David Berridge, Professor of Child and Family Welfare, University of Bristol

"Clear yet thorough; practical yet politically insightful; complicated yet coherent ... this book will appeal to those who want to get an overview of the territory, but also to those who wish to drill down deeper and understand the theoretical underpinning of government policies"

Martin C Calder, Honorary Research Fellow, Sheffield Hallam Univeristy

This is the first book to provide a comprehensive overview and critical analysis of children's social care in England following the introduction of Every Child Matters and the 2007 Children's Plan. Up-to-date and accessible, the book examines the key issues surrounding child care policy, politics and legislation, and the implications they have for practice.

The book is organised into three sections:

- From Children's Departments to Departments of Children's Services analyses the historical and political changes in the children's service since 1948.

- Different Service Areas provides a critical review of the main service areas, including safeguarding and child protection.

- Current Issues and Future Prospects considers the main challenges and future prospects for children's social care.

Essential reading for those studying child social care on programmes in social work, childhood studies and social policy, the book will also interest postgraduates and practitioners in child care.