Out of the maze: Permanency planning in a postmodern world

This article examines the complexity of planning for children who are 'looked after' by a Local Authority. It concludes by identifying factors that facilitate the conditions in which social workers can effectively attend to difficult cases over an extended period of time, and presents lessons for practitioners and policy makers. The article is based on research into a Looked After Children (LAC) project carried out in an inner city, and an analysis of the factors affecting planning for children who are 'looked after'. This is supported by a description of therapeutic work with one particular child. The analysis highlights the inadequacy of attempts to resolve such complex situations by policy prescriptions. Emphasising the inability of any single principle, purpose or institution to control the circumstances of these young people, the analysis in the article makes use of the links between 'time', 'conflict' and 'reflexivity'. The picture that emerges is closer to a 'postmodern' analysis than that of traditional policy prescription and implementation.