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A Storm in a Tea‐Cup? ‘Making a Difference’ in Two Sure Start Children's Centres
Author(s) -
Lavelle Marie
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
children and society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.538
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-0860
pISSN - 0951-0605
DOI - 10.1111/chso.12091
Subject(s) - government (linguistics) , power (physics) , sociology , work (physics) , focus group , storm , gender studies , geography , anthropology , engineering , mechanical engineering , philosophy , linguistics , physics , quantum mechanics , meteorology
S ure S tart C hildren's C entres were central to the last UK L abour government in improving outcomes for children and families. Yet, participation by those who ‘ought’ to attend was and remains a focus of concern. Using the work of F oucault, this paper explores parental participation in two C entres to examine how ‘government operates at a distance’, through the everyday interactions of those who inhabit these spaces. In exploring micro‐practices, the humble cup of tea can be seen, not only as a small act of caring but a site of power and struggle over what these spaces meant to parents and practitioners.