ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter begins with a conceptual and pragmatic examination of what the notions 'professionalization' (of workers) and 'participation' (of clients) mean in the debate about quality in child and youth care. Because it is sometimes suggested that these processes are antagonisms, attention is also given to how the two processes relate to each other. The chapter also presents some of the key concepts discussed in this book. The book addresses a factor which has great significance for the level of professionalization: the economic factor. It discusses the professional identity of the (residential) child and youth care worker and what is needed to strengthen it. The book investigates what must be done to improve the quality of residential youth care, especially in the United Kingdom, and the potential role of a more professionally equipped staff. It provides a report of a comparative research into the way children cope with everyday conflicts with their parents or foster parents.
