Children and Families in Communities

Theory, Research, Policy and Practice

Bibliographic Data

ID14895913
AuthorsAngela Underdown (University of Warwick, corresponding author)
Year2007
Volume21
Issue5
Pages399-400
Publication date2007-09-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueChildren & Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0951-0605 • E-ISSN: 1099-0860
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1099-0860.2007.00103.x
OpenAlexW1518578306
LanguageEN
Citations received12

By Jacqueline Barnes, Ilan Katz, Jill E. Korbin and Margaret O'Brien Chichester : Wiley , 2006 ISBN 97804700933573 £65.00 (hb) As the title suggests, the central theme of this book is that the well-being of children can be understood only within the complex contexts of family and community life. Drawing on Urie Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, the book takes a broad perspective and acknowledges the benefits of considering the wider community and environmental influences on the child and, in turn, the child as an active participant in that context. The book is divided into three parts: underpinning theories; the effect of community on children, parents and families and interventions and policy implications. The mix of authors is both interesting and powerful. Two psychologists, Barnes, well known for her work about parenting and early interventions, and O'Brien, eminent in research around fatherhood and integrated services, combine with Katz's extensive experience of families and social policy and Korbin, an anthropologist known for her research into child abuse and neglect. Interesting, because there is a stated belief from the outset that any one single disciplinary approach is too narrow and powerful, because the authors manage effectively to offer an integrated perspective. The book draws on rich research and case-study material which not only makes it very readable for students and practitioners but serves to highlight the fact that linking support to community resources alongside individual family needs is more likely to promote a better quality of life. In the past decade the relationship between communities, children and families has inspired a wealth of research and policy initiatives due to a growing belief that the breakdown of families and communities is a significant factor in social problems, including child abuse and juvenile crime. The latest policy initiatives to tackle social problems have therefore targeted communities as well as high-risk families, making the publication of this book very timely. Social capital has only relatively recently been acknowledged as an important public health concept and generally refers to the beneficial effects of interpersonal relationships, social networks and support, trust, reciprocity and community, and civic engagement. However, children's participation in communities has been relatively neglected, even though its importance is highlighted in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. (p. 144) Conceptual differences between the terms ‘neighbourhood’ and ‘community’ are carefully teased out, the former often relating to a geographical area and the latter, more complicated, term linking with feelings of belonging. A case is made for the development of ‘ecometrics’, involving improved measures and methods for studying neighbourhood and community contexts. The authors have drawn much of their material from the USA, in part because the mass of UK administrative boundaries, combined with differing child and parental perceptions of neighbourhood areas, makes an ecometric study difficult. The book successfully amalgamates the latest research into the relationship between children, families and communities and explores policy and practice implications. Where resources are limited, the authors pose challenging questions about whether funds would be best spent working directly with children and families to improve health and well-being or on the development of the community. These are crucial questions and the book explores, among others, the recently refocused Sure Start scheme. The book has a contemporary approach which will have a resonance with many readers, and that is exemplified by the discussion of issues such as the ‘digital revolution’ and virtual communities, challenging traditional perceptions of individualism by exploring how children use information gained from the Internet to complement their relationships at school and in their neighbourhoods. While it is comprehensive in its approach, the authors acknowledge that the book is also limited by the fact that most of the material has been drawn from the minority world of rich industrialised countries. This book offers a wealth of thought-provoking material written in a clear and accessible style and moving far beyond the mythical idealistic ‘village that raises the child’ to a critical analysis of communities and the interventions that are intended to support them

Context (archaeology · Discipline · Ecological systems theory · Perspective (graphical · Psychological intervention · Social science · Sociology · Early Childhood Education and Development · Psychology · Social Psychology

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