ABSTRACT
Increasingly, practitioners are expected to work holistically with children and young people, taking into account family contexts, socio-cultural factors, lifestyles, educational engagement and attainment, health-related outcomes, and a multiplicity of other indicators relating to welfare and wellbeing. This chapter addresses the importance of recognising and subsequently addressing the needs of children and families who require additional support in a number of contexts. As a starting point, the concept of poverty is explored to show how measures of disadvantage and need are challenging to define and ultimately to engage with. Reflections involving practitioners from Home-Start are included, demonstrating the complexities, sensitivities and challenges faced by practitioners when directly supporting vulnerable families. The chapter connects these examples of practice to Irving Goffman’s theory of stigmatisation. The chapter, whilst addressing the universal need to support children and families, will appeal particularly to students who wish to become social workers, counsellors, family-support or outreach workers.
