Policy Press

Parental rights and responsibilities

Analysing social policy and lived experiences

By Harriet Churchill

Published

Mar 30, 2011

Page count

264 pages

ISBN

978-1847420909

Dimensions

240 x 172 mm

Imprint

Policy Press

Published

Mar 30, 2011

Page count

264 pages

ISBN

978-1847420916

Dimensions

240 x 172 mm

Imprint

Policy Press
Parental rights and responsibilities

This timely book examines parental rights to 'welfare state support' and parental responsibilities for child welfare in relation to recent social policy agendas pursued by the Labour government in the UK in the context of child well-being research, state welfare analysis and sociological research about parental perspectives and the multiple contexts of parenting and childhood. It calls for notions of parental rights and responsibilities which are more responsive to the diversity of parental perspectives and parenting contexts. The book is valuable reading for students, researchers and practitioners in social policy and child and family services.

"Harriet Churchill's new book is a comprehensive, well written and extremely useful review of recent family policy and research. Recommended reading." Val Gillies, Families & Social Capital Research Group, London South Bank University

"Harriet Churchill powerfully juxtaposes British policies around parenting with the experiences and perspectives of parents. This encounter is both a painful and productive one, enabling her to suggest ways in which parental rights and responsibilities might be re-thought." John Clarke, Professor of Social Policy, The Open University

Harriet Churchill is a Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Sheffield. Her research interests include family and childhood sociology, family and parental support, welfare state reform and family policy.

Introduction; Part one: The broader context: Conceptualising child, family and social well-being; Socio-economic change and social well-being trends; Children, families and welfare state restructuring; Part two: UK social policy developments 1997-2010;  Welfare to work measures and financial support for families; Childcare and family-friendly employment policies; Parental and family support services; Part three: Research on parental perspectives: Parenthood and parenting in context; Negotiating work and family life; Part four: Policy implications: Conclusion: rights and responsibilities for child, family and social well-being.