Document Type
Positive Systems of Child and Family Welfare International Conference (2002)
Publication Date
6-2002
Department
Faculty of Social Work
Abstract
In England, the system for children and families in need of state intervention has developed in response to a series of political changes and to high profile and highly publicised child welfare ‘cases’. This has led over the past 20 years to a focus on child protection as the most important aspect of the work. For the last 5-8 years, attempts have been made at many levels to redress this imbalance and put more emphasis on family support. However, there are barriers to change, in the existing structures, in the distribution of resources and in anxieties about public responses to state intervention. Moving from child protection to a more supportive and interventionist approach is proving difficult. This paper will describe the English system and consider ways in which a more preventive and proactive approach to child and family welfare might be achieved.
Recommended Citation
Hetherington, R. & Nurse, T. (June 2002). Promoting change from 'child protection' to 'child and family welfare': The problems of the English system. Paper presented at the Positive Systems of Child Welfare Conference, Waterloo, ON.