‘A murderous ‘underclass’? the press reporting of sexually motivated murder

The 'underclass' is widely held by commentators of the Right to be responsible for a host of social problems, including violent crime. This paper shows how in the reporting of sexually motivated murder in a sample of nine British newspapers for one complete year (1992), the image constructed is one where unemployed and other marginalised men are portrayed as the main perpetrators of sexual violence. This, the authors argue, hampers our understanding of sexual violence, for it suggests that it is only men of a 'low' socio-economic background who are a potential threat to women and children. It is also suggested that the 'symbolic environment' of the press reporting of sexual murder provides a context in which a more authoritarian benefit regime and greater control of poor communities can be spuriously justified.     

Powerless Children—Powerful Systems

This article looks at the needs of children and families now that there is increasing inter-agency conflict. The situation is considered from the perspective of one agency, educational psychology and it is suggested that the pressures on one agency are common to all agencies. It is argued that the impact of the changes imposed upon agencies conspires to enhance the power of systems and diminish opportunities for children and families to be in control. Examples of effective inter-agency support and a model of working that facilitates positive outcomes for children and their families are discussed.     

Innovations in parenting support: an evaluation of the YMCA's ‘Parenting Teenagers’ initiative

This paper describes the evaluation of a three year Initiative run by the YMCA. The aim of the Initiative was to set up 30 different projects in YMCA centres in England, to provide help and support to the parents of teenagers. The Initiative was evaluated by the Trust for the Study of Adolescence. Funding was agreed for 29 projects, which included group‐based courses, ‘Dads and Lads’ projects, mediation schemes, transition evenings, and families and computing courses. A variety of outcomes from these projects are identified, both for parents, young people, project workers, and the YMCA as an organisation. Key issues and learning points from the Initiative are also identified. Finally, some general comments are made about strategies to provide support to the parents of teenagers. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Children in separated families: A group-based intervention strategy

The effects of divorce and separation on children can be traumatic and long lasting. Any intervention has to be aware of, and sensitive to, the aims of custodial parents. A group-based intervention aimed at helping children to be less vulnerable to both emotional problems and future abuse is described. The results of such groups suggest that future intervention needs to treat the panacea of increasing child-parent communication with some caution, and should instead recognize that children make their own choices about when to speak out and what to say within their own family situation. Intervention should instead be geared towards helping children to sort out their own feelings and letting them decide how they want to express them.     

Letting Go: A Mother's View

Parents whose son or daughter has a mental handicap face a difficult decision about when is the right time to 'let go'. Many are highly ambivalent, torn between their own wish to keep their son or daughter with them and their concern that he or she might need to leave home in order to develop greater independence. Making the break raises fundamental questions about relationships within the family and family members' needs for one another. This article explores these questions through the use of an interview with one mother, whose son had left home two years earlier. Some comments on the issues raised are also provided, including some recommendations for local practice.