| Research demonstrates that the policies created and implemented in U.S. society do not equitably reflect the interests of its citizens. Children are at a particular disadvantage in our system of services as they almost always lack the ability to define and defend their own interests. Instead, a third party group or individual intervenes on the child's behalf, playing a significant role in deciding what is needed and what is offered.;Over the past 30 years, child and family advocates have sought, in a variety of ways, to influence and shape the manner in which policies for children and families are created and implemented. Yet, even as advocates have sought to bring about changes in services and policies, the wider socio-political environment has in turn shaped the direction of child and family advocacy. One of the results of these two influences has been the creation of community coalitions as an innovative form of local governance.;In considering the use of coalitions for policy development and service delivery, little is known about how issues pertaining to representation, especially for those who cannot represent themselves, are defined and put into operation on a day-to-day basis. This type of organization poses a number of issues to consider as the ever-evolving community coalitions place advocates in the sometimes conflicting roles of serving as child representative, family representative, policy maker, and, quite frequently, as direct service provider as well.;This study seeks to document some of the potential influences on coalition effectiveness by considering the interplay between governance processes and the provision of services. It demonstrates that there are outside and inside influences at work such that the relationship between participation of advocacy groups and the representation of children's issues is far from a linear one. Through a better understanding of these influences, government and foundations as well as child and family advocates can participate in creating and supporting more effective community coalitions---theoretically, at least, creating the systems of services that are better suited to meet the needs of children and their families. |
