Care injustice, sometimes termed the ‘postcode lottery’ arises when individuals cannot access services simply because of where they reside. The distribution and access to health and education services for children with language difficulties is explored in this chapter. There is a body of literature demonstrating that service availability and accessibility can differ markedly between metropolitan and rural settings. Here, we draw on available evidence to discuss the relationship between health inequities and inequalities, proposing a place-based approach as a potential solution, which encourages the location and distribution of services based on community need. This chapter also addresses the way in which many services have been historically developed, that is, along the traditional ‘clinical’ model rather than a model which considers and reviews the needs of a community from a population health perspective and likely needs of the child population. We conclude by highlighting some key steps that need to be taken to ensure the design and delivery of services to meet the future needs of the population, and outline some of the challenges in adopting this approach.

In this chapter, we analyse the rationale of regional policies, discuss the evidence, and highlight some methodological problems. In doing so, we also take a closer look at policy consequences that follow from or can be linked to the models discussed throughout the book. In some of our thought-experiments, we take the models of the book literally and ask, what would be the lessons for policy makers? When we discuss actual cluster/regional policy thinking, but also when we discuss hypothetical policies by sticking as closely as possible to our models, there are always three main elements to take into account. First, whether it is a people- or place-based policy (or a mix of these two). Second, to go beyond the observation that a policy can change spatial economic outcomes by showing that a policy is somehow welfare improving. Third, to take into consideration the important macro/micro distinction in terms of regional policy effectiveness: a ‘good’ regional policy at the city or regional level does not necessarily imply that it is also beneficial for the economy as whole. The main message of the chapter is that regional policies should be handled with care.

In this chapter, we analyse the rationale of regional policies, discuss the evidence, and highlight some methodological problems. In doing so, we also take a closer look at policy consequences that follow from or can be linked to the models discussed throughout the book. In some of our thought-experiments, we take the models of the book literally and ask, what would be the lessons for policy makers? When we discuss actual cluster/regional policy thinking, but also when we discuss hypothetical policies by sticking as closely as possible to our models, there are always three main elements to take into account. First, whether it is a people- or place-based policy (or a mix of these two). Second, to go beyond the observation that a policy can change spatial economic outcomes by showing that a policy is somehow welfare improving. Third, to take into consideration the important macro/micro distinction in terms of regional policy effectiveness: a ‘good’ regional policy at the city or regional level does not necessarily imply that it is also beneficial for the economy as whole. The main message of the chapter is that regional policies should be handled with care.