Historical abuse in residential child care: An alternative view

Abstract

In recent decades residential child care practice across the English-speaking world has been shaped by an assumption of widespread historical abuse. The author questions this dominant account, arguing that the emotion surrounding institutional abuse can preclude appropriately critical examination. Investigations into historical abuse reflect the witch-hunt metaphor employed in relation to previous child abuse panics in family and community settings. The failure to look critically at this subject has led to the prosecution of scores of staff. There is evidence to suggest that many allegations are false, based on the possibility of financial reward, a state of affairs that also diminishes the experiences of genuine victims of abuse. At a wider level, the assumption of abuse legitimises managerial and regulatory approaches to practice which contribute to the poor condition of state care. This article gives a brief overview of abuse in residential child care settings. It challenges the premise that it was widespread and raises questions as to how such beliefs were constructed. It concludes with a discussion of the implications for staff in residential care, for genuine victims and for the governance of the sector.