State mechanisms for interference with parental autonomy: Issues of intervention

TL;DRAbstract

The thesis examines the systems designed to protect children from abuse, and the adoption of children, and identifies discourses influential in procedure and practice in these areas. Both systems operate when the state considers that parents are unable or unwilling to care adequately for their children, and raise questions of the nature of the contact that families have with state agencies, before, during and after child abuse is suspected. The thesis considers these systems using Foucault and Donzelot's theories of control and bio-power. Child welfare has been examined from a variety of theoretical perspectives, and literature is available from medical, sociological and legal discourses. Existing research, policy and practice are examined, questioning whether enough is known about the effects of these systems on the subjects entered into them. Consideration is given to existing measures of 'success', and whether they provide adequate measures by which to evaluate the systems. In both

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