How have children been perceived by policy makers since 1945? Has the Welfare State ensured unprecedented well-being for today's children? Drawing upon the diverse range of evidence across the major social services, this book provides a critical and up-to-date account of how children have fared in the post-war Welfare State. Each chapter examines how children have been affected by the achievements and failures of state provision in key policy areas including housing, health, education social security, child care and protection. In particular, there is detailed analysis of the policy changes promoted by the New Right and introduced by Conservative governments since 1979. The authors conclude by proposing a number of reforms for making policy more child-centred, to give reality to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This book represents an important contribution to contemporary debate over the health and well-being of children and to the discussion of topical policy issues and social problems