States of Welfare: A Response to Charles Atherton

This response deals with Atherton's objections in so far as they are relevant and restates the importance of clarity about the content of the term "welfare state". It suggests that the term be restricted to states which offer a minimum real level of living to all their citizens, and shows that it is possible in both principle and practice to compress income inequalities to a point where poverty is effectively abolished. The article discusses some of the logical and semantic problems that have arisen as terms such as "welfare state" and "welfare regime" have been adapted to make international comparisons.     

A Kind of Loving: A Model of Effective Foster Care

Correspondence to Professor Kate Wilson, Centre of Social Work, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD. E-mail: kate.wilson{at}nottingham.ac.uk Summary The article builds on a companion statistical paper, which drewon the findings of a large sample of foster placements and analysedfactors leading to a successful placement and the avoidanceof disruption. A model of successful foster care was developedwhich suggested that outcomes depend on three aspects of thefoster placement, those that relate to the child, the fostercarer and the interaction between the two. Here, a concreteexample in the form of a case study drawn from interviews undertakenas part of the study is used to illustrate the relevance ofthe model to practice. The qualities that make up the interactionbetween the carer and the child are elaborated through the conceptof ‘responsive parenting’. The analysis is takenfurther by identifying the processes involved in a way thatis detailed and precise and has relevance to theory. The paperargues that the case study provides material that could informboth training and the theories that underpin practice.     

Research Note: Managing the Financial Assets of Older People: Balancing Independence and Protection

Family involvement in managing the financial assets of olderpeople is an area of policy and practice importance. This importancerelates to the complexity of older people’s assets, systemsof paying for care and concerns around substitute decision-makingand financial abuse. Although a common task of informal care,little is known about older people’s experiences and wishesin relation to asset management. This paper reports on a qualitativestudy of the experiences and perspectives of thirty-four olderpeople receiving such assistance. It identifies three scenariosthat promote or inhibit independence in this context and drawsout the challenges for this emerging area of practice with olderadults and their families.     

Family, Community, Church and State: Natural Parents Talking about Adoption in Ireland

Correspondence to Dr M. Wilson, Department of Applied Social Studies, University College, Cork, Ireland. E-mail: m.wilson{at}ucc.ie Summary This paper documents women’s experiences of relinquishinga child for adoption in Ireland. This group have long been silencedand largely invisible. The focus of the research on which thispaper is based was to provide a means for the women to sharetheir experiences of the process of concealment and ostracismand to review the socially sanctioned solutions particular toIrish society. The issues that emerge encompass personal, culturaland societal influences and the implications for future policyand practice are explored.     

Foster fathers: their experiences and contributions to fostering

The paper reports some of the findings of an exploratory study that looks at foster fathers’ experiences of fostering and discusses their routes into foster care and their perspectives on their roles and tasks. The study collected quantitative and qualitative data by approaching all foster fathers registered with a single independent fostering agency based in south‐east England. They were asked about their personal and professional attributes, and their experiences of and views concerning the role of a foster father. The study discusses the foster fathers’ motivation to foster, and argues that what they see as the benefits and drawbacks of fostering, and how it fits into their own family lives, are all relevant to improving service recruitment, delivery and retention. The study produced some evidence about the distinctive and positive contribution that foster fathers see themselves making to the lives of the children they foster. Further research is needed to refine our knowledge of what this contribution may be. Such knowledge could potentially develop our understanding of the roles of fathers in child development more generally as well as fine‐tuning practice in matching what particular placements have to offer to the needs of individual children.     

Children's Views of Family Group Conferences

The note reports one part of a research study which looked atthe experiences of the first twenty families who participatedin a family group conference pilot project. The research reportsthe largely positive views of twenty children aged between sixand sixteen who were interviewed and/or returned questionnaires.Based on the experiences of the children in this project, children’sinclusion in family group conferences is generally to be encouraged.They mostly valued the experience of being consulted and welcomedopportunities for families to develop relationships and worktogether on issues, free from the attentions of social services.Nonetheless, although family group conferences can usefullyinclude children and have a clear role in child welfare practice,they are not necessarily the route to empowering practice forall children and families.     

An Exploratory Study of the Effects of Teacher Attractiveness on Undergraduates' Perceptions of Teacher–Student Sexual Involvement

This study explored whether the attractiveness of a teacher affected perceptions of teacher sexual misconduct. Respondents (120 female and 108 male undergraduates) read scenarios depicting teacher sexual misconduct varied by gender dyad (male teacher–female student and female teacher–male student) and two levels of attractiveness (very attractive or ordinary looking). The attractiveness of the teacher had little impact on respondents' perceptions. Significant interactions emerged on most variables between respondent gender and gender dyad. Specifically, male respondents tended to view the female teacher–male student dyad as less negative than the male teacher–female student dyad. Female respondents generally did not make a distinction based on the gender dyad.