These are the handouts for the overview lectures I provide on child protection: a critical introduction. I cover the following issues:
- Issue 1 – A historical introduction to child abuse and child protection;
- Issue 2 – Key features and values of the current English approach to child protection [handout for issues 1 and 2 here];
- Issue 3 – General principles of child protection in the Children Act 1989;
- Issue 4 – Part III of the Children Act 1989: Local authority support for children and families [handout for issues 3 and 4 here];
- Issue 5 – Part V of the Children Act 1989: Investigation and assessment [handout here];
- Issue 6 – Part IV of the Children Act 1989: Compulsory intervention [handouts here, here, here, and here, concluding handout combines with issue 7, below];
- Issue 7 – Challenging the local authority [handout for the last part of issue 6, as well as issue 7 here];
- Issue 8 – Outcomes for children in care;
- Issue 9 – Serious case reviews: findings over time [handout for issues 8 and 9 here];
- Issue 10 – Reports, inquiries, and reviews;
- Issue 11 – Conclusion on the current approach;
- Issue 12 – Academic criticisms of the present approach and ideas for reform [handout for the final three issues here].