Intelligent Kindness examines and rehabilitates the concept of the 'welfare state'. Despite, or perhaps because of, relentless prescriptive regulatory and structural reforms, scandals continue. Staff are increasingly alienated. Drawing upon narratives and case studies, this book examines what is at stake from perspectives including ethology, psychoanalysis, group relations, and social psychology. The front line of health and social care can be bleak, despite the many rewards of the work, often leaving staff demoralised and exhausted. Their continued well-being, while delivering compassionate and effective care, depends on the cultivation of a culture of kinship, mutuality and collaborative relationships. The authors provide practical, achievable advice that will support and sustain healthy organisational culture and effective, humane practice. Grounded in lived experiences and observations, Intelligent Kindness is a powerful argument for the welfare state and a valuable approach to service reform.