The Manifest and Latent Lessons of Child Abuse Inquiries

This article examines some of the key implications of public child abuse inquiries for social work services and practice. It recognizes the positive value of certain of their findings and recommendations. However, equally important are the unintended consequences and latent social functions of inquiries. These have meant that the general public has been able to distance itself from responsibility for protecting children. Attention has been diverted from wider social processes, including adult-child and male-female power relationships. At the same time, the dominant role of child protection procedures in the statutory sector has inhibited the development of preventive practice strategies.