When should the State become involved in family life Essay

When should the State become involved in family life - Essay Example aimed at identifying and protecting children at risk.4 It is therefore accepted and understood that states should have the authority to intervene for the protection of children who are vulnerable to neglect and abuse. This paper analyses the current state of law, policies and practices that speak to a general justification for state intervention in family life for the protection of children. In this regard, this research study is divided into two parts. The first part of this study identifies the state agents that are authorized to intervene in family life for the protection of children. The second part of this paper analyses the laws, practices and policies enabling state intervention via state agents. ... The welfare state by implication serves the collective needs of all and at the same time confers virtual autonomy on the state over its citizens. Neoliberalism takes the position that social services are part and parcel of the free and open market economy. It is generally presumed that the state bears some responsibility for meeting social needs while at the same time recognizing that individuals are free to take care of themselves and their families. In order to achieve social justice, social democracy commands that the state implement measures and policies for promoting and enforcing social justice.7 Pursuant to neoliberal theory and concepts of social democracy, the state constructs rules prescribing how the state and its various agents function to achieve social justice. In the interest of achieving social justice, states may retain for themselves some measure of coercive authority which permits the state to prohibit some behaviour on the part of its citizens. States in neolibera l contexts respond to the demands of social justice by observing society, social institutions and implement or modify public policies that are consistent with their observations.8 In this regard, social justice with respect to children in the UK was originally informed by the death of Maria Colwell which was caused by her stepfather while under the supervision of social services in 1973. Over the last 15 years, there have been a number of high profile inquiries about the efficacy of social services and thus the state in identifying and protecting children from child abuse and neglect. While most of the high profile inquiries involve the failure of the state via its social services agents to