The Implications of Current Child Policy for the Welfare of Children

The Implications of Current Child Policy for the Welfare of Children

Children in the United Kingdom are key consumers of social policy.

They consume a vast amount of the many services provided by this

Country. Services such as health care through Doctors, hospitals and

clinics, the education system which is largely devoted financially to

the schooling of young people, and also the social security system

which is stretched by children whose parents are in need of income

support or family tax credit. (Alcock, Erskine & May, 2002) All of

these services contribute to the well-being of the young people of

this Country. However, increasing amounts of the Country’s budget and

social policies are dedicated to another, perhaps more important

service for children, that is the Children’s welfare services. These

services are put in place to work in accordance with The Children Act

1989. (Cooper, 1993) This piece of legislation was provided by the

government so that all children residing in the U.K. are cared for,

loved and protected. However, some children slip through this net,

which is in position to protect them, and this can result in a child’s

life being put at risk of harm, cruelty or even death.

This essay shall focus on this issue and how social policy

encompassing children’s welfare has had to change or adapt in order to

better protect the children of this Country. It shall be argued that

changing and improving social policies with reference to mistakes made

by welfare services in the past shall help eradicate child

endangerment.

To elucidate these points, a brief overview of the The Children Act

1989 shall be pro...

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.../ Buckingham

Cooper, M. (1995) Social Policy. A Survey of Recent Developments.

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Donnison, D. (1975) Social Policy & Administration Revisited.

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Ellison, N. & Pierson, C. (1998) British Social Policy.

McMillan / London

Halmos, P. (1988) The Personal & The Political.

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The Laming Report. (2003) The Victoria Climbie Inquiry.

http://www.victoria-climbie-inquiry.org.uk/finreport/downloadreport.htm

Accessed 10/4/04 at 6.15 pm

Child Protection Inquiry (2002) The Hammond Report: Kennedy

McFarlane

http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/services/depts/SocialServices/acrobat/CPEnquiry.pdf

Accessed 12/4/04 at 3.15 pm

The Children Act 1989

http://www.fnf.org.uk/childact.htm Accessed 19/3/04 at 7.15 pm