Summary This article explores a unique project that introduced a 10-week programme of practical Philosophy with Children to young people living in secure accommodation. It aimed to gauge the extent to which young people in secure accommodation were able to engage in philosophical dialogue and to explore the challenges and opportunities in introducing practical philosophy to young people in secure accommodation. Transcripts of 10 philosophical dialogues were analysed and young people and staff working with them were also interviewed. Findings Following 10 weeks of Community of Philosophical Inquiry sessions, it was evident that the young people were not only able to engage in philosophical dialogue, but also they responded positively to the structures of the sessions. While it may seem counter-intuitive to teach young people to argue, the structures offered by Community of Philosophical Inquiry appear to have been positive in terms of providing young people with the freedom to express their ideas, engage collaboratively with one another, and self-regulate their behaviour. Applications Although secure accommodation can be described as a controlling environment, the model adopted in this study suggests that some forms of control, such as those offered in the practical philosophy sessions, may be liberating for young people in these contexts. This study offers those working with young people in secure accommodation a new perspective on young people’s thinking and a new approach for supporting young people in their care and as they transition to the wider world.

There remains considerable ambiguity and negativity around the purpose and effectiveness of children's homes. High levels of unqualified staff, low status and poor pay and conditions have continued to be the norm within residential child care. In light of this situation it is appropriate to ask why staff are viewed as a key ingredient in the service provision. It is particularly significant given the views of staff and the tasks they undertake have not been widely researched. This article provides a summary of findings from a doctoral study that attempted to address this deficit by examining the context of children's homes, especially those social processes and interactions that shape key tasks.

Secure accommodation provides extreme forms of control and support for a small minority of society's most vulnerable children. Within such environments it is unclear how children exhibit or develop self-regulation when external controls affect every aspect of day-today life. This study provides an insight into self-regulation by examining children's adherence to the rules associated with a practical form of philosophy, namely Community of Philosophical Inquiry (CoPI). Data was collected from a series of CoPI sessions which took place in secure accommodation and a thematic analysis was used to identify key themes emerging from participants' rule-adherence. The findings suggest that argumentative dialogue allows children to demonstrate self-regulation in relation to the CoPI rules, although it is often sporadic and variable between individuals. Whilst encouraging argumentation and dialogue can seem counterintuitive, it might promote more adaptive behaviours, which will give children in secure accommodation greater control over their lives.

Ensuring practitioners are equipped to recognize and deal with racism would appear to be a primary concern for social work. Yet the way practitioners develop and/or consolidate their understanding of racism and anti-racist practice is unclear. This study aimed to explore how students demonstrate anti-racist thinking in assignments at one key phase of the learning process. The findings suggest considerable variance in terms of students' ability to demonstrate antiracist thinking in written assignments. While there are likely to be diverse opinions as to how the new honours degree in social work is taught and assessed, some valuable opportunities may be missed without a greater consideration of anti-racist practice. This article suggests there is a need to link a framework of inequality to teaching approaches that encourage critical thinking if students are to engage with anti-racism in a meaningful way.

This article will present findings from a doctoral study exploring the impact of 'SVQ Care: Promoting Independence (level III)