Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An Interdisciplinary Framework for Understanding Child Welfare

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
New Directions in Children’s Welfare

  • 361 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter outlines the interdisciplinary framework for understanding child welfare used throughout the book. This includes children’s rights, sociology, feminist, anthropology and psychosocial approaches to the study of childhood and child protection as a foundation for understanding contemporary child welfare policies and practices. Issues of social inequality, poverty, and ‘race’ and ethnicity are explored in relation to social work practice and child protection. Lastly it also makes use of some of the literatures that have been developed around children’s geographies and mobilities. The chapter introduces child-centred practice which is at the core of the book. It critically examines the way that children’s participation in decision making has been embedded into social work practice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alanen, L. A. (1988). Rethinking childhood. Acta Sociologica, 1, 53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bion, W. (1962). Learning from experience. London: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blyth, M., & Solomon, E. (Eds.). (2012). Effective safeguarding for children and young people: What next after Munro? Bristol: Policy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowlby, J. (1944). Forty-four juvenile thieves: Their characters and home life. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 25(19–52), 107–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradford Safeguarding Children Board. (2013, November). Serious case review, Hamzah Khan. The overview report. http://www.bradford-scb.org.uk/scr/hamzah_khan_scr/Serious%20Case%20Reveiw%20Overview%20Report%20November%202013.pdf. Accessed 05 Jan 2017.

  • Browne, J. (2012, January). The impact of austerity measures on households with children. Families in an age of austerity. London: Family and Parenting Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burman, E. (1994). Experience, identities and alliances – Jewish Feminism and Feminist Psychology. Feminism & Psychology, 4(1), 155–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burman, E. (2015). Deconstructing neoliberal childhood: Towards a feminist anti psychological approach. Feminism & Psychology, 25(3), 408–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casey, L. (2015). Report of an inspection of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S. (2001). States of denial: Knowing about atrocities and suffering. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, A., Hetherington, R., & Katz, I. (2003). The risk factor: Making the child protection system work for children. London: Demos.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corrigan, P., & Leonard, P. (1978). Social work practice under capitalism: A Marxist approach. London: Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Department of Health. (1989). An introduction to the children act 1989. London: HMSO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Health. (2003). The green paper: Every child matters. Norwich: The Stationary Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Work and Pensions. (2011a). Green Paper: Strengthening families, promoting parental responsibility: The future of child maintenance. January 2011 CM 7790. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Work and Pensions. (2011b). Households below average income: A statistical analysis 1994/95–2009/10 Leeds. Leeds: Corporate Document Services, in Ridge (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  • Department for Communities and Local Government. (2012). Working with troubled families: A guide to the evidence and good practice. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/66113/121214_Working_with_troubled_families_FINAL_v2.pdf. Accessed 10 Sept 2016.

  • Douglas, M. (1966). Purity and danger: An analysis of the concepts of pollution and taboo. London: Routledge & K. Paul.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Douglas, M. (1970). The healing rite. Man, 5(2), new series, 302–308. https://doi.org/10.2307/2799655.

  • Douglas, M. (2002). Purity and danger (2nd ed.). Oxon/New York: Routledge Classics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Featherstone, B., White, S., & Morris, K. (2014). Re-imagining child protection: Towards humane social work with families. Bristol: Policy Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Fendler, L. (2001). Educating flexible souls. In K. Hultqvist & G. Dahlberg (Eds.), Governing the child in the new millennium. London: Routledge Falmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson, H. (2007). Abused and looked after children as ‘moral dirt’. Journal of Social Policy, 36(1), 123–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fineman, S. (Ed.). (1993). Emotion in organisations. London: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Froggett, L. (2002). Love, hate and welfare: Psychosocial approaches to policy and practice. Bristol: Policy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frosh, S. (2012). A brief introduction to psychoanalytic theory. London: Palgrave.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Frost, N., & Parton, N. (2009). Understanding children’s social care: Politics, policy and practice. London: Sage.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Garrett, P. (2006). Protecting children in a globalized world: ‘Race’ and ‘place’ in the Laming report on the death of Victoria Climbié. Journal of Social Work, 6(3), 315–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garrett, P. M. (2009). ‘Transforming’ children’s services?: Social work, neoliberalism and the modern world. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haringey Local Safeguarding Children’s Board. (2009). Serious case review: Baby Peter. Executive summary. http://www.haringeylscb.org/sites/haringeylscb/files/executive_summary_peter_final.pdf. Accessed 10 Feb 2017.

