Introduction

Abstract

The institutions that are responsible for the 6900 children in residential care in England, Scotland and Wales are the source of major concern. High profile cases of institutional abuse have scandalised the public for over a decade. ‘Looked after’ young people account, in due course, for almost a quarter of adult prisoners (Parker 2000). Few people need convincing of the need for concerted reform and re-working of the residential care system. Successive official inquires have highlighted the need for change in almost every aspect of the operation of children’s homes. It is only recently, however, that attention has moved towards the managerial features of the system. This book reports the results of the first attempt to study the external management of children’s homes in England and Wales in its own right.