ABSTRACT
A change in the British government in May 1997 brought policy changes in education, health and welfare but no distinct reversal of Conservative party policies. The Labour government’s Third Way (Blair 1998) is a compromised mix of humanitarian endeavour and cost consciousness. Though the notion of ‘joined up problems’ and the need for ‘joined up solutions’ (Social Exclusion Unit 1998) has taken the discussion beyond the simplistic position which has long existed with regard to school exclusions, the problem is not yet viewed in a way which is joined up enough. Some groups are particularly vulnerable to a range of educational misfortunes such as low attainment and exclusion. Looked-after, traveller and African Caribbean children are disproportionately represented in these categories. This represents a worrying, enduring inequality which is not addressed in national policy.
