Reconsidering value perspectives in child welfare

Smith, Roger

Abstract

This article offers a conceptually informed review of current trends in child welfare policy, drawing on the ‘value perspectives’ typology originally formulated by Fox Harding. The article introduces the typology and provides examples of its previous application. It goes on to consider the relationship between alternative value positions and the potential conflicts associated with these, before moving on to consider contemporary issues in children’s policy and practice. Recent trends towards an increasing emphasis on adoption and in parallel a greater reliance on authoritarian measures to protect children and promote responsible parenting are discussed, as are the relative weakening of policy commitments to the promotion of children’s rights or investment in services to provide support to families. These developments viewed in combination can thus be viewed as representing a systemic shift away from welfare and rights-based approaches in child welfare to those which rely on measures grounded in the authoritative exercise of state power, from above. This, the article concludes, can be associated with a progressive degradation of the principles of partnership and collaboration which are viewed as desirable by many of those directly engaged in working with children and families.

Citation

Smith, R. (2018). Reconsidering value perspectives in child welfare. The British Journal of Social Work, 48(3), 616-632. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcx067

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 1, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Aug 14, 2017
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jun 13, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 14, 2019
• Journal: British Journal of Social Work
• Print ISSN: 0045-3102
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-263X
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 48
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 616-632
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcx067
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1355621