What do we mean when we talk about vulnerability?

This chapter will look at the concept of vulnerability as a sociological and political issue through exploring debates about inclusion and exclusion, risk, individualisation and changing social structures, for example families and the labour market. It will seek to outline the way in which neo-liberalism and associated ideas have succeeded in setting the discourse for debates around welfare issues involving children and families. In doing this it will seek to provide a theoretical context for the remainder of the text.