Listening to Children about Kinship Care, Child Welfare and Permanence: A Child-Centred Approach to Navigating Relational Spaces

by Paul Daniel Shuttleworth

Overview

For too long, kinship and other forms of childhood care have been determined without a clear focus on children’s views.

This book unveils unique research on the transformative power of listening to children, exploring how they navigate family life and relationships. It offers fresh insights for theories, policies and practices in support of children’s welfare.

Essential reading for academics, researchers, practitioners and families, this book champions a new critical realist "what matters" approach, reinvigorating kinship care and child permanence debates.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781447374886
Publisher:	Bristol University Press
Publication date:	10/21/2025
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x (d)

About the Author

Paul Shuttleworth, a social worker with 20+ years’ experience, is a lecturer at Kingston University, a researcher, a national trainer of kinship care and child participation, and a podcast co-host.

Table of Contents

1. Valuing different perspectives

2. Valuing kinship care support

3. Valuing permanence for kinship care

4. Valuing child participation

5. Valuing a 'what matters' approach

6. Valuing ethics and 'what matters' participation approaches

7. Valuing connection/separation

8. Valuing care and protection/independence and risk

9. Valuing recognition/(mis)recognition

10. Navigating relational spaces