Exploring both current debates in social theory such as gender, sexuality, race, class, disability and age, and the development of improved policy and practices in child protection, this book takes the opportunity to place children at the centre of the debate. Based on research conducted by the Violence Against Children Study Group, which reviews how Child Protection Policy interconnects or overlaps systems such as the health service, police, and education, the book gives an overview of the residential care system that is in place, showing how these settings often contribute to further exploitation of children - whether through direct abuse, sex/gender power systems, or neglect of basic rights.