There are a number of key threshold points into and within children’s social care services. The imperative in the Children Act (2004), Every Child Matters and Lord Laming’s first report that “safeguarding children and young people from harm must be everyone’s business" has resulted in new service pathways, and the threshold at which children’s social care is likely to accept a referral is a frequent source of inter-professional tension and confusion. Consideration of thresholds makes evident ongoing tensions in policy and practice that have been characterised as ‘a sustained tug of war’ between child protection and child welfare’ (Tunstill, 1996: 152).
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Thresholds for Children's Social Care (312.95 kB)
