The social exclusion of disabled children: the role of the voluntary sector in the Contract Culture

This paper argues that the role played in educational terms by special scho ols is being mirrored in welfare by voluntary organisations who provide sep arate services for disabled children. The impact of the Contract Culture is reinforcing this trend so that the imperative in the Children Act 1989 to integrate is being undermined by the growing role of Voluntary organisation s as providers, rather than innovators or advocates. The paper draws on pre viously published research into the changes in social workers roles in rela tion to child protection, since the Children Act and a previously unpublish ed case study in a voluntary sector Project.