Five ways for children to be well

Need, rights, poverty, quality of life, social exclusion… by which reckoning should society define and measure children’s well-being?

In an essay just published in Child & Family Social Work, Unit researcher Nick Axford argues that while all five concepts inform policy objectives in western developed countries, the important differences between them are seldom articulated.
 
He explores the similarities and differences and uses data from a Unit community survey of an inner-London housing estate to discuss how closely the five are related. The overlap is less than one might expect: for example, 39% of the children were 'in need' and 42% had their rights violated but only 20% fell into both categories.
 
The article concludes that each of the five offers a unique perspective on child well-being, which in turn influences the orientation of services. For instance, needs-led services are more likely to focus on addressing impairment to health and development, whereas a quality of life angle will emphasise the potential for enriching children's lives.
 
The risk is that the variation may encourage policy makers to devise and enact policy initiatives that are inherently contradictory.
 
Axford, N. (2009) ‘Child well-being through different lenses: why concept matters’, Child & Family Social Work 14 (3), 372-383.