Abstract
In this article, I report on a study that examined how young people are framed within formalized child welfare reviews. The study examined reports of serious case reviews (SCRs) in England over a 6‐year period, 2008–2016. I report on a data set on sexual exploitation. I focus on both the professionals and the reviewers, who are considered experts in child protection. The study focused on two aspects: one, how did professionals produce a “young person,” and two, how is the cultural identity of a young person represented within, and (re)produced by, these documents. A thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. I report on both the semantic and latent levels, discussing the words and phrases used, and the meaning they carry as situated across multiple SCRs. The analysis revealed that young people are literally seen through a visual lens, figuratively through a series of labels and produced as an autonomous, free subject. I conclude by arguing that age is applied in a visual and highly problematic way.