Risks and obstacles in implementing a public health approach to the well-being and protection of children?

In this chapter we critically examine the practical and organisational issues as well as the ideational and procedural ones that challenge policy makers, leaders and those delivering services as they attempt to re-focus child protection service delivery toward earlier intervention and prevention within a public health framework. Combining the knowledge we have gained in practice-led research and policy development, we highlight the challenges we have witnessed as governments and others try to shift the ‘child protection juggernaut’ (Humphreys, Harries, Healy, Lonne, Mendes, McHugh and Sheehan 2009) from being the coercive, residual, investigative one it has become in many parts of the world. In particular, we examine the conceptual and systemic problems people face as they try to re-orient services and build on conventional frameworks for service delivery at the same time as they challenge established ways of working and attempt to ensure new ways of collaboration between agencies and practitioners.