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User Outcomes and Children's Services Reforms: Ambiguity and Conflict in the Policy Implementation Process

Hudson, Bob

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Authors

Bob Hudson



Abstract

The reforms to children's services in the UK brought in by the Every Child Matters Green Paper and the subsequent Children Act 2004 represent the most significant change in this area of social policy since 1948. The policy approach has two distinguishing features – an ‘outcomes led’ approach rooted in the views of children and young people about what constitutes ‘wellbeing’ in their lives, and a partnership approach that recognises these outcomes can only be achieved through high levels of inter-agency and inter-professional working. This article suggests that the two features may be in tension, and that during the process of implementation there is a danger that user defined outcomes will be re-interpreted to fit in with other organisational and professional agendas. The analysis draws upon Rick Matland's framework for exploring the impact of conflict and ambiguity respectively upon the implementation process.

Citation

Hudson, B. (2006). User Outcomes and Children's Services Reforms: Ambiguity and Conflict in the Policy Implementation Process. Social Policy and Society, 5(2), 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1474746405002915

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date 2006-04
Deposit Date Aug 4, 2008
Publicly Available Date Aug 4, 2008
Journal Social Policy and Society
Print ISSN 1474-7464
Electronic ISSN 1475-3073
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 5
Issue 2
Pages 227-236
DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/s1474746405002915

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Copyright Statement
© Cambridge University Press 2005




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