This article explores commonly held perceptions by young people as to why they are sometimes not believed by practitioners when reporting potential or actual instances of abuse or neglect. Using original data gained from telephone, individual and group interviews with over a hundred young people a "typology of disbelief" was constructed and is…

The aim of this article is to open up a discussion about an unexplored area of children's lives at school. While there has been considerable discussion of issues about child protection and the cooperation between school and social services in that context, studies on the intersection between school and family law proceedings seem virtually…

This article discusses the representation of abused children as "damaged", drawing on a series of three advertising campaigns for a British children's charity. The pictures and text of the advertisements seek to elicit readers' concern for abused children by portraying them (a) as passive agents in their development and (b) as signifiers of the…

Since the 1970s, interagency training has been considered crucial for developing effective collaborative practice, initially in relation to child protection, and latterly, to safeguarding children's welfare. Charting the history of interagency training in England, this paper aims to demonstrate how, despite limited attention being paid to its…

In the United Kingdom (UK), the number of convictions for offences related to child abuse images fell back following the police investigation dubbed "Operation Ore", but have still continued at levels unimaginable only 10 years ago. However, while government and the internet industry deserve credit for the steps they have taken to reduce…

This article examines how implicit notions in the concepts of "children" and "home" influence the study of child trafficking. Where children and adults are often presented as oppositional categories, home is regarded as territorialised, essentialised and unchangeable. These social constructions oversimplify trafficked and…

Two little known forms of child labour in Turkey are examined. The process through which these children are made to work has parallels with the experiences of slaves. First, a long-standing practice from Northwestern Turkey of parents hiring children to better-off farmers is examined. Further, a more recent problem is examined where children are…

Child slavery is a contemporary global problem existing since ancient times. The concept of slavery and practices similar to it are defined in a range of international instruments. Children are particularly vulnerable to slavery-like practices, and their special plight is addressed by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC-in particular…

An overview of child trafficking in the UK explores the nature and methods of this abuse, as well as the treatment and protection afforded to these particularly vulnerable children. It highlights the shortcomings and inconsistent standards of local authorities, the lack of specialist protection and the uncertainty of a trafficked child's…

This article addresses the links between child marriage and forced marriage in the UK, drawing from a research study on South Asian communities in North East England. It looks at definitional issues through an analysis of UK and South Asian policies. It also analyses how these concepts are understood by service providers, survivors of child…

Policy and practice in child welfare and protection has been significantly influenced by public inquiries or commissions which follow highly publicised child tragedies. Whilst there has been considerable comment on the final reports, there has been little research on the evidence gathered for such inquiries. Large amounts of testimony are…

There is growing concern about the increasing number of children in the USA who are exposed to community violence and the need to remove some of them from their families. This study examines risk factors for out-of-home placement among a large pool of children and adolescents who were referred for general clinical assessment following exposure to…

Examines the "Looking After Children" approach in child protective services in England. Maintains that the approach provides a method for assessing child outcomes based on well-developed theory and sound research. Concludes that it is necessary to clarify which aspects of the materials are useful in assessing outcomes for children not in…

Reviews the research literature on physical violence against children, including disciplinary tactics and abusive violence. Considers the incidence and prevalence of violence against children, key themes in research on causes, correlates and consequences of this violence, and future research needs. (JPB)

Impetus to prosecute child abuse has increased considerably with earlier involvement of police and legal reforms for more child-centered practices. Research on implementation of the Memorandum of Good Practice is presented to propose that prosecution of abuse is neither achieved nor achievable in majority of cases and that assumption on which…