Journal edition examines the effects of the 1989 Children Act, 21 years later

The new edition of the Journal of Children's Services looks at whether the England and Wales Children Act 1989 has lived up to its promise.

The first of a two-part special edition is guest-edited by Rupert Hughes and Wendy Rose, both of whom were in the Department of Health at the time and closely involved in taking the Act through Parliament and, for some years after, in efforts to get it implemented. How well is the court system introduced by the Act working? Are local authorities providing the right balance of services? Are the terms right under which the child can be removed from the parents in his or her best interests? What is the balance between the interests of parents and children? These are among the questions considered by contributors.
 
The second part of the special edition, due out in September 2010, covers the support, care and protection services heralded by the 1989 Act.
 
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