ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses accountability as a dimension of press coverage. It examines the categorisation of a set of dramatic events in relation to accountability. Whilst press reporting about social work is not neutral, to add that it is ‘biased’ or ‘misrepresentative’ implies that there is a definitive version of social work and child abuse which the press choose to ignore. A number of analysts have identified discursive devices and concepts, which can be used to analyse media reports. The narrative of the murder of Stephanie Fox has been transformed by the national, local and professional press in a number of different ways and directions. This widespread direction of blames and claims clearly demonstrates that the death of a child can be used to posit a wide variety of inter-pretations. It is often difficult to establish a clear link between the nature of the interpretation and the socio-political ambitions of the mediators who interpret on behalf of readers.
