The first publication of Children Webmag, in January 2000, was a ground-breaking format for a magazine in this field, and we coined the word Webmag. Now, more than eight years on, we have published more than 1500 articles about child care and other issues concerning children and young people. If you want to count them all, they are still there, accessible on the web.
Children Webmag is a unique free international resource for all those working with children and in child care. It is devoted to promoting high standards of professionalism and disseminating knowledge and research in this field. Because it is electronic, it is accessible to workers with children and young people around the world, and because all the material is archived, it remains available for reference.
Children Webmag has campaigned for higher standards of child care, for social pedagogy, for the creation of a child care profession, for better international links between people working with children and young people, and for an end to physical punishment for children. In particular it has argued for greater importance to be given to childhood and the care and upbringing of children and young people.
This 100th edition is a bumper issue, with more than sixty articles to celebrate. There is a handful of articles about social pedagogy, several describing good practice in residential child care, a number on early years subjects, some fascinating insights into the history of child care, a number where authors are agitating for change, some personal recollections, and a host of other contributions from a dozen countries.
To pick a few examples, Charles Pragnell criticises current adoption practice. Sir William Utting movingly recalls his time in hospital as a three-year-old. Susanna Dawson writes of the job satisfaction in childminding. Professor Ewan Anderson analyses residential care standards. Two Professors – Chris Payne and Soeren Hegstrup - raise concerns about restraint and holding. Marc Mannes introduces developmental assets. David Kidney MP writes about consulting children and young people. Dr Suncica Macura-Milovanović
Dr Keith J. White, Chair of Children Webmag Management Board, said, “From the very outset the Children Webmag has been a medium through which everyone engaged alongside children and young people has been able to communicate and share information, experiences, wisdom and ideas. It is in my view a model of a professional and free-thinking journal. It is in no one’s pocket or thrall, and the briefest of scans of the rich variety of material, demonstrates that the writers have a deep respect for children and young people, as well as for the readers. My hope is that in years to come it will become the natural place to visit on the internet for all who care deeply about the wellbeing of children both now, and in future generations”
Access to Children Webmag is free, and anyone wanting to be a regular reader can be put on the monthly prompt list by visiting www.childrenwebmag.com. Contributors should send material to Editor@childrenwebmag.com. Since the Webmag is charitably funded, sponsors are also welcome.
Notes for Editors
1 Children Webmag has an independent Board, and is in the process of registering as an educational charity. Since its foundation it has been supported financially and/or managerially by the Social Education Trust, Caring for Children, the Hesley Foundation, the Charterhouse Group, the Scottish Institute of Residential Child Care and the University of Northampton.
2 Children Webmag has no political or religious affiliations, but welcomes contributions from authors from all backgrounds, representing a wide range of viewpoints.
3 Children Webmag has readers in over fifty countries in any one week, but approximately half of the readership is from the United Kingdom, with a large percentage also from North America. The main group of readers is made up of people working directly with children and young people, with substantial percentages of managers, lecturers, people from allied professions, parents and grandparents.
