How can social enterprise really tackle social exclusion? A comparative study of children's welfare in the United Kingdom and Cambodia

Abstract

Social enterprise is being increasingly encouraged as a solution to social problems concerning social exclusion, child development and family welfare within both developed and developing countries. This article considers these policy contexts and two case studies of social enterprises that provide children's services in the United Kingdom and Cambodia. It aims through this comparison to contribute insights as to the challenge for social enterprise to deliver gains in this area. This article considers a ‘rights-based’ discourse of social inclusion and concludes that a political capabilities approach to the ways that social enterprise engages with policy measures is crucial if it is to meaningfully address the social needs of marginal communities.

Keywords:

• social enterprise
• child welfare
• social exclusion
• political capabilities

Notes

1. The CYTI website states that the word CYTI is not supposed to mean anything, it shows our focus on children and youth living in cities and the fact that CYTI members look at problems in a different way… If people want to find a meaning, then CYTI means “with Children and Youth, Transform and Innovate”.