‘What Works’ with Children in Trouble?

Abstract

The questions of how and why society should respond to children who are ‘in trouble’ are complex. The ‘why’ question means we need to understand and agree upon the responsibilities of different agencies in relation to children and the potential consequences of actions taken. We need to agree upon the balance between individual and family responsibility and that of the state. We also need an understanding of why children and adults behave the way they do. These are both philosophical and political questions about which we do not agree. The ‘how’ question would ideally follow the ‘why’ question and would be predicated upon some agreed understanding of why, as well as the best evidence about how. The apparent tensions and inconsistencies often noted in social policy in relation to children in trouble might be viewed as a result of the different perspectives from which we view the evidence, as well as how different groups see the role of adults and social institutions in relation to the issue. For some, the child is the private responsibility of the family unless there is evidence that a family is not able to exercise this responsibility to an acceptable standard of ‘good-enough parenting’. For others, the state should take a stronger role in relation to social interventions that maximise children’s life chances, rather than waiting for things to ‘go wrong’ or become ‘unacceptable’. From the latter viewpoint a range of universal and targeted services should be available to children and families; children are a community responsibility.