Psychosocial and relationship-based theories for child and family social work: political philosophy, psychology and welfare practice David Howe School of Social Work, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK The links between social work practice and the political context of welfare are complex, but threads of in¯uence, tracking in and out of policy, weaving their way through and around the questions that researchers ask, do aect what goes on between practitioners and their clients. This paper explores how political climates relate to changes in child and family social work and the dierent psychological Child and Family Social Work 1997, 2, pp 161±169 # 1997 Blackwell Science Ltd 161 ABSTRACT Psychosocial perspectives on children's development are allied to theories that recognize the `self' as essentially a social entity. The quality of relationships that children experience in their social environment have a profound eect on their socio-emotional development, personality formation and social competence. To this extent, psychosocial theories of children's development and wellbeing can provide child and family social workers with a powerful framework within which to analyse, assess and practise. However, it is also recognized that the character of child welfare practices and policies are in¯uenced by prevailing political climates. A simple dichotomy is described between political philosophies of the right and left; libertarianism and communitar- ianism; individual freedom and collective action. It is argued that the present swing to libertarian individualism has brought about major changes in the policy and practice of much child and family social work, including a preference for theories that emphasize people's psychological independence, rationality and personal responsibility. In such a climate, child and family social work becomes more legalistic, orientated towards principles of justice rather than welfare, and towards rights and responsibilities rather than personal relationships and social competence. Psychosocial developmental theories, with their emphasis on the importance of social relationships and the emotional interconnectedness of people in community, fare less well under the rigours of psychological individualism and free-market economics. The paper concludes that if children's psychosocial development and competence are a product of their social history, practices that psychologically `disembed' people from their relationship envir- onment are unable to consider children's needs within a coherent, well-grounded theoretical framework. If child and family social work is premised on helping children develop social under- standing and emotional wellbeing, theory and practice are best served by taking a psychosocial perspective. Correspondence: Professor David Howe, School of Social Work, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK Keywords: child and family social work, children's development, political philosophy, psychosocial theory Accepted for publication: October 1996 Ahed Bhed Ched Dhed Ref marker Fig marker Table marker Ref end Ref start Paper 44 Disc