Children and society

the long version

This important book examines the life of children in modern society and addresses the following key questions: What determines the nature of childhood? What is the place and value of children in society? What is the future of children likely to be? Children and Society demonstrates that in contemporary industrialised societies like Australia, social policies - and the institutions which act as instruments of these policies - tend to perpetuate inadequate and unequal treatment of children. A wealth of recent data, much of which has been produced by the authors, is presented and analysed in the book to highlight the inadequacy and inequality of current policies. This analysis is followed by the examination of government policies affecting children and families, noting especially the diversity of service systems which help to maintain social divisions and inequalities.