From Children's Services to Children's Spaces

Despite entering a new century, attitudes and actions towards children are increasingly contradictory and complex. On the one hand, increasing attention is paid to children's rights, children's participation and children's agency; on the other, children face increasing surveillance, regulation and normalisation. The government is investing increasing importance and resources in providing for children (from childcare to schools, from social work to financial benefits); but much of this investment addresses an agenda of adulthood - to meet the needs of today's adults and to meet the needs for a future competitive workforce. This book explores these apparent contradictions and complexities through a critique of the concept of 'children's services'. In focuses on the contentious theme of the debate between those who believe childhood is a stage in its own right and those who think we should start to train children from an early age to prepare them for the workforce. Written by a key, and well-respected researcher in the field, this book highlights the issues involved in a fascinating and accessible way.

"The authors show how different ways of thinking about children produce different childhoods, different public provisions for children, and different ways of working with children."
-Journal of Social Work Education

Moss, Peter; Petrie, Pat

More than ever before, children are apparently being recognised as social actors and citizens. Yet public policy often involves increased control and surveillance of children. This book explores the contradiction. It shows how different ways of thinking about children produce different childhoods, different public provisions for children (including schools) and different ways of working with children. It argues that how we understand children and make public provision for them involves political and ethical choices. Through case studies and the analysis of policy and practice drawn from a number of countries, the authors describe an approach to public provision for children which they term 'children's services'. They then propose an alternative approach named 'children's spaces', and go on to consider an alternative theory, practice and profession of work with children: pedagogy and the pedagogue. This ground breaking book will be essential reading for tutors and students on higher education or in-service courses in early childhood, education, play, social work and social policy, as well as practitioners and policy makers in these areas.

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