Social policy

Bringing together a range of perspectives from practice, lived experience and academia, this is an accessible and timely guide to children’s services reform. Critically considering the impact of the MacAlister Review, the book highlights both the positive and negative aspects of reform, before setting out alternative policy and practice directions.

Challenging the ethics of care as a tradeable commodity, this book introduces the concept of ailment as a framework for understanding social care. Providing examples from Britain and Finland, it demonstrates how ailment shapes all societies, and by addressing the marketisation of care, the authors bring to light increasing inequalities in care.

This book explores the advantages of the capability approach and offers a way forward in addressing conceptual and empirical issues as they apply specifically to social policy research and practice.

This unique book is a clear and detailed introduction that analyses how restorative justice nurtures empathy, exploring key themes such as responsibility, shame, forgiveness and closure. Using case studies, the book offers a fresh angle on a topic that is of growing interest both in the UK and internationally.

Using the UK government’s play strategy for England (2008-10) as a case study, this is the first book to look in detail at children’s play within public policy. It is an essential tool for practitioners and campaigners around the world.

Explains the challenges that collective welfare faces, and explores the complexities involved in delivering it, including debates about who benefits from welfare and how and where it is delivered.

The unfinished revolution: Voices from the global fight for women's rights tells the legal and political history of the battle to secure basic rights for women and girls with essays by more than 30 writers, activists, policymakers and human rights experts, and contributions from women who have been victims of human rights abuses.

This compact, focused guide is perfect for students and others new to the field of gerontology. Features include further reading for each chapter, a glossary of key terms, and tables that provide easy reference points.

Rising concerns about a 'problematic street culture' associated with rough sleeping, especially begging and street drinking, have seen a major shift towards enforcement interventions aimed at the 'street users'. This report examines the impact of these interventions on the welfare of street users.

A free pdf version is available at www.jrf.org.uk

Long term resident migrants to the UK still face significant barriers to citizenship. Dr Prabhat captures the experiences of those who successfully become British citizens through stories of belonging, citizenship, and the law. The book illuminates the gap between policy and practice in gaining British citizenship.

Based on his personal experience at the heart of government and the voluntary sector, Nick Raynsford, a former MP, Minister and campaigner, explores making and implementing policy and legislation. He gives an ‘insider’s view’ on a range of events, some not previously made public, making a fascinating bridge across the policy and practice divide.

Forgotten Wives examines how marriage has contributed to the active ‘disremembering’ of women’s achievements. Ann Oakley uses case studies of four women married to well-known men to ask questions about gender inequality and contributes a fresh vision of how the welfare state developed in the early 20th century.