This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Piper, H. Articles by Smith, H. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Parents, Professionals, and Paranoia

The Touching of Children in a Culture of Fear

Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

John Powell

Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Hannah Smith

Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Summary: In this paper, we appeal to professionals and others to take a more considered approach to the increasing panic relating to the touching of children of all ages. We attempt to disrupt the current trend by drawing attention to that which is currently being deferred in professional practice, yet which is evident in many formal and informal guidelines. We suggest that the contradictions we identify throughout the paper result more from a culture of fear than one of caring. We draw on our own small-scale earlier research experiences, and relevant and related literature in the area, but also note a scarcity of both in the UK context. We conclude that touching, at least in anglicized societies, has become an area that now requires fine judgements dependent on the interactive processes between all parties and that a broad-based analysis is clearly required. But we consider hesitation and ambiguity to be unavoidable in ethical decision making, something to be encouraged and not avoided by the search for blueprints, in our attempts to manage the perceived ‘risks’.

Findings: Current practice is more dependent on fears of accusation and litigation than any concern for a child. Most child care workers ‘know’ this on the one hand, but nevertheless still attempt to justify their actions as sensible decision making. For example, a play group leader will claim he or she can’t put a plaster on a child because of a potential allergy: this is in spite of completed forms requesting information relating to allergies for each child, and allergies cease to be an issue anyway when a child is taken to the medical box and instructed from a distance on how to apply a plaster themselves. Contradictory accounts such as this are abundant in this area, and we suggest that many workers are behaving more like ‘victims’ than professionals.

Applications: This paper is concerned with drawing attention to the need for all professionals working with children and young people of all ages to question their current and future decision making in relation to the wide range of touching practices that occur on a daily basis. Professionals should make their own mind up in relation to ethical matters, remembering that the ‘radicals’ of today become the ‘liberals’ of tomorrow.

Key Words: ethics • fear • paranoia • touching • trust

Journal of Social Work, Vol. 6, No. 2, 151-167 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1468017306066742


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Sikes At the Eye of the Storm: An Academic('s) Experience of Moral Panic Qualitative Inquiry, March 1, 2008; 14(2): 235 - 253. [Abstract] [PDF]