Challenging the Politics of Early Intervention

Who's 'Saving' Children and Why

Gillies, Val, Edwards, Rosalind, Val Gillies, Rosalind Edwards, Nicola Horsley

• Publisher: Policy Press
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN:
  9781447324096
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781447324133
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Marriage & Family Sociology
• Index: Social Sciences

A vital interrogation of the internationally accepted policy and practice consensus that intervention to shape parenting in the early years is the way to prevent disadvantage. Given the divisive assumptions and essentialist ideas behind early years intervention, in whose interests does it really serve?

This book critically assesses assertions that the 'wrong type of parenting' has biological and cultural effects, stunting babies' brain development and leading to a life of poverty and under-achievement. It shows how early intervention policies underpinned by interpretations of brain science perpetuate gendered, classed and raced inequalities. The exploration of future directions will be welcomed by those looking for a positive, collectivist vision of the future that addresses the real underlying issues in the creation of disadvantage.

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CSJ (Centre for Soc...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• ONE: The politics of early intervention and evidence
• TWO: Citizens of the future
• THREE: Rescuing the infant brain
• FOUR: In whose best interests?
• FIVE: Case studies of interests at play
• SIX: Saving children
• SEVEN: Reproducing inequalities
• EIGHT: Reclaiming the future: alternative visions
• References