Child Protection in England

This chapter critically outlines the development of child protection policies and procedures in England from 1995-2010. It pays particular attention to the Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme and how this was related to the wider social policy aims of the New Labour Government at the time. The chapter looks more specifically at the emphasis placed upon the concept of safeguarding and attempts to emphasise a more family service orientation to the work and the challenges to this. The chapter also provides a critical appraisal of the nature and role of "out of home care" during the period and the changing make-up of the types of cases subject to a "child protection plan". The chapter concludes with a consideration of the impact of the case of Baby Peter Connelly in 2008 and the possible implications of the election of the Conservative/Liberal Democratic Government in 2010.