Policymakers on social cohesion: contradictory expectations for child and family social work

Abstract

ABSTRACT Promoting social cohesion through early childhood services has become a priority on the political agenda as a result of societal developments. Despite joint academic and political attention, there nevertheless remains no agreement on what social cohesion is. This leads to the paradoxical situation in which early childhood services are characterised as ideal to foster social cohesion, while there is little research on what this may mean. The aim of the current study is to analyse a diversity of interpretations of social cohesion by policy-makers in Flanders (Belgium), and to reflect on the role of early childhood services. The study was led by the following research questions: How is social cohesion interpreted by policy-makers? What do they consider as challenges to and opportunities for social cohesion? What role do they assign to early childhood services in contributing to social cohesion? The study uses a multi-method design, combining a thematic analysis of policy documents (N = 44) and semi-structured interviews with policy-makers (N = 14). The results suggest that political interpretations of social cohesion can be placed on a continuum from a minimal to a maximal interpretation, in which historical continuity becomes visible. Reflecting on the possible role of early childhood services leads to contradictory expectations from policy-makers for child and family social work.