Mind the Gap: Why policy does not become practice

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Mind the Gap Why policy does not become
practice

• Patrick Ayre
• Department of Applied Social Studies
• University of Bedfordshire
• email pga_at_patrickayre.co.uk
• web http//patrickayre.co.uk

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Deprofessionalisation

• Policy we need to develop a more highly skilled
  and competent professional workforce
• Practice we are developing a workforce which is
  increasingly deprofessionalised and lacking in
  professional self-confidence

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Deprofessionalisation

• Part of a wider trend
• Managerialism, McDonaldisation and the audit
  culture
• Management by external objectives
• Impact of causes célèbres
• Professionals not to be trusted

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Policy and practice

• Policy may be aimed at achieving broad
  aspirational objectives
• Local practice aims at achieving narrow pragmatic
  objectives
• This pragmatism is exacerbated by management by
  targets

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Pious calm?
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The truth, the whole truth?

• Born in 1942, he was sentenced to 5 years
  imprisonment at the age of 25. After 5
  unsuccessful fights, he gave up his attempt to
  make a career in boxing in 1981 and has since had
  no other regular employment

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CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

• Climate of fear
• Climate of mistrust
• Climate of blame

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Trusting procedures

• Procedural proliferation
• Blaming and training
• The myth of predictability

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Procedures as a net to catch problems
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Procedures as a net to catch problems
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Procedures as a net to catch problems
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Procedures as a net to catch problems
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Young people abused through prostitution

• Policy Young people engaged in prostitution will
  be treated as children at risk rather than as
  offenders
• Practice Virtually no effect on child care
  practice in most parts of the country

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