of abuse, neglect or other kinds of harm. Mandatory reporting laws exist in several countries internationally, including the majority of countries in Europe and some parts of the US, Canada and Australia. (Edited publisher abstract)
The politics of children's services reform: re-examining two decades of policy change
- Author:
- PURCELL Carl
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- Publication year:
- 2020
- Pagination:
- 232
- Place of publication:
- Bristol
Drawing on inputs from prominent policy makers including ministers, senior civil servants, local authority directors, and the leaders of children’s sector NGOs, this book re-examines two decades of children’s services reform under both Labour and Conservative-led governments. The author closely examines the origins of Labour’s Every Child Matters programme, the Munro review and more recent Conservative reforms affecting child and family social workers to reassess the impact of high profile child abuse cases, including Victoria Climbié and Baby P, and reveal the party political drivers of successive reform. (Edited publisher abstract)