Subjects:

Family Law

Contents:

Part 1 Perspectives on childhood: legal concepts of childhood - an introduction, Julia Fionda

sociological perspectives and media representations of childhood, Chris Jenks

philosophical perspectives on childhood, David Archard

psychological and psychiatric perspectives, Quentin Spender and Alexandra John. Part II The child in law: youth and justice, Julia Fionda

children in court, Allan Levy QC

law, literature and the child, Ian Ward

children through tort, Roderick Bagshaw

the medical treatment of children, Penney Lewis

the minor as (a) subject - the case of housing law, David Cowan and Nick Dearden

the child in family law, Michael Freeman

children's rights and education, Paul Meredith

children and social security law, Nick Wikeley.

Concepts of who and what children are and what childhood consists of have changed over time. Our historical and contemporary notions of childhood also change according to the context of the interaction between the child and the state. This book is concerned with various ideas of what childhood consists of where the child is involved with the legal system. An identification of legal concepts of childhood can offer many insights into our treatment of children, the capacities which we expect them (possibly unfairly) to possess and the extent of any protection which they deserve or can expect from those charged with the responsibility for their welfare. Each essay in this collection focuses on a particular legal discipline which centrally involves children whether as litigants, victims or perpetrators of crimes, owners of property, recipients of welfare services etc. The object of the analysis is to assess how children are regarded by lawyers in each discipline; for example, as objects of concern, requiring protection; as autonomous possessors of rights; as lacking in moral consciousness or full mental capacity; or as fully aware of and accountable for their actions.