Understanding the social, cultural and political facets of childhood are vital in comprehending how child abuse emerges. These elements can alter childhood as a concept, as well as the value placed on children. Two views that have emerged as a result of this, that either ‘children as becoming’ or ‘children as being’ highlight the ever-changing social classifications of childhood.

Firstly, a classical view of childhood that emerged in an irresolute historical context is that of ‘children as becoming’. This classical theory argues that children are undergoing a period of transformation into adulthood (Debski, Buckley & Russell, 2009). That because they were less competent and not fully developed adults yet, they required discipline and management. This was exemplified in Early Industrial Europe, which exploited the use of child labour to expand the mass-production of machinery. The labour of children was a commodity, and one that highlighted a general view that children were simply smaller adults and that the developmental period of childhood was less valued. This removed the autonomy of decision making and self-identity from children during this period. …show more content…
This view suggests that during the developmental period of childhood, children are competent, autonomous human beings with rights like adults (Debski et al, 2009). This is comprehensively different than the more historical ‘children as becoming’ view, which fails to accommodate the specific nuances of childhood. Smith (2013) argues that this is because contemporary institutional and social policies surrounding children are influenced by their perceived value and place in society. That a parenting style which is acceptable now, may not have been 30 years ago. The development of the two views on childhood appear to have been influenced by the societal context in which they