Welfare of Children / Edition 2

by Duncan Lindsey

Overview

After spending half of his volume critically reviewing the historical development of child welfare systems in the United States, Lindsey (public policy and social research, U. of California at Los Angeles) looks towards long-term structural policies that will provide for the welfare of children. He discusses the welfare "reform" of 1996 and its largely negative impact on the economic circumstances of poor children. Finally, he proposes a "social savings" approach similar to approaches used in Britain's Child Trust Fund. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2900195136714
Publication date:	11/06/2003
Pages:	472
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)

About the Author

Duncan Lindsey is a Professor in the UCLA School of Public Affairs. The recipient of the ProHumanitate medal, he also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Children and Youth Services Review.

Table of Contents

	Introduction	1
Part I	The Child Welfare System
1.	Emergence of the Modern Child Welfare System	11
2.	Child Welfare Research: The Effectiveness of Casework	43
3.	Child Welfare Reform through Demonstration Research: Permanency Planning	67
4.	The Changing Portrait of the American Family	91
5.	The End of Child Welfare: The Transformation of Child Welfare into Child Protective Services	119
6.	The Decision to Remove a Child	159
7.	Dealing with Child Abuse, the Red Herring of Child Welfare	177
Part II	Ending Child Poverty
8.	Wealth and Poverty in America: The Economic Condition of Children	205
9.	The Rise and Fall of Welfare for Disadvantaged Children in America	243
10.	The Fading Promise of Welfare Reform to End Child Poverty	277
11.	Two Simple Programs for Ending Child Poverty	313
12.	Child Future Savings Account: Social Security for Children	339
	Closing	369
	References	377
	Author Index	423
	Subject Index	437

Editorial Reviews

In a challenging, clearly written work, Lindsey proposes specific programs that, he argues, would do much to ensure adequate support for the largest impoverished age group in the United States today: children in single-parent families. He advocates moving responsibility for child abuse cases to the criminal justice system, leaving social welfare to focus on child neglect. He would establish a Universal Child Support Collection aimed at noncustodial parents, an across-the-board Guaranteed Child Exemption (tax credit) and, to provide "escape velocity" from the poverty/welfare cycle, a Child's Future Security Account (comparable to funding for the elderly or disabled). Like Marion Wright Edelman (Families in Peril, LJ 3/1/87), Lindsey sees neglected children as potentially valuable human resources, if society will commit to investing in them. Strongly recommended for professionals, politicians, academics, and concerned lay readers.-Suzanne W. Wood, SUNY Coll. of Technology, Alfred

Library Journal

"A major contribution to current discussions on child welfare. It not only provides a thorough survey of the field, but offers an incisive critique of the way the system currently fails to meet its declared objective of enhancing the welfare of children."—Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare

"In a challenging, clearly written work, Lindsey proposes specific programs that, he argues, would do much to ensure adequate support for the largest impoverished age group in the United States today: children in single-parent families....Like Marion Wright Edelman, Lindsey sees neglected children as potentially valuable human resources, if society will commit to investing in them. Strongly recommended for professionals, politicians, academics, and concerned lay readers."—Library Journal

"Proposes practical long-term measures to break the poverty cycle, such as modifying the federal income tax collection systems to ensure child-support payments, and the establishment of the child's future security account."—ALA Booklist

"An important book."—Children and Youth Services Review

"The Welfare of Children provides an engaging scholarly review of the public child welfare system, child welfare efforts, the changing nature of the child welfare system and families in North America. The title sets the stage for a comprehensive approach to nourishing the welfare of all children....This is an important book. It clearly describes the limitations of current child welfare programs and provides specific policy recommendations. Only through such a preventative-oriented focus can the welfare of all children be encouraged. Recommendations made are well-argued and suggest clear steps that can be taken."—Eileen Gambrill, University of California at Berkeley

From the Publisher