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The article provides an overview of the conclusions reached by the British Academy Childhood Policy Programme in its final report. The programme explored the role of the state in childhood and how children and childhood are conceptualised in policy-making. The aim was to apply an inter-disciplinary social sciences and humanities lens in order to reframe debates around childhood policies and to encourage a more consistent and integrated approach to them. The article first sets childhood policy in a wider political and policy context, noting the significant variation between different parts of the UK. It then explores three key themes that emerged from the project's first phase: the tension between conceptualising childhood as a time of 'being' and 'becoming'; children's rights; and children's voices and participation. In each case the diversity among children and the inequalities they face is emphasised. The article concludes with a set of principles derived from the analysis of the themes and designed to encourage debate.

This Article addresses the general question of "why citizenship?" through the lens of children's citizenship. It unpacks the different elements of substantive citizenship and considers what they mean for children: [...]

The relationship of paid work and care to citizenship is a central issue in feminist citizenship theory, echoing the longstanding dilemma between `equality' or `difference'-based claims to full citizenship. The implications for feminist politics are discussed in the UK context where such politics can be characterized as a pendulum swinging away from an `equality' towards a `difference' model, in reaction to New Labour's fetishism of paid work. The article explores the dilemmas this raises. It proposes an alternative model, which promotes both a more equitable gendered distribution of time and work (paid and unpaid) and also a more balanced way of life, which allows women and men time just to be. Social policies, it is argued, are crucial to the achievement of such a model. Keywords: citizenship; care; work; feminism; lone parents; time.

The author argues that concepts of difference and recognition are not a part of mainstream public debate concerning welfare reform in the UK, and instead, discourse focuses on active reform versus passive social dependency. The author proposes that the Labour government should manage welfare reform by way of redistribution, risk protection, recognition, rights, and responsibilities.