LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN

Looked After Children



Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION3

SOCIAL EXCLUSION3

THE 1950'S -1960'S14

CONCLUSION18

REFERENCES19

Looked After Children

Introduction

The following assignment will discuss whether children looked after by the local Authority (LAC) are given adequate support and sufficient opportunities to participate fully in modern British society. In order to examine this issue, it is necessary to consider the systems of support for citizens with particular reference to 'Looked after Children', and to discuss political and social influences that affect all young people in England and Wales. The government in the UK fulfils its obligation to citizens by providing a 'Welfare State' which is described as 'the combination of benefits and services intended to increase wellbeing of citizens'….It also seeks to relieve poverty and reduce inequalities. Despite this, Britain still experiences 'social exclusion' which is described as a process that deprives individuals and family/groups of the resources required to flourish in society primarily caused by poverty and low income. It is also a consequence of low educational attainment, poor housing and deprived living environments, as a result '….“individuals and groups tend to be wholly or partly excluded from participation in their society“. (Kamerman, 2005:85)

Social exclusion

The term 'Social exclusion' SE has been utilised within the European social policy context for many years especially through the 1990-94 and became the centre of New Labours political agenda, emphasising the importance of targeting those groups and individuals thought to be more at risk of becoming socially excluded. The 'Social Exclusion Unit' was adopted in 1999 to identify significant groups/individuals thought to be at risk of exclusion, and to target those areas with the concept of offering 'opportunities for all' and at the other end of the scale the Labour government promoted 'responsibility' and 'accountability'. (Buchanan et al., 2004:85).

Buchanan et al., (2004) acknowledges the wider issues of exclusion that may affect many groups and individuals for example: disabled, ethnic minority, lone parents, gender, gays and lesbians, however, for the purpose of this assignment the focal point will be 'Look after Children'). The welfare systems designed for children are structured to offer opportunities and support for their physical, emotional, social, moral, and educational development and to protect them from abuse or exploitation, underlined in the Children Act 1989. (Buchanan et al., 2004:15)

Subsequently these concepts have become an integral part of New Labours political agenda when they came into power in 1999, resulted in radical reforms not only affecting children services but with the intention to tackle “moral failings of families and communities said to have fallen into a culture of crime“ and to re-build an “inclusive British society”. However, critics of New Labours policies argue many of New Labours policies are targeting the 'underclass' and Increasing social exclusion for the most vulnerable groups in society. (Powell, 2004: 22) Research studies undertaken in 2005 as part of the Rainer's Project, 'What Makes the Difference?' (a result of 'New Labours' 'White Paper') reports that 60,000 children in care of the local authority are “acknowledged to form one of society's most vulnerable and disadvantaged ...