Welfare Reform on the Web (August 2001): Child Welfare - UK
ALL OUR FUTURES: PUTTING CHILDCARE AT THE CENTRE OF EVERY NEIGHBOURHOOD
Daycare Trust
London: 2001 (Thinking big: childcare for all: 1)
The government's National Childcare Strategy, launched in May 1998, presented an opportunity for more parents and children to access quality, affordable childcare services than ever before. Childcare is now high of the political agenda and the government is spending substantial sums on it. However, most parents are still not aware of the National Childcare Strategy and provision remains patchy and fragmented. Childcare staff are poorly paid and often poorly trained. Provision has not responded to the changing world of work by offering more flexible services and employers mostly do not support working parents with childcare. Calls for a new universal coherent system based on a children's centre in every neighbourhood.
CAREER GUIDANCE AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION: A CAUTIONARY TALE
A.G. Watts
British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, vol.29, 2001, p.157-176
Analyses the development of the Connexions Service up to the end of 2000, focusing on design faults and the problems, which have arisen from them. Two design faults are identified. Firstly, Connexions attempted to extrapolate to all young people measures designed to address the needs of disaffected youth. Secondly, the original aim of merging the youth, careers and educational welfare services was only partially implemented. Problems arising from these design faults include excessive case loads for personal advisers, confusion about the role of existing pastoral care structures in schools, and doubts about the impartiality of personal advisers appointed by headteachers.
CONNEXIONS AND POST 16 PSHE: A VIABLE OPTION?
S. Ansell
Youth and Policy, no.71, 2001, p.77-89
Connexions characterises young people's health in relation to particular negative practices through which they become excluded from education and the labour market and from participation as citizens in the wider society. Connexions is limited to specific targets which in health terms aim to reduce the proportion of 13-19-year-olds using illegal drugs by 50% by 2008 and the rate of teenage pregnancies by 50% by 2010. Article argues that a more holistic approach to health promotion is required which is rooted in Personal, Social and Health Education processes, rather than focusing on negative behaviours.
THE GENERAL ELECTION
D. Crewe and A. Fiddy
Childright, no.176, 2001, p.3-5
Discusses the implications of Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat policies on child welfare.
MENTORING FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION
M. Johns
Young People Now, issue 146, 2001, p.21
Describes how youth workers in Northamptonshire are playing a key role in developing a school-based mentoring service.
MOVING TARGERTS: MEASURING AND TARGETING CHILD POVERTY
B. Nolan
New Economy, vol.8, 2001, p.82-86
Suggests that a robust and accessible measure of child poverty could be developed that combines income measures with non-monetary indicators, an approach already adopted by the Irish government.
PUTTING A PRICE ON FAILURE TO ACT
S. Wellard
Community Care, no.1374, 2001, p.12-13
Landmark legal decisions by the European Court of Human Rights threaten to remove local authority immunity from prosecution where they fail to act to protect children. Article examines what effect this is likely to have on social work practice and gauges the chances of an avalanche of new court cases.
QUALITY MATTERS
Daycare Trust
London: 2001 (Thinking big: childcare for all: 2)
Analyses evidence from several international studies to show that children put in daycare as babies will perform better in school, have more friends and be more creative than their peers if they are cared for by trained and well-qualified staff.
A SENSE OF PURPOSE: CARE LEAVERS' VIEWS AND EXPERIENCES OF GROWING UP
M. Barry
Save the Children in Scotland, 2001
Many children prefer the long term stability offered by residential care to the sometimes poor quality replication of family life within foster care.
UK YOUTH PARLIAMENT: A MANIFESTO FOR THE FUTURE
Anon
Childright, no.176, 2001, p.6-7
Summarises the UK Youth Parliament's Statements of Intent covering education and training, health care and crime.