Social work and child welfare politics

Children and families are at the heart of social work all over the world, but, until now Nordic perspectives have been rare in the body of English-language child welfare literature. Is there something that makes child welfare ideas and practices that are in use in the Nordic countries characteristically 'Nordic'? If so, what kinds of challenges do the current globalization trends pose for Nordic child welfare practices, especially for social work with children and families? Covering a broad range of child welfare issues, this edited collection provides examples of Nordic approaches to child welfare, looking at differences between Nordic states as well as the similarities. It considers, and critically examines, the particular features of the Nordic welfare model - including universal social care services that are available to all citizens and family policies that promote equality and individuality - as a resource for social work with children and families. Drawing on contemporary research and debates from different Nordic countries, the book examines how social work and child welfare politics are produced and challenged as both global and local ideas and practices. "Social work and child welfare politics" is aimed at academics and researchers in social work, childhood studies, children's policy and social policy, as well as social work practitioners, policy makers and service providers, all over the world who are interested in Nordic experiences of providing care and welfare for families with children.

Hannele Forsberg is Professor of Social Work in the Department of Social Work Research at the University of Tampere, Finland. Her main research fields are family and childhood research and social work practices. Her ongoing research project concerns contested family practices and moral reasoning. Teppo Kröger is Academy Research Fellow, working at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Formerly a social worker and lecturer in social work, his main research interests focus on comparative research on social care, including child care, care for disabled people and care for older people.