Relational agency and epistemic justice in initial child protection conferences

Abstract

The chapter examines Initial Child Protection Conferences in two local authorities in England, focusing principally on the role of the chair. It applies the concepts of institutional talk, relational agency, and epistemic rights and (in)justice. It demonstrates that differences in the chair’s interactional approach is influenced more by institutional norms than personal style. Its key finding is that relational agency and epistemic justice work together to advance service user participation.