Is Social Exclusion a Useful Concept in Children's Services?

The concept of social exclusion has a high profile in children's services in the UK. But how does a focus on exclusion change the way in which services seek to define vulnerable children and help them? In particular, how does it compare with (i) a risk and protective factor model and associated attempts to meet need and (ii) efforts to tackle poverty? This article examines the influence of the concept on policy and practice by considering seven emphases commonly associated with a social exclusion perspective. It argues that the concept offers helpful insights into child well-being and the shape of children's services but that these could be exploited more fully, and that many of its perceived benefits in terms of service orientation actually sit well if not better within existing conceptual frameworks.