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The paper surveys the quantitative evidence relating to sexual abuse committed by welfare personnel in a variety of settings. From this, it is concluded that other welfare settings are just as sexually unsafe for child ren as resident care .Moreover, mainstream responses designed to reduce sexual abuse in welfare agencies are seen to be ineffective largely because they ignore the crucial role of gender in the genesisofmost of that abuse. The second half of the paper adopts a more qualitative approcach to consider the implications of this analysis for male workers in the caring services . It is suggested that it may be necessary to radically delimit the role of males if the levels of sexual abuse in this sphere are to be signifi cantly reduced.

Gender matters in child welfare partly by virtue of the relationship of men, masculinities and men's practices to children, young people and childcare. This problematic is considered within a European context. The article sets out some of the major ways in which men relate, or do not relate, to children and young people. These include men's care of, violence to and abuse of children and young people. Drawing on work with the EU Research Network, 'The Social Problem of Men', we locate men's relation to children in the context of men's gendered position within different European societies and 'welfare states'. The final part of this article discusses more research and policy on men, children and childcare. These include somewhat contradictory findings on parental leave, violence and abuse, and professional interventions in Nordic, supposedly 'women-friendly' 'welfare societies'.

This article compares the situation in Denmark and Sweden regarding research and policy making around the issue of men's violence to women and children. It does so by drawing on two comprehensive reviews of academic and policy data in those countries that were part of a broader European Union—funded project. Although the picture emerging from this comparison is complex, the overall conclusion is that in Sweden over recent years many more examples can be found of a critical, power-oriented approach than is the case in Denmark.

Two parallel surveys were carried out based in the north‐east of England and Cumbria: one ascertaining statutory social work services provided for child and adult survivors of sexual abuse, the other drawing upon the perceptions of adult survivors of child sexual abuse about existing and desirable forms of provision for adults and children. The surveys indicate the need for greater genuine partnership between service users and statutory agencies in the field of child sexual abuse, similar to that which is being pioneered in the field of adult care and disability. A community‐orientated response to sexual abuse, centred on service‐users, is required if one of the largest social problems facing us today is to be effectively challenged.