Citation

Page RM. Child. Youth Serv. Rev. 1987; 9(1): 51-65.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1987, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0190-7409(87)90005-3

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Although firmly established as a major social issue, child abuse still tends to be studied from too narrow a perspective in Britain. It is contended that the existence of a dominant persective for studying welfare issues (the Social Administration approach) has played an important part in ensuring that child abuse be equated solely with the ill-treatment of children within the home. Despite the fact that the "societal" abuse of children has been well documented, there have been few attempts to extend the boundaries of the child abuse debate. An effective challenge to the social administration approach to welfare is deemed necessary if a broader picture of child abuse in British society is to emerge.