Moral Tales of the Child and the Adult: Narratives of Contemporary Family Lives under Changing Circumstances

Young People as Moral Beings: Childhood, Morality and Inter‐Generational Relationships

“…The findings invite reflection on the contradictory nature of dominant understandings of young people who are increasingly expected to exhibit morally acceptable attitudes and behaviour, whilst also being seen as morally incompetent and unaccountable. In terms of parenting, the categories of ‘adult’ and ‘child’ are constructed in a way that it appears we are still living in a morally absolute society, which relies on dependent children to sustain morally adequate adult identities (Ribbens McCarthy and others, :800). This reliance stretches beyond parenting as adults, in general, sustain morally adequate identities through moral accountability for children and young people, and by situating themselves as morally competent in relation to them.…”

“…A central theme in childhood studies is the separateness of childhood and how this is characterised by notions of dependency, vulnerability and incompetence (Archard, ; Hockey and James, ; James and James, ; James and others, ). Children are thought to be positioned outside of moral agency and accountability, and adults view themselves as morally competent and accountable for the children in their care (Cahill, ; Frankel, ; Ribbens McCarthy and others, ). They are therefore situated as moral ‘becomings’, who become moral ‘beings’ in adulthood when moral competence and accountability are thought to be achieved (Lee, ; Uprichard, ).…”

Tensions Around Inclusion: Reframing the Moral Horizon

“…Parents who were pursuing either residential care or residential college faced the potential charge that they were rejecting the young person and unwilling to continue to offer the care the vulnerable young people needed. Such proposals had to be justified against a conflicting moral imperative: ‘adults must take responsibility for children in their care and therefore must seek to put the needs of children first’ (Ribbens McCarthy et al 2000, p. 785). One mother, who was seeking a place in residential college for her son, described the guilt she experienced.…”

The Institutionalisation of ‘TongNian’ and ‘childhood’ in China and Britain: Exploring Cautious Comparisons

“…From this perspective, younger generations are always subject to obligations towards older generations. While in the UK in recent decades, the cultural moral imperative around the care of children emphasises the requirement for responsible adults to put the needs of children first (Ribbens McCarthy and others, ), the traditional Chinese moral imperative reverses this, requiring children to be obedient and respectful to their parents.…”