This book offers a wide-ranging historical overview of child welfare in England. As well as providing an informed historical perspective on the evolution of child welfare during the last century, it also gives a provocative account of contemporary policies and the ideological thrust behind them. Children and child welfare sit at the heart of New Labour's plans for social inclusion. But how does the government view "children"? Is it reflecting public opinion, or leading it? How does New Labour perceive "child welfare"? What are the motivations behind, and objectives of, current social policy for children? Are the "Rights of the Child" being subsumed under "duties and responsibilities"? This book provides critical answers to these questions within a historical framework and from a child-centered perspective.