The Impact of the First Term of the New Labour Government on Social Work in Britain: The Interface between Education Policy and Social Work

This paper considers how far the New Labour educational policy represents a clear shift in focus from the policies of the Conservative administrations of the 1980s and 1990s. As in other areas of social policy, the paper concludes that current government policy owes as much—if not more—to ‘New Right’ ideology than to that of the ‘Old Left’. With a new emphasis on social inclusion, the paper considers the contribution of, and implications for, contemporary developments in education policy and practice for child and family social work in general, and education social work in particular.