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The impact of policy: a National Perspective

The impact of policy: a National Perspective. Nick Frost, Professor of Social Work (Childhood, children & families) Leeds Metropolitan University n.frost@leedsmet.ac.uk. Aims of the paper. To address ‘child welfare’ policy in relationship to vulnerable children

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The impact of policy: a National Perspective

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  1. The impact of policy: a National Perspective Nick Frost, Professor of Social Work (Childhood, children & families) Leeds Metropolitan University n.frost@leedsmet.ac.uk

  2. Aims of the paper • To address ‘child welfare’ policy in relationship to vulnerable children • Pitch between ‘macro’ level (welfare policy)& between ‘micro’ level (i.e. safeguarding policy) • Explore policy models for working with vulnerable children and young people

  3. Vulnerability • A complex and contested concept • ‘Universal’ & ‘targeted’ approaches • Children as ‘active agents’ and ‘passive victims’ • Children in need & children in need of protection • Children, young people & participation

  4. The New Labour intervention model

  5. Re-modeling childhood New Labour and childhood: • Social investment in cash benefits and services • Workforce re-modeling • Integrated and holistic approaches • Regulation, targets and inspections – the ‘audit society’ / ‘strong state’ culture • Progressive universalism leading to a new form of childhood shaped by the five outcomes.

  6. The Coalition – policy shifts • Re-naming of DCSF to Department for Education • Bonfire of quangos – CWDC , GSCC, NSDU…… • Abolition of – Child Trust Fund, Contact Point…… • Restrictions to local authority expenditure • Reforms to health and education: fragmentation • Adoption reform • ‘Troubled families’ / social investment bonds • Changes to Serious Case Reviews • De-regulation of Children's Trusts and Children's Plans • The four reviews – Allen, Field, Tickell and Munro • Early intervention

  7. Theoretical perspectives New Labour attempted to re-construct childhood through a strong State-led, social investment programme which operated through a regime of regulation, targets and inspection. The Coalition attempts to limit the State’s role in childhood through de-regulation, localisation and withdrawal of social investment leading to a more private and individualised experience of childhood, except where more authoritarian interventions are seen as necessary.

  8. Two models of childhood The New Labour child experiences more – regulation: assessment and measurement: social investment: holistic approaches: professional involvement: planned and strategic approaches.

  9. Two models of childhood The Coalition child experiences - less regulation: and less social investment: is the ‘educated’ child rather than the ‘holistic’ child: a more ‘privatised’ and less ‘public’ existence: more localised variation: with authoritarian interventions for ‘vulnerable’ children & young people

  10. New Labour ‘progressive universalism’ • Those children and young people who need it should receive additional support to address the persistent gap in outcomes between the lowest and highest socio-economic groups. This means offering a continuum of support according to need with greater personalisation of services to meet every child’s and family’s requirements (DfES, 2007a: 5) Aiming High for Disabled Children

  11. Coalition targeted services • Children and Families Bill (3rd reading) • Adoption • Family proceedings • Child care / parental leave • Education, Health and Care plans

  12. A coherent narrative? • ‘all children....should have the opportunity to realise their potential and to succeed’ • ‘we have a fundamental responsibility as a Government to look our for the most vulnerable children and to not only protect their welfare but safeguard their interests and their future’ [Edward Timpson, HC Hansard, 25 /2/2-13, col 45]

  13. The UNICEF judgement Report Card 7 (2007) United Kingdom 21st from 21 rich countries [18th on material well-being dimension] Report Card 11 (2013) United Kingdom 16th from 29 rich countries [14th on material well-being dimension]

  14. The adoption example- social authoritarianism in action • The misuse of social statistics • Fast track adoptions- financial and transparency tools • ‘A rush to permanence’: adoption breakdown • An attack on birth parents? • Ethnicity and culture

  15. CSE example- multi-disciplinarity in action • A programme of action around perceptions of vulnerability • From ‘child prostitution’ to ‘child sexual exploitation’ (CSE) • Multi-disciplinarity as central • Addressing a social problem

  16. Rhetoric and reality? • Progressive policies – Health and Well-being Boards, elements of Munro, CSE • Regressive policies- child poverty, adoption, ethnicity and culture • Working with not doing to ‘vulnerable’ children and young people

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