Kinship care for children in the UK: messages from research,lessons for policy and practice1

This article presents a comprehensive overview of kinship care, or as it is also known, family and friends care, paying particular attention to the UK child welfare, legal, policy/practice contexts. The aim of the article is to raise awareness, and provide information, about a hitherto largely invisible, yet expanding placement option being widely used in child welfare systems in the UK, in Europe and elsewhere. The article places kinship care within a UK and European child welfare legal context, including the European Convention on Human Rights 1998 [Articles 8 and 14] and European kinship care developments are also highlighted. It contains the main findings of a kinship care research study conducted by the author, based on interviews with children and young people living with kinship carers, as well as with the kinship carers. Following an examination of theoretical and policy issues, the article examines ways forward for developing and supporting kinship care. In the final section, and based on the research findings and literature review, a new paradigm for child welfare is introduced. It is argued that this new paradigm is necessary in order for kinship care practice and policy to develop within a supported and sustainable family support framework.     

展望一种可持续的后现代生态文明

遏制贪婪和其它欲望是个体幸福的关键,同时也是一笔共同财富。西方资本主义一直以贪婪和欲望作为经济发展的动力,这是直接导致过度消费、债务和不可持续性的根源。中国在这件事情上会更加聪明,去努力建设一个可持续的后现代生态文明,拥抱自由和有创造力的自由市场体系,同时拒绝西方破坏性的贪婪和欲望。