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Developing Child-Centered Social Policies: When Professionalism Takes Over

Author

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  • Nicole Hennum

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, University College of Oslo and Akershus, Oslo 0130, Norway)

Abstract

No nation today can be understood as being fully child-centered, but many are pursuing social policies heavily favoring children. The emphasis on individual rights and the growth of scientific knowledge underpinning many of these policies have led to the improvement of the lives of a great many children. Paradoxically, these same knowledge bases informing social policies often produce representations and images of children and their parents that are detrimental for both of these groups. Using Norwegian child welfare policies and practices as examples, I will examine some of the possible pitfalls of child-centered praxis. The key question here is one asking whether the scientific frame central to child welfare professionalism has positioned children and parents as objects rather than subjects in their own lives and, in so doing, required them to live up to standards of life defined for them by experts. A central question will involve exploring the extent to which scientific knowledge has erased political and ethical considerations from the field when assessing social problems.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicole Hennum, 2014. "Developing Child-Centered Social Policies: When Professionalism Takes Over," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-19, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:3:y:2014:i:3:p:441-459:d:39383
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Keddell, Emily, 2023. "Recognising the embedded child in child protection: Children’s participation, inequalities and cultural capital," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    2. Erika K. Palmer, 2017. "Structural Disadvantage: Evidence of Gender Disparities in the Norwegian Pension System," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Turba, Hannu & Breimo, Janne Paulsen & Lo, Christian, 2019. "Professional and organizational power intertwined: Barriers to networking?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    4. Tarshish, Noam, 2019. "How friendly are OECD countries towards children? Conceptualization and measuring issues," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 156-165.
    5. Erika Palmer, 2018. "The Heavy Cost of Care: Systemic Challenges in Norwegian Work Absenteeism," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(6), pages 1-17, June.
    6. Clara Siagian & Sandra Arifiani & Putri Amanda & Santi Kusumaningrum, 2019. "Supporting Children, Blaming Parents: Frontline Providers’ Perception of Childhood’s Adversity and Parenthood in Indonesia," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-20, February.

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