  • Hochschild, A. R. (1983). The managed heart: Commercialization of human feeling. Berkeley/Los Angeles/London: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hochschild, A. R. (2002). Emotion management in an age of terrorism. Soundings, 20, 117–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoggett, P. (2000). Emotional life and the politics of welfare. Basingstoke/London: Macmillan Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • James, A., & Prout, A. (Eds.). (1997). Constructing and reconstructing childhood (2nd ed.). London/Washington: Falmer Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jay, A. (2014). Independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, 1997–2013. Rotherham: Rotherham MBC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jupp Kina, V. (2012). What we say and what we do: Reflexivity, emotions and power in children and young people’s participation. Children’s Geographies, 10(2), 201–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, L., Regan, L., & Burton, S. (1991). An exploratory study of the prevalence of sexual abuse in a sample of 16–21 year olds. London: Child Abuse Studies Unit – Polytechnic of North London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kingston and Richmond LSCB. (2015). Serious case review, Family A. http://kingstonandrichmondlscb.org.uk/media/upload/fck/file/SCR/Family%20A%20Serious%20Case%20Review%20Report%20November%202015.pdf. Accessed 24 Jan 2017.

  • Klein, M. (1975). Love, guilt, reparation and other works 1921–1945. London: Hogarth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laming, H. (2003). The Victoria Climbié inquiry: Report of an inquiry. Department of Health. London: HMSO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langan, M. (1993). The rise and fall of social work. In J. Clarke (Ed.), A crisis in care?: Challenges to social work. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langan, M., & Lee, P. (1989). Radical social work today. London: Unwin Hyman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levitas, R. (1998). The inclusive society? Social exclusion and the new labour. London: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lister, R. (2006). Children (but not women) first: New labour, child welfare and gender. Critical Social Policy, 26(2), 315–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacLeod, M., & Saraga, E. (1988). Challenging the orthodoxy: Towards a feminist theory and practice. Feminist Review, 28, 16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Macnicol, J. (1987). In pursuit of the underclass. Journal of Social Policy, 16(3), 293–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mannion, G. (2010). After participation: The socio-spatial performance of intergenerational becoming. In B. Percy-Smith & N. Thomas (Eds.), A handbook of children and young people’s participation: Perspectives from theory and practice (pp. 330–342). Oxon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, B. (1987). Moral messages and the press: Newspaper responses to a child in trust. In G. Drewry, B. Martin, & B. Sheldon (Eds.), After Beckford? Essays on themes related to child abuse (pp. 115–130). Egham: Department of Social Policy, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayall, B. (2000). The sociology of childhood: Children’s autonomy and participation rights. In A. B. Smith, M. Gollop, K. Marshall, & K. Nairn (Eds.), Advocating for children: International perspectives on children’s rights. Dunedin: University of Otago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mirza, H. S. (Ed.). (1997). Black British feminism: A reader. London/New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, H., & Woodhead, M. (2003). Understanding childhood: An indisciplinary approach. Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morss, J. R. (1990). The biologising of childhood: Developmental psychology and the Darwinian myth. Hove: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munro, E. (2011a). The Munro review of child protection. Interim report: The child’s journey. London: Department for Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munro, E. (2011b). The Munro review of child protection. Final report: A child-centred system. London: Department for Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicolas, J. (2015). Social class does get in the way of child protection – But it shouldn’t. Community Care. http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2015/12/09/social-class-get-way-child-protection-shouldnt/. Accessed 24 Jan 2017.

  • Parton, N. (1985). The politics of child abuse. Basingstoke: Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Percy-Smith, B., & Thomas, N. (2010). Conclusion: Emerging themes and new directions. In B. Percy Smith & N. Thomas (Eds.), A handbook of children and young people’s participation: Perspectives from theory and practice (pp. 356–366). Oxon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phoenix, A. (1990). Theories of gender and black families. In T. Lovell (Ed.), British feminist thought: A reader (pp. 119–133). Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phoenix, A., Woollett, A., & Lloyd, E. (Eds.). (1991). Motherhood: Meanings, practices and ideologies. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinkney, S. (2005). Competing constructions of children’s participation in social care: Analysing text and talk. PhD thesis, British Library EThOS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinkney, S. (2011a). Participation and emotions: Troubling encounters between children and social welfare professionals. Children & Society, 25(1), 37–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinkney, S. (2011b). Discourses of children’s participation: Professionals, policies and practices. Social Policy & Society, 10(3), 271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pithouse, A. (1996). Managing emotion: Dilemmas in the social work relationship. In K. Carter & S. Delamont (Eds.), Qualitative research: The emotional dimension. Avebury/Aldershot: Brookfield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prout, A. (2005). The future of childhood. London: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Prout, A., & James, A. (1997). Constructing and reconstructing childhood: Contemporary issues in the sociological study of childhood (2nd ed.). London: Falmer Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prout, A., & Tisdall, E. K. M. (2006). Conclusion: Social inclusion, the welfare state and understanding children’s participation. In E. K. M. Tisdall, J. M. Davis, M. Hill, & A. Prout (Eds.), Children, young people and social exclusion: Participation for what? (pp. 235–246). Bristol: The Policy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Qvortrup, J. (1994). Childhood matters: Social theory, practice and politics. Aldershot: Avebury.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ridge, T. (2002). Childhood poverty and social exclusion: From a child’s perspective. Bristol: Policy Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ridge, T. (2009). Living with poverty: A review of the literature on children’s and families’ experiences of poverty. Research Report No 594. Department for Work and Pensions. Norwich: HMSO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ridge, T. (2013). ‘We are all in this together’? The hidden costs of poverty, recession and austerity policies on Britain’s poorest children. Children & Society, 27(5), 406–417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riley, D. (1983). War in the nursery. London: Virago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose, N. (1985). The psychological complex: Psychology, politics and society in England 1869–1939. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose, N. (1991). Governing the soul: The shaping of the private self. London/New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saraga, E. (1993). The abuse of children. In R. Dallos & E. McLaughlin (Eds.), Social problems and the family. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seu, I. B. (2013). Passivity generation, human rights and everyday morality. Hampshire/New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Shilling, C. (1997). The undersocialised conception of the embodied agent in modern sociology. Sociology, 31, 737–754.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shoesmith, S. (2016). Learning from Baby P. London/Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steiner, J. (1993). Psychic retreats. London/New York: Tavistock, Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Tisdall, K., Davis, J., Hill, M., & Prout, A. (2006). Children, young people and social inclusion: Participation for what? Bristol: Policy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tisdall, E. M. (2012). The challenge and challenging of childhood studies? Learning from disability studies and research with disabled children. Children & Society, 26(3), 181–191. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1099-0860.2012.00431.x.

  • United Nations. (1989). Conventions on the rights of the child. Geneva: United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wacquant, L. D. (2009). Punishing the poor: The neoliberal government of social insecurity. Durham: Duke University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Waldfogel, J. (2010). Britain’s war on poverty. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walkerdine, V. (1984). Developmental psychology and the child-centred pedagogy: The insertion of Piaget into early education. In J. Henriques, W. Hollway, C. Urwin, C. Venn, & V. Walkerdine (Eds.), Changing the subject: Psychology, social regulation and subjectivity. London: Methuen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walkerdine, V. (1993). Beyond developmentalism. Theory & Psychology, 3(4), 451–469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walkerdine, V., & Lucey, H. (1989). Democracy in the kitchen: Regulating mothers and socialising daughters. London: Virago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warner, J. (2015). The emotional politics of social work and child protection. Bristol: Policy Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Winnicott, D. W. (1975). Through paediatrics to psycho-analysis. London: The Institute of Psycho-analysis/Karnac.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winnett, R. (2011, December 1). Feckless parents would only spend extra benefit on themselves say Iain Duncan Smith. Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8929809/Feckless-parents-would-only-spend-extra-benefits-on-themselves-says-Iain-Duncan-Smith.html. Accessed 02 Dec 2013.

  • Young, J. (2011). Moral panics and the transgressive other. Crime media. Culture, 7(3), 245–258.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Carnegie School of Education, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK

    Sharon Pinkney

Authors
  1. Sharon Pinkney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Copyright information

© 2018 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Pinkney, S. (2018). An Interdisciplinary Framework for Understanding Child Welfare. In: New Directions in Children’s Welfare. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-54539-8_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-54539-8_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-54538-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-54539-8

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation