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2. The Practical Sense of Protection: A Discussion Paper on the Reporting of Child Abuse in Africa and whether International Standards Actually Help Keep Children Safe.
- Author
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Walker‐Simpson, Karen
- Subjects
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PREVENTION of child abuse , *CHILD welfare , *CHILDREN'S accident prevention , *HEALTH , *HEALTH services administration , *PSYCHOLOGY information storage & retrieval systems , *INTERNATIONAL agencies , *NONPROFIT organizations , *PUBLIC health laws , *SYSTEMS theory , *SYSTEMATIC reviews , *BIBLIOGRAPHIC databases , *REGULATORY approval ,DEVELOPING countries - Abstract
International child protection standards aim to ensure that non-governmental organisations 'do no harm' but the current approach to reporting abuse may actually leave children unprotected and, in some cases, expose them to greater risk. This discussion paper gives voice to concerns raised by local practitioners in Africa and places them within the context of available research in order to stimulate a debate aimed at enhancing the impact of current safeguards. Drawing on systems theory and the work of Pierre Bourdieu, the article illustrates how the current model of reporting often fails to take into account the significant disconnect between formal and informal protection mechanisms, as well as the unpredictability of individual decision-making. Examples from research and practitioner experience illustrate how reporting procedures may provide a route to protection which is impractical and undesirable to local people, and may ultimately be unhelpful to local practitioners. The article calls for further research to inform changes to the current approach and for a review of funding requirements in order that local organisations have greater scope to engage communities in the co-creation of procedures, thereby indigenising responses to ensure that they are realistic and genuinely respond to the specificities of children's lives. Key Practitioner Messages Formal reporting procedures may actually offer routes to protection that are inaccessible or unacceptable to local people., Reporting procedures should be developed with a much greater participation of local people., There is a need for investment in piloting and implementing locally led approaches to capacity building., The engagement of donors is critical in order to develop a new approach to evaluating 'child safe' organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Young children's agency with digital technologies.
- Author
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Nolan, Andrea, Edwards, Susan, Salamon, Andi, Straker, Leon, Grieshaber, Susan, Skouteris, Helen, Henderson, Michael, Highfield, Kate, and Bartlett, Jacinta
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RESEARCH ,DIGITAL technology ,CHILD development ,CHILD welfare ,PHILOSOPHY ,THEMATIC analysis ,CHILDREN - Abstract
This paper examines the evidence of children's agency in research about infants, toddlers and technologies. It finds that an implicit reliance on technological determinism as a theoretical perspective for positioning technologies relative to young children's development tends to shape research in terms of understanding the impact of technologies on young children. Drawing on critical constructivism as a philosophical stance on technologies, this paper argues that children's agency with technologies may be further investigated in terms of practice architectures to better understand the social mediation of infant and toddler interactions and engagements with technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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4. Creative and flexible deployment of systems methodologies for child rights and child protection through Holistic Flexibility.
- Author
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Chowdhury, Rajneesh, Gregory, Amanda, and Queah, Miguel
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HUMAN rights ,MENTAL health ,HUMAN services programs ,CHILD welfare ,GOVERNMENT policy ,INFORMATION storage & retrieval systems - Abstract
Holistic Flexibility is a conceptual lens in systems thinking that enables intellectual, emotional and tactical elasticity in systems practice. This paper will demonstrate Holistic Flexibility in practice in an NGO setting to design and implement a programme to address the widening gap between government policy and its implementation. Critical Systems Heuristics was chosen as the preferred methodology, strengthened with two methods from two other systems methodologies—CATWOE (a mnemonic for Customers, Actors, Transformation, Worldview, Owners, Environment) from Soft Systems Methodology and issues (assumption) rating method from Strategic Assumption Surfacing and Testing. Following a participative programme design exercise, two phases were identified. The strategy, implementation and impact of phase 1, which covered work undertaken between the period 2018 and 2020, is provided. Phase 2 was under consideration at the time of writing this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
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5. New directions in intergenerational child maltreatment research and responses: Knowledge gaps and recommendations.
- Author
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McKenzie, Emma F., Hurren, Emily, Tzoumakis, Stacy, Thompson, Carleen M., and Stewart, Anna
- Subjects
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CHILD abuse , *INDIGENOUS children , *INDIGENOUS Australians , *CHILD welfare , *ABUSED children - Abstract
While there is much research on the topic of child maltreatment more broadly in Australia, a nuanced understanding of intergenerational child maltreatment is needed to improve our responses. Little work has considered all four intergenerational patterns of child maltreatment: cycle maintainers (maltreated parents with maltreated children), cycle breakers (maltreated parents with non‐maltreated children), cycle initiators (non‐maltreated parents with maltreated children) and a comparison group (non‐maltreated parents with non‐maltreated children). We use this terminology to maintain consistency with international literature, but acknowledge that these terms minimise the complexity inherent in contact with child protection systems. Research has mainly focused on maintainers, which hinders our ability to appropriately support all families and limits our understanding of individuals breaking the cycle. This paper outlines key knowledge gaps and identifies strategic areas of focus for researchers and policymakers. There is an urgent need for more emphasis on building resilience and strengths, the provision of more integrated and holistic support for families, and consideration of sex differences. We highlight the need for more research on this topic, particularly led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and hope that the recommendations in this paper can be revisited and updated as this important research base grows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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6. Trauma then and now: Implications of adoption reform for First Nations children.
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Turnbull‐Roberts, Vanessa, Salter, Michael, and Newton, B. J.
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ADOPTION laws ,ATTITUDE (Psychology) ,HISTORICAL trauma ,GROUP identity ,ETHNOPSYCHOLOGY ,HEALTH care reform ,CHILD welfare ,AUTONOMY (Psychology) ,ABORIGINAL Australians ,THEMATIC analysis ,DATA analysis software ,CIVIL rights ,CHILDREN - Abstract
Currently, Aboriginal children are significantly over‐represented in the out‐of‐home‐care system. Drawing on Aboriginal trauma scholarship and decolonizing methodologies, this paper situates the contemporary state removal of Aboriginal children against the backdrop of historical policies that actively sought to disrupt Aboriginal kinship and communities. The paper draws on submissions to the 2018 Australian Senate Parliamentary Inquiry into Adoption Reform from Aboriginal community controlled organizations and highlights four common themes evident throughout these submissions: (i) the role of intergenerational trauma in high rates of Aboriginal child removal; (ii) the place of children within Aboriginal culture, kinship and identity; (iii) the centrality of the principles of self‐determination and autonomy for Aboriginal communities and (iv) Aboriginal community controlled alternatives to child removal. Acknowledging the failure of both federal and state reforms to address the issues raised in these submissions, the paper reflects on the marginalization of Aboriginal voices and solutions within contemporary efforts to address the multiple crises of the child protection system and the implications for the future of Aboriginal children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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7. Child protection during the perinatal period: Innovation in assessment and practice.
- Author
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Ward, Harriet and Barlow, Jane
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PREVENTION of child abuse ,MATERNAL health services ,SERIAL publications ,CHILDREN'S accident prevention ,CHILD welfare ,INFANT mortality ,DIFFUSION of innovations - Abstract
The article presents the discussion on child protection during the perinatal period. Topics include establishing public health and more intensive targeted home visiting programmes for both indigenous and non-indigenous families; and increasing awareness showing the impact of maternal behaviours during pregnancy having a detrimental impact on the unborn baby.
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- 2023
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8. 'Planning for a healthy baby and a healthy pregnancy': A critical analysis of Canadian clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of opioid dependence during pregnancy.
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Martin, Fiona S., Gosse, Meghan, and Whelan, Emma
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METHADONE treatment programs , *MEDICAL protocols , *CHILD welfare , *HEALTH services accessibility , *SOCIAL determinants of health , *RESEARCH funding , *DRUG addiction , *PREGNANCY outcomes , *PREGNANT women , *OPIOID analgesics , *NEEDS assessment , *PREGNANCY - Abstract
As opioid fatalities rise in North America, the need to improve the supports available to those who are dependent on opioids and pregnant has become more urgent. This paper discusses the social organisation of drug treatment supports for those who are pregnant, using Canadian clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) as a case study. Pregnant patients are a priority population for MMT, both in Canada and internationally; the regulatory bodies that oversee MMT in Canada are the provincial Colleges of Physician and Surgeons and Health Canada. The paper analyses MMT CPGs published by these agencies, comparing their general recommendations to those specific to pregnant patients. We demonstrate that the guidelines address few treatment considerations for pregnant patients, other than improved birth outcomes and child welfare, despite acknowledging their more complex needs. Drawing on social science studies of gender and drugs, we argue that MMT CPGs therefore perpetuate the intensified surveillance and foetal prioritisation that have long generated barriers to care for opiate‐dependent pregnant patients. We also discuss how and why the CPGs ultimately only reinforced these current limitations in the drug treatment sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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9. Teenagers in foster care: Issues, themes, and debates from and for practice and policy.
- Author
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Shuker, Lucie, Sebba, Judy, and Höjer, Ingrid
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CHILD sexual abuse risk factors ,CONTROL (Psychology) ,AUTONOMY (Psychology) ,CHILD welfare ,FOSTER children ,FOSTER home care ,INTERPERSONAL relations ,PARENTING ,POLICY sciences ,PSYCHOLOGICAL resilience ,SOCIAL stigma ,MEDICAL care for teenagers ,LGBTQ+ people - Abstract
The task of fostering adolescents is unique, requiring skills, qualities, and information that acknowledge each young person's particular needs. This editorial summarises a range of research in this special issue covering parenting styles, transitions out of care, child sexual exploitation, and the needs of LGBTQ and separated teenagers. Three themes emerging from the papers are discussed: autonomy and control; risk, resilience, and trauma; and relationships, identity, and stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
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10. Integrating health systems for children and young people in out of home care: Challenging the nature of siloed service delivery in rural Australia.
- Author
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Modderman, Corina, Sanders, Rachael, Cordon, Emma, Hocking, Craig, Wade, Melissa, and Vogels, Werner
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EVALUATION of medical care ,EVALUATION of human services programs ,HEALTH services accessibility ,RESEARCH methodology ,COMMUNITY health services ,INTERVIEWING ,HUMAN services programs ,STATE health plans ,HEALTH literacy ,CHILD welfare ,RESEARCH funding ,INTEGRATED health care delivery ,RURAL health ,JUDGMENT sampling ,THEMATIC analysis ,FOSTER home care ,RURAL population ,COVID-19 pandemic ,CHILDREN ,ADOLESCENCE - Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this paper is to report on enablers and barriers during the first 2 years of the health systems integration project that included the implementation of a health navigator role. The project aims to improve health outcomes for children and young people residing in out of home care in rural Australia with a health navigator co‐located between child protection practitioners and community health services clinicians. Setting: Rural Northwest Victoria. Participants: Sunraysia Community Health Services and the Department of Health and Human Services. Design: The qualitative design of the project evaluation involved semi‐structured interviews and documentary evidence analysis. Analyses of interviews and documentary data demonstrate the challenging nature of siloed service delivery in rural Australia, particularly during a time that comprised multiple interruptions due to COVID‐19. Results: A limited synergy between organisational priorities and reporting systems hindered project progress. The lack of a shared definition of 'health' challenged the effective collaboration between health clinicians and child protection practitioners and the role of the health navigator. The health navigator raising health awareness through project involvement, training and sector‐wide stakeholder engagement resulted in a slow but steady process of increased prioritisation of health care, increased health literacy among the child protection workforce, and broadening participation of area‐based stakeholders, but did not translate to increased access to health plans for children. Conclusion: Integrating health systems across multiple sites with support of a health navigator revealed difficulties, particularly during COVID‐19. The first phase of the project demonstrated the value of shared governance and partnerships as an imperative foundation for fundamental change. Relationships strengthened throughout the project, leading to a better understanding of area‐based strengths, which in turn supports improved pathways to health care for children and young people in OOHC within rural communities and driving the subsequent phases of the 10‐year project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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11. Conversations about violence, risk and responsibility with divorced and support‐seeking fathers in Sweden.
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Bruno, Linnéa and Eriksson, Maria
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RISK of violence ,SOCIAL support ,FATHERS' attitudes ,SOCIAL workers ,CHILD abuse ,FAMILY separation policy, 2018-2021 ,INTERVIEWING ,HELP-seeking behavior ,GENDER ,INTIMATE partner violence ,RISK assessment ,COMMUNICATION ,SOUND recordings ,CHILD welfare ,RESEARCH funding ,PSYCHOLOGY of fathers ,CONTENT analysis ,FAMILY relations ,AGGRESSION (Psychology) ,DIVORCE - Abstract
The aim of this paper is to analyse approaches to issues of risk, responsibility and representations of violence in women social workers' conversations with alleged or confirmed violent fathers. The study adds to a growing body of research on agencies' handling of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the context of separation. Empirically, the study draws from 12 structured, audio recorded and transcribed interviews with support‐seeking and divorced fathers, from five municipalities in Sweden, conducted as part of a cooperation project in which a risk‐detection method (Family Law Detection Of Overall Risk Screen [FL‐DOORS]) was also tested. The results suggest a tension between different professional tasks. To validate information on IPV, detect risk and enhance a child perspective competes with other professional projects, most obviously with promoting cooperation between parents. The study confirms previous research, which demonstrates unique challenges facing women social workers and counsellors when working with men as perpetrators. In conclusion, the paper concurs with the call for a focus on responsibility and on safe parenting in professional conversations with allegedly or confirmed abusive fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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12. Introduction to the Special Issue on Big Data and Social Policy in Australia.
- Author
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Curchin, Katherine and Edwards, Ben
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BIG data ,SOCIAL policy ,INDIGENOUS Australians ,COLLECTING of accounts ,CHILD welfare - Abstract
This Special Issue addresses the use of linked data for research purposes and to carry out government functions such as child protection, allocation of resources, and debt recovery. Government investment in big data has the potential to change citizens' experience of the welfare state in a broad range of areas in both positive and negative ways. It is therefore important that the Australian social policy community understands and engages with the potential benefits and risks involved in the linkage and analysis of government datasets. Papers in this Special Issue discuss the technical challenges and institutional barriers involved in the construction and governance of linked government data assets and showcase the promise of big data for generating policy relevant insights. This Special Issue also features papers critically interrogating the potential for big data to produce social harms. We contextualise this collection of papers with a brief history of recent policy developments in regards to access to government held data. We also discuss ways of improving public trust and social licence for the use of big data and argue that the voices of First Nations and disadvantaged Australians must be given greater weight in discussions of how their data will be used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
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13. Editorial.
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Bunting, Lisa and Bhatti‐Sinclair, Kish
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CHILD abuse ,GENDER identity ,PARENTING ,CHILD welfare ,ADOLESCENCE - Abstract
An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses the various topics within the issue, including sexual harassment and coercion in Finnish adolescents, parent discipline behaviours in Hong Kong, and practices of sports clubs in the United Kingdom (UK).
- Published
- 2022
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14. Road‐testing child protection typologies: A case study in Lebanon.
- Author
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El‐Hoss, Thomas and Brown, Louise
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CHILD care ,MATHEMATICAL models ,CHILD abuse ,CULTURAL pluralism ,FAMILIES ,SOCIOECONOMIC factors ,PARENTING ,THEORY ,CHILD welfare ,LEGAL procedure ,SOCIAL responsibility ,CUSTODY of children ,RELIGION ,CULTURAL values - Abstract
Over the past three decades a small number of influential writers have bravely attempted to develop theoretical models for understanding and comparing the complex development of child protection systems across different countries. The foremost frameworks have compared the dynamics of child protection arrangements in high‐income countries, with little attention being given to middle‐ and low‐income countries and, more specifically, the MENA region. This paper presents Lebanon's child protection model and highlights factors that have led to its unique development in the last 20 years. It contends that Lebanon's child protection system is pluralistic in nature, with responsibilities for the ultimate safety and wellbeing of children diffused among a variety of stakeholders. As a relatively new domain of practice for the state, the protection of children in Lebanon has become implicated in the ever‐present national debates regarding the correct balance of authority between state, religion and citizen. A parallel system of decision‐making exists with a state‐run system struggling to find its place alongside customary religious courts unlikely to relinquish their power over family affairs. Through an examination of Lebanon, the paper aims to further road test the most recent typology and address its applicability to one Middle East country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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15. Editorial: Transitions from care to adulthood—Persistent issues across time and place.
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Stein, Mike and Ward, Harriet
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TRANSITION to adulthood ,SOCIAL support ,SERIAL publications ,PRACTICAL politics ,DEVELOPMENTAL psychobiology ,SOCIOECONOMIC factors ,CONFLICT (Psychology) ,CHILD welfare ,GOVERNMENT policy ,SEX crimes ,SOCIAL case work ,FOSTER home care ,POWER (Social sciences) - Abstract
An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses the various topics within the issue, including child welfare policies, the effects on girls of educational systems at Pauper Schools, and the leaving care law and policy in Scandinavian countries.
- Published
- 2021
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16. Tackling the 'normalisation of neglect': Messages from child protection reviews in England.
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Taylor, Julie, Dickens, Jonathan, Garstang, Joanna, Cook, Laura, Hallett, Nutmeg, and Molloy, Eleanor
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- *
POLICE education , *PROFESSIONAL practice , *CULTURE , *CHILD sexual abuse , *PSYCHOLOGY of parents , *CHILD abuse , *RESEARCH methodology , *ATTITUDE (Psychology) , *QUANTITATIVE research , *CRIME , *FAMILIES , *MENTAL health , *QUALITATIVE research , *SEVERITY of illness index , *STEREOTYPES , *CHILD welfare , *COMMUNICATION , *INTERPROFESSIONAL relations , *POVERTY , *SUDDEN infant death syndrome , *JUDGMENT sampling , *THEMATIC analysis , *DEATH , *HOUSING , *SOCIAL case work , *MENTAL illness - Abstract
Despite a history of critique, concentrated discussion and improved assessment processes, neglect continues to be a major challenge for child protection services. This paper draws on findings from a government‐commissioned analysis of 'serious case reviews' (SCRs) in England, arising from incidents of serious child abuse in 2017–2019. There were 235 cases, for which 166 final reports were available. Alongside a quantitative analysis of the whole cohort, we undertook an in‐depth qualitative analysis of 12 cases involving neglect. A key challenge in responding to neglect in its different forms is that it can be so widespread amongst families that practitioners no longer notice its severity or chronicity – it becomes normalised. In this paper we explore two dimensions of the 'paradox of neglect' where it seems to be everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. The first is that neglect is so closely bound up with the prevalence of poverty that little action is taken to address it. The second is that the overwhelming nature of neglect can blind practitioners to other forms of maltreatment that may also be present within a family. Practitioners, now more than ever, need to recognise the dimensions of this paradox to protect children from neglect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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17. Overview of the innovative Family Treatment Drug Court model in Kentucky.
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Logsdon, Ashley R., Antle, Becky F., Bridges, Andreana, Hall, Martin T., Barbee, Anita P., Spriggs, Amy, and Kamer, Cindy
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DRUG courts ,CHILD welfare ,SOCIAL workers ,COURT personnel ,WELL-being - Abstract
Family Treatment Drug Courts (FTDCs) have been implemented to assist families involved with the child welfare system due to substance use. This article describes an enhanced version of a Family Treatment Drug Court intervention which builds on the traditional FTDC model but includes adaptations that add theoretically driven components to the basic FTDC model that aim to strengthen not only permanency outcomes but also address child well‐being including several precursors to child well‐being: parent well‐being and family well‐being so that the additional child welfare outcome of child well‐being can be met. The enhanced FTDC model described in this paper offers three phases of treatment but also utilizes data gathered for evaluation purposes as continuous quality improvement information to inform providers regarding participant engagement so that targeted re‐engagement efforts can occur to reduce dropouts. Thus, this paper also describes the measures utilized in the comprehensive evaluation. Data include 33 standardized scales from multiple sources, including clients, therapists/treatment providers, court personnel, and child welfare workers, at multiple points ranging from weekly to quarterly. Implications are discussed regarding how this enhanced FTDC model and use of evaluation/CQI data impact client engagement and multiple outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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18. Experiencing motherhood and fatherhood with learning difficulties in Austria: The need for self‐determined support.
- Author
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More, Rahel and Tarleton, Beth
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FATHERHOOD & psychology ,MOTHERHOOD & psychology ,MOTHERS ,SOCIAL support ,SOCIAL networks ,FATHERS ,INTERVIEWING ,QUALITATIVE research ,PARENTING ,LEARNING disabilities ,CHILD welfare ,SOCIAL services - Abstract
Accessible summary: Some parents with learning difficulties are supported by child welfare in raising their child. Many mothers and fathers with learning difficulties have their child removed.This paper is the first published research about being a mother and being father with learning difficulties in Austria. There is not enough good quality support for parents with learning difficulties in Austria.We interviewed six mothers and five fathers with learning difficulties and asked them about who supports them and how. We also asked them what it means to them to be a mother or a father.Most parents said that they get the wrong support and are being checked on by child welfare. One mother said that she gets very helpful support.Being a mother with learning difficulties is different to being a father with learning difficulties. Mothers who have lived with their child feel that they are the main caregivers, but fathers sometimes feel excluded from their child's life. Background: Many parents with learning difficulties face high rates of child welfare intervention and child removal. In contrast to other high‐income countries, there has not been any published research on the lives of mothers and fathers with learning difficulties from an Austrian perspective. After presenting an insight into the international literature and the Austrian context, original empirical findings relevant to providing professional support for parents with learning difficulties are introduced. Method: As part of a larger qualitative study, ten individual parents with learning difficulties (six mothers and four fathers) were interviewed to gain insight into their experience of motherhood and fatherhood. During the interviews, participants were asked to visualise their social networks through network maps that were then included into analyses. The current paper primarily engages with parents' experience of professional practice based on a hermeneutic analysis of latent and manifest meanings. Findings: The study results reinforce the relevance of social networks, including (a lack of) professional parenting support, and gendered parental self‐understandings in relation to barriers for parents with learning difficulties in Austria. Parents often experienced surveillance from child welfare professionals and referred to "being checked on" as well as receiving "the wrong support". Only one study participant experienced the (flexible and self‐determined) support provided to her family as helpful. Mothers and fathers with learning difficulties face, at times, quite different challenges in the parenting role. The findings highlight a maternal self‐understanding as being primarily responsible for their child, while fathers often felt excluded from their child's life. Conclusions: Support services need to acknowledge the relevance of gendered parenting roles and intersections of multidimensional disadvantages. The parenting support currently available to mothers and fathers with learning difficulties (if available at all) needs radical improvement and nationwide support structures need to be installed in collaboration with families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
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19. Safeguarding Children and Young People During the COVID‐19 Pandemic.
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Appleton, Jane V. and Sidebotham, Peter
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PREVENTION of child abuse ,CHILD welfare ,SERIAL publications ,SOCIAL isolation ,PSYCHOLOGICAL vulnerability ,COVID-19 pandemic - Abstract
The article focuses on world has been rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused huge changes to all the lives and the entire populations have been socially has isolated with daily life completely has altered by the virus-control measures has implemented by governments. Topics include the lockdown has been particularly difficult with many schools shut, and the children have been isolated from friends and peer networks.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
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20. The Trichan takedown: Lessons in the governance and regulation of child sexual abuse material.
- Author
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Salter, Michael and Richardson, Lloyd
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CHILD pornography ,CHILD welfare ,CHILD sexual abuse - Abstract
Copyright of Policy & Internet is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2021
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21. A child‐centred asylum policy: Building on evidence and unaccompanied asylum‐seeking children's views.
- Author
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Gornik, Barbara
- Subjects
- *
WELL-being , *HUMAN rights , *PRACTICAL politics , *REFUGEES , *GOVERNMENT policy , *CHILD welfare , *INTERPERSONAL relations , *ACCESS to information , *RESEARCH funding , *PUBLIC opinion , *CHILDREN - Abstract
The political sphere is typically reserved for adults in contemporary nation‐states, leaving limited opportunities for children's participation in democratic processes. This holds even more true for unaccompanied asylum‐seeking children who are politically unrepresented and often find themselves in a precarious position due to their immigrant status. The article aims to overcome this gap by presenting their experiences of Slovenian reception and asylum procedures as a framework for child‐informed policy. The child‐centred approach as presented in this paper starts from the principles of children's rights, particularly from the right to express views (Article 12 of the CRC) and the use of children's viewpoints as a way of interpreting how reception and asylum procedures should be. In this way, the paper highlights key factors that affect unaccompanied asylum‐seeking children's well‐being and participation rights, including being able to stay with family and friends, having adequate material conditions, having good relationships with institutional staff, having access to information and legal advice, having trained interviewers, translators and decision‐makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
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22. 'The invisible babies': Exploring the ecosystemic challenges and opportunities of childcare for undocumented asylum‐seeking infants and toddlers.
- Author
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Mayer, Yael
- Subjects
- *
CHILD care , *PSYCHOLOGY of parents , *EDUCATION , *HUMAN rights , *CHILD care workers , *CHILD development , *SYSTEMS theory , *COMMUNITY health services , *COMMUNITY support , *SOCIAL factors , *ECOSYSTEMS , *REFUGEES , *CHILD welfare , *GOVERNMENT policy , *NEEDS assessment , *SOCIAL responsibility , *CHILDREN - Abstract
This paper examines the case of community daycares for undocumented children of asylum‐seeking families in Israel named the 'Babysitters'. It explores how lack of support and national solutions for childcare leads to temporal and unregulated childcare solutions that may risk children's lives and development. Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory is utilized in this paper to explore the challenges and opportunities of early childhood education for young children in asylum‐seeking families. The analysis reveals how the lack of clear policies, absence of national responsibilities, and existing societal barriers to early childhood education compelled asylum‐seeking parents in Israel to use the 'Babysitters' community daycares for infants and toddlers. Putative solutions that require policy change could help address youngsters' early childhood education needs in asylum‐seeking families and align with human rights and international treaties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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23. The role of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Early Help: Critical reflections from embedded social care research.
- Author
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El‐Hoss, Thomas, Thomas, Felicity, Gradinger, Felix, and Hughes, Susanne
- Subjects
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PREVENTION of child abuse , *COMMUNITY health services , *CHILD welfare , *CORPORATE culture , *SOCIAL workers , *OCCUPATIONAL roles , *RESEARCH funding , *FOCUS groups , *DEBATE , *INTERPROFESSIONAL relations , *QUALITATIVE research , *ETHNOLOGY research , *INTERVIEWING , *COMPASSION , *RESPONSIBILITY , *CHILD health services , *VOLUNTARY health agencies , *PARENT attitudes , *SOCIAL case work , *SOCIAL work research , *THEMATIC analysis , *RESEARCH methodology , *ATTITUDES of medical personnel , *TRUST , *ORGANIZATIONAL change , *SOCIAL support , *MEDICAL practice , *GOVERNMENT regulation - Abstract
The independent review of children's social care (2022) has proposed a radical reset of England's children's services, shifting a remote, assessment heavy system towards one that works alongside communities to help prevent statutory interventions. However, notions around the harnessing of community resources to deliver Early Help are often underpinned by assumptions regarding the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector and the ease with which such organizations can be integrated into preventative strategies. This paper reports findings from embedded research within a unitary authority in Southwest England during remodelling of its Early Help service to work more collaboratively with local VCSE organizations. The study generated data from ethnographic observations, semi‐structured interviews and focus groups with 95 participants, including local parents, service providers, VCSE organizations and Council leaders. The findings illustrate that families value the compassionate, responsive and flexible support available within many VCSE settings. However, differences in practice cultures, regulatory pressures on statutory providers, the need to (re)build trust in communities and sensitivities around power‐sharing and resourcing meant negotiating VCSE sector integration was fraught with complexities. Few studies have gained such privileged access to a Local Authority's remodelling of Early Help services, and this paper has significant insights for the debates surrounding the independent review of children's social care (2022) and its recommendation to bring services 'closer to communities'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Hearing the Voice of the Child in Safeguarding Processes: Exploring Different Voices and Competing Narratives.
- Author
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Race, Tracey and Frost, Nick
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HEARING ,EVALUATION of medical care ,FAMILY psychotherapy ,PATIENT advocacy ,HUMAN voice ,SOCIAL workers ,CHILDREN'S accident prevention ,EXPERIENCE ,QUALITATIVE research ,CHILD welfare ,DECISION making ,GROUP process ,CHILDREN - Abstract
This paper presents the findings of research about children's participation in child protection processes. Research was undertaken with young people who had recent involvement with safeguarding professionals. The study explored children's lived experience and perspectives and found that children feel capable of making a contribution, however, they are frustrated by experiences of exclusion and inequality and the limitations of their ability to influence process and outcomes. The study further explored the perspectives of practitioners. Whilst professional commitment to child‐centred practice and effective safeguarding is unequivocal, the discourse of participation is characterised by 'yes, but'. Insights emerged from the different voices and competing narratives of the central protagonists in the child protection process: children, social workers, chairs of case conferences and advocates. This paper examines how the child's right to involvement in safeguarding processes is understood and contributes to the evolving discourse about the importance of children's participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. He's to blame, she is lying: Judgments of child sex trafficking survivors.
- Author
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Petty, Taylor and Wiener, Richard L.
- Subjects
- *
CHILD sexual abuse laws , *JUVENILE offenders , *CHILD welfare , *SEX work , *LEGAL procedure , *GOVERNMENT policy , *IMPRISONMENT , *SEX distribution , *EMOTIONS , *DECISION making , *CRIME victims , *JUDGMENT (Psychology) , *HUMAN trafficking - Abstract
US Federal legislation mandates the treatment of underaged youth induced to sell themselves for commercial sex as victims and not criminal offenders of prostitution laws. Nonetheless, state prosecutors often take action in juvenile court against these youth. This study explored the impact of negative moral emotions, victim blame, and victim believability on public judgments of child sex trafficking victims under varying case facts. We presented an online scenario involving a trafficking case to 682 participants and manipulated youth sex, trafficker sex, vulnerability background, and prior arrest history to determine how emotions, victim blame, and believability mediate child sex trafficking decisions. Two different paths emerged depending on the youth's sex. Participants reported greater victim responsibility and greater negative moral emotions towards a male youth trafficked by a female when he had a prior commercial sex arrest, which in turn predicted a lower certainty of recommending social services over legal consequences. With the same facts, participants reported lower believability for a female youth when she had a prior commercial sex arrest, which in turn predicted a lower certainty of recommending social services over legal consequences. The paper ends with a discussion of the implications of the findings for practice and theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. An exploratory study of capacity to change at family level in families with adolescents experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties.
- Author
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Ratkajec Gašević, Gabrijela and Platt, Dendy
- Subjects
- *
FAMILIES & psychology , *CHILD welfare , *FAMILY psychotherapy , *LIFE change events , *QUALITATIVE research , *INTERPROFESSIONAL relations , *AUTONOMY (Psychology) , *DEFENSE mechanisms (Psychology) , *INTERVIEWING , *AFFECTIVE disorders , *BEHAVIOR , *GOAL (Psychology) , *PROBLEM solving , *FAMILY relations , *SCAPEGOAT , *ATTITUDE (Psychology) , *THEMATIC analysis , *MOTIVATION (Psychology) , *FAMILY attitudes , *RESEARCH methodology , *RESEARCH , *INTENTION , *CHANGE , *PUBLIC welfare , *SOCIAL support , *SECONDARY traumatic stress , *ADOLESCENCE - Abstract
The context of this paper is family situations where young people are experiencing significant behavioural and emotional problems. Based on a qualitative study, it offers an empirical and theoretical contribution to the understanding of family‐related factors that promote or hinder behaviour change. Data were collected through face‐to‐face, semi‐structured group interviews with nine families (28 participants), all of them mandatory recipients of child welfare services in Croatia. Thematic analysis comprised primary coding designed to elicit information about individual family members' capacity for change and secondary coding of family‐level phenomena. The results indicated 10 phenomena that were judged to represent factors that helped or hindered change. The discussion section suggests three broad categories of capacity to change at family level (Goals and Priorities; Problem solving dynamics; and Development of role relationship). This analysis is offered as the basis for an examination of the concept of family capacity for change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. An exploratory evaluation of a model of care for youth who are at risk of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
- Author
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McDonald, Kyla P., Fisher, Riana, and Connolly, Jennifer
- Subjects
- *
PREVENTION of child sexual abuse , *HUMAN trafficking prevention , *CHILD sexual abuse risk factors , *CHILD welfare , *RISK assessment , *INTERNET searching , *HUMAN services programs , *RESEARCH funding , *QUALITATIVE research , *EVALUATION of human services programs , *AT-risk people , *CONTENT analysis , *INTERVIEWING , *PEDIATRICS , *THEMATIC analysis , *LONGITUDINAL method , *TEENAGERS' conduct of life , *RESEARCH , *PSYCHOLOGICAL vulnerability , *CHILD behavior - Abstract
The sexual exploitation of children and youth remains a critical issue within the child welfare system, despite the limited availability of models of care to support these vulnerable individuals. The START with the YOUTH (STAR‐Y) program adopts a preventative approach, offering personalized care and wraparound support to youth exhibiting at‐risk behaviours. This paper employs a case study methodology using both thematic and content analyses to longitudinally assess the effectiveness of this exploratory program. This evaluation encompasses a comprehensive assessment of various factors associated with the risk of sexual exploitation among program participants. Throughout the program's extended duration (originally planned for one year), predefined risk factors, including concerning Internet behaviours, were monitored and analysed. Qualitative data were gathered through interviews and observations, focusing on the experiences of both the youth and their foster parents. The results highlight the program's successful implementation, with youth enrollment (N = 3) demonstrating a reduction in sexual exploitation risk factors over time, including a decrease in behaviours such as concerning Internet usage. The importance of wraparound support and the foster parent‐youth relationship in mitigating risk and nurturing resilience became evident. This exploratory evaluation serves as the initial phase of a comprehensive assessment aimed at understanding how to effectively support youth within this population, including those at higher risk, such as those possibly involved in sex trafficking. The study's findings provide valuable insights into strategies for mitigating the risk of sexual exploitation among vulnerable youth, informing future endeavours to develop and implement similar programs within the child welfare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. Termination of Parental Rights on the Grounds of Intellectual/Developmental Disability: An Overlooked Policy and Health Issue.
- Author
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Kendrick, Jennifer I. S.
- Subjects
- *
PARENT-child legal relationship , *DEVELOPMENTAL disabilities , *CHILD abuse , *CUSTODY of children , *PREGNANT women , *HEALTH policy - Abstract
ABSTRACT In the United States, 37 states and 4 territories allow for the termination of parental rights (TPR) due to parental disability. Twenty‐eight of these states and all four of the territories specifically include parental intellectual developmental disability (IDD). Policies that call for the TPR based on factors outside of parental abuse or neglect have myriad negative effects on individuals, families and communities, including long‐term adverse health outcomes for children who have been removed from parental custody, delays in prenatal care for pregnant people whose stigmatized identities may result in involuntary TPR and an increased burden on already overtaxed child welfare systems. This paper analyses policies and proposes an alternative policy modelled after advocacy from other groups of parents with marginalized identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. Case recording in child protection: An exploration of the evidence base and good practice.
- Author
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O'Keefe, Rebecca
- Subjects
- *
PREVENTION of child abuse , *CHILD welfare , *DOCUMENTATION , *CRITICISM , *SIBLINGS , *PROFESSIONAL practice , *MISINFORMATION , *SOCIAL case work , *DISCOURSE analysis , *ELECTRONIC health records , *CONTINUING education , *EVIDENCE-based medicine , *SOCIAL support , *ACCESS to information - Abstract
There is a statutory duty for all practitioners to record information in child protection work in England. Case recording is a daily task for practitioners, yet an under-researched area of practice. This continuing professional development (CPD) paper will consider the context in which case recording takes place and highlight messages from child protection reviews and enquiries before exploring learning from contemporary research. The complexities of case recording will be considered and how practitioners can reflect upon and improve their daily case recording skills. Practitioners are encouraged to keep the child's views and experiences central and consider the long-term impact of case recording on adults who have experienced abuse and neglect in childhood. Key Practitioner Messages • Case recording is a complex and nuanced task, often missing the multiple perspectives inherent in a child's narrative. • The views, experiences and identity of individual children and young people can be lost in case recording, especially for very young children, older children and those in sibling groups. • Case recording has a support function for care experienced adults to understand their childhood histories, aiding recovery from abuse and neglect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. Queering child welfare and juvenile justice: Recommendations for affirming LGBTQ+ youth.
- Author
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Rodriguez, Wiston A., Hussain, Sheharyar, Nadal, Kevin L., Sissoko, D. R. Gina, Almanzar, D' Andrah, Ealey, Dashawn, and Tejeda, Emerson
- Subjects
- *
CHILD welfare , *LGBTQ+ youth , *TRANSGENDER people , *CRIMINAL justice system , *HETERONORMATIVITY - Abstract
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people have historically been subjected to maltreatment across multiple environments and systems – including their homes, schools, neighborhoods, workplaces, healthcare facilities, and more. The criminal justice and child welfare systems were built on the foundations of cisnormativity and heteronormativity, making LGBTQ+ youth susceptible to systemic oppression and discrimination when compared to their youth counterparts. As such, this paper examines the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ youth in the juvenile and child welfare systems by discussing the systemic inequities and unique challenges that exist for this population – beginning with the risk factors that make them susceptible to exposure to both systems in general. Furthermore, we provide practical recommendations for legal and clinical professionals to better serve their LGBTQ+ youth clients – ranging from changes in policies and legislation, increased staff training, and strategies to create safe and inclusive environments for all youth. Key Points for the Family Court Community: LGBTQ+ youth face higher risk factors (e.g., violence and discrimination at home) that make them more susceptible to both the child welfare and criminal justice systems when compared to cisgender/heterosexual youth.Systemic issues (e.g., mistreatment and biased targeting by police personnel) contribute to the overrepresentation of LGBTQ+ youth in both systems.To effectively serve LGBTQ+ youth, law professionals are encouraged to engage in LGBTQ+‐affirming practices like comprehending the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ youth who identify with multiple marginalized identities and educating themselves on current issues impacting this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Pakistani children's lived experiences of relationships in the context of child protection services in Norway: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.
- Author
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Wilson, Samita, Hean, Sarah, Abebe, Tatek, and Heaslip, Vanessa
- Subjects
- *
CHILD welfare , *IMMIGRANTS , *SOCIAL workers , *NEGOTIATION , *FAMILY relations , *EXPERIENCE , *INTERPERSONAL relations , *PHENOMENOLOGY - Abstract
This paper examines how children from immigrant background experience and negotiate power relations with family and social workers in the context of child protection services (CPS) in Norway. Using the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) methodology, 11 children from Pakistani background were interviewed about their lived experiences with CPS. Analysis of the data highlights that children have to negotiate and navigate generational and gendered power relations both within the families and the CPS to exercise their agency. The analysis contributes to a limited research field focusing on immigrant children's multidimensional lived realities in the context of CPS, where children's voices are largely missing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. Poverty for lunch: A case study of agency and food scarcity in mealtimes in disadvantaged ECE.
- Author
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Searle, Bonnie, Cooke, Emma, Staton, Sally, and Thorpe, Karen
- Subjects
- *
CHILD welfare , *FOOD quality , *PARENTS , *EDUCATION , *SOCIOECONOMIC status , *FOOD security , *FIELD notes (Science) , *INTERVIEWING , *SURVEYS , *CHILD care , *MEALS , *ARTIFICIAL feeding , *TEACHER-student relationships , *SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC factors , *POVERTY , *SOCIAL classes , *NUTRITION , *CHILDREN - Abstract
Quality early care and education (ECE) presents an unparalleled opportunity to avert disadvantage and promote children's development. Mealtimes are essential daily routines, yet are often overlooked in research on ECE quality. This paper crystallises a composite case study of ECE mealtimes in highly disadvantaged communities by combining Departing Radically in Academic Writing (DRAW) methodology with parent surveys, scorings of educator‐child interactions (inCLASS), and field notes. Poverty is perpetuated in these centres: children do not have enough food, and educator‐dictated feeding practices restrict children's opportunities to exercise their agency and learn. Systemic policy action is needed to address poverty in ECE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. "The most significant child welfare reform in a generation": An examination of the strategies used by the Home Stretch campaign.
- Author
-
Mendes, Philip
- Subjects
- *
PUBLIC welfare , *CHILD welfare , *YOUNG adults , *ADULTS , *SOCIAL advocacy - Abstract
For more than three decades, official and independent enquiries have documented the poor outcomes experienced by many young people transitioning from out‐of‐home care (OOHC) in Australia, known as care leavers. Yet, until 2017, most of the state and territory governments cut off financial support to these vulnerable young people at no later than 18 years of age and failed to provide them with the ongoing material and relationship assistance into early adulthood guaranteed to most of their non‐care peers. Australia was regarded internationally as a leaving care laggard. This paper examines the remarkably effective advocacy strategies used by the Home Stretch campaign, formed in 2016, to persuade all Australian jurisdictions to extend OOHC until 21 years. By the end of 2022, every state and territory had agreed to introduce some form of extended care, and Australia was recognised as a global leader in leaving care policy and programmes provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Using the power threat meaning framework to explore birth parents' experiences of compulsory child removal.
- Author
-
Enlander, Abi, Simonds, Laura, and Hanna, Paul
- Subjects
PARENT attitudes ,PSYCHOLOGISTS ,CONCEPTUAL structures ,CHILD welfare ,WOUNDS & injuries - Abstract
In 2019–2020, 80,000 children in England were looked after by the state or adopted. Whilst extensive research has explored the experiences and outcomes of children in the care system, much less research has focused on the experiences of their parents. This paper uses the Power Threat Meaning Framework to provide a qualitative synthesis of literature exploring the experiences of birth parents in England who have had a child removed from their care by the state in order to understand how early interpersonal adversity interacts with social disadvantage to bring these families to the attention of child protection services. This paper aims to problematise the individualistic discourse blaming parents who cannot look after their children and offer an alternative perspective by examining the impact of developmental trauma and systemic adversity on birth parents prior to, during and following care proceedings. This paper argues that significant policy changes are needed to support vulnerable families, with an emphasis on trauma‐informed care and tackling levels of deprivation. This approach challenges psychology and psychiatry (Psy) professionals to use their privileged position to call for broader societal change to address the root causes of distress within this group. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Using the Adult Exploration of Attachment Interview (AEAI) to Break the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma: Illustrations from a Family Reunification Program.
- Author
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Amos, Jackie, Todd, Bryan, Gibson, Bryony, Carpenter, Samuel, Malvaso, Catia G., and Delfabbro, Paul H.
- Subjects
TRANSGENERATIONAL trauma ,EVALUATION of human services programs ,FAMILY reunification ,INTERVIEWING ,PARENTING ,SELF-consciousness (Awareness) ,CHILD welfare ,PARENT-child relationships ,PSYCHOLOGICAL distress ,REFLECTION (Philosophy) ,BEHAVIOR modification - Abstract
Family reunification is an area of high policy importance for child protection systems. The safe return of children from out‐of‐home care to their biological parents or relatives and long‐term family preservation can potentially mitigate the subsequent detrimental effects of separating children from their families. In this paper we describe one type of family for whom reunification was considered; namely, families who have been affected by intergenerational trauma. To assist families affected by intergenerational trauma and abuse requires an understanding of the mechanisms and processes that maintain intergenerational trauma and how these might inform therapeutic approaches for working with children and their families. This paper utilises case studies to illustrate the use of the Adult Exploration of Attachment Interview (AEAI) as part of a broader therapeutic reunification program in an Australian state. The AEAI focuses on supporting parents to become aware of the impact of previous experiences in their childhood; the mitigation of feelings of shame, self‐blame, and inadequacy by helping the parent confront the negative experiences of the past. The aim is to assist the parent to recognise the significance of the past, to consolidate their strengths, and to develop more nurturing relationships with their children. Case illustrations demonstrate that this therapy was a component in addressing the causes of behaviour and psychological distress that had been barriers to reunification from care in two families. This was achieved through a process of reflection and self‐awareness, rather than one focused on guilt or shame, with the therapist there to help verbalise and articulate what otherwise might have been hidden or implicit processes. In both cases, this awareness was used to help reframe the parent–child relationship and led to observable behavioural changes in parenting practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Children at Risk in the 20th and 21st Century.
- Author
-
Mochmann, Ingvill C. and Kleinau, Elke
- Subjects
VIOLENCE prevention ,ATTITUDE (Psychology) ,CHILD abuse ,CHILD welfare ,DEVELOPING countries ,HUMAN rights ,HUMANITARIANISM ,POVERTY ,RISK perception ,SELF-efficacy ,SERIAL publications ,SLAVERY ,TERRORISM ,WAR ,DEVELOPED countries ,GENDER ,HUMAN trafficking ,AT-risk people ,PSYCHOLOGICAL vulnerability - Abstract
An introduction to the journal is presented that addresses various groups of children in developing and developed countries that are characterised by wars and conflicts and children who grow up in stable and democratic states, including irregular adoption practices in Chile, the experiences of children in Norway who collaborated with the Germans during the occupation of Norway from 1940 to 1945, and comparison of two trials of the International Court where children were born of sexual violence.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. The Psychological Impact of Sending Children Away to Boarding Schools in Britain: Is there Cause for Concern?
- Author
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James, Gregory
- Subjects
PSYCHOLOGICAL factors ,BOARDING schools ,SCHOOL boards ,COMMUNITIES ,PSYCHOLOGICAL literature - Abstract
This paper aims to consolidate existing literature on the psychological impact of sending children away to boarding schools in Britain. A scarcity of literature pertaining specifically to independent boarding schools leads the author to examine child developmental theory, peer victimization in the British Army, trauma within captivity and adaptive behaviours. In conclusion, it is clear from this research that more time and effort is needed to understand the psychological impact of sending children away from home to be schooled, socialized and parented institutionally. In particular, the ethos and traditions associated with British and colonial schools, and the way in which these things are preserved warrants further study as it appears to be a significant source of the attitude toward children in boarding schools. The psychoanalytic community may be best placed to understand, and make understood, the positive or negative impact on children attending boarding schools in Britain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Documentary analysis of the legal and policy framework of transracial adoption in South Africa.
- Author
-
Luyt, Jean and Swartz, Leslie
- Subjects
CULTURE ,DOCUMENTATION ,HUMAN services programs ,CHILDREN'S accident prevention ,INTERRACIAL adoption ,GOVERNMENT policy ,CHILD welfare - Abstract
Transracial adoption was legalized in South Africa through legislative reform as South Africa moved into a post‐apartheid era of non‐racialism. Transracial adoption offers one option of placement for Black children in need of alternative care. However, adoption continues to face obstacles to implementation, including cultural obstacles which impact on placement of Black African children. This paper reports on adoption statistics on national adoption in the period 2013–2021 and a documentary analysis of the current legal and policy framework governing transracial adoption. We cover international instruments, local laws, including the Children's Act of 2005, and relevant policy documents designed to facilitate the implementation of adoption. We show that the law is supportive of transracial adoption, but that policy documents offer a somewhat contradictory stance to the practice. The lack of success of transracial adoption as a child protection strategy does not lie within the legal framework but may lie in the difficulties in interpreting and implementing the range of different policies by those implementing these policies. More research into the implementation practice of these bureaucrats is required to understand the underutilization of transracial adoption as a placement option for Black children in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Adapting private family time in child protective services decision‐making processes.
- Author
-
Lalayants, Marina and Merkel‐Holguin, Lisa
- Subjects
FAMILIES & psychology ,ANTI-racism ,RESEARCH methodology ,SOCIAL justice ,INTERVIEWING ,QUALITATIVE research ,SELF-efficacy ,FAMILY attitudes ,CHILD welfare ,CHILD health services ,DECISION making ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,RESEARCH funding ,PSYCHOLOGICAL adaptation ,EMPIRICAL research ,SOCIAL responsibility - Abstract
The Family Group Conference (FGC) is grounded in a rights‐based framework, whereby children and their families have the right and responsibility to be primary decision‐makers when child protection issues arise, and the statutory agency has the responsibility to convene the entitled members of the family network to lead the decision‐making. A distinct core component of FGC—private family time (PFT)—allows families to discuss the information and formulate their responses and plans privately during conferencing. This paper describes how a large child welfare agency in the United States adapted PFT in two ways: (1) including a parent advocate (PA) and (2) abbreviating the amount of time allowed for this discussion. Given the lack of empirical research on the PFT component, this qualitative exploratory study sought to understand the functions and perceived impacts of PA‐supported PFT during initial child protective services (CPS) conferences at which decisions of child removal or placement were being contemplated. PFT served multiple beneficial functions and impacted families in several positive ways: families gained greater awareness of safety concerns, felt empowered and confident in the preferred safety and service plan, became increasingly engaged and involved in the case decision‐making process and ultimately felt less apprehensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Becoming good ancestors: A decolonial, childist approach to global intergenerational sustainability.
- Author
-
Biswas, Tanu
- Subjects
SUSTAINABILITY ,CULTURE ,HUMAN rights ,FRUSTRATION ,INTERGENERATIONAL relations ,PRACTICAL politics ,CLIMATOLOGY ,CHILD welfare ,ANGER ,LABOR market ,REFLECTION (Philosophy) - Abstract
There are two key questions consistently raised by children and youth since the onset of the school strikes for climate in 2018 in the Global North: Why study for a future, which may not be there? Why spend a lot of effort to become educated, when our governments are not listening to the educated? (conf. fridaysforfuture.org, n.d). While the same questions are shared by young climate activists from the Global South, there are other interrelated economic realities that echo the disappointment, anger, disillusionment, desperation, and frustration driving those utterances in their socio‐political contexts. Comparative insights from so‐called 'developing' countries disclose that institutionalized schooling, commonly confused with education, manipulates the aspirations of younger generations and their wider societies. Contemporary global schooling is one of the key propellers of global economic agendas geared towards producing human capital that is 'employable' in the future job market. The paradox of a global education agenda geared towards generating human capital employable on a job market is that most of those jobs (if at all they will be there) continue serving the very economic system that is threatening the right to life, health, culture (especially for indigenous communities) and the best interests of future generations on this planet. As young climate activists from various countries collectively argue within the framework of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, major economies are failing to protect the basic human rights of children and future generations. I suggest that the various interrelated crises evident through the key questions raised by young climate activists must be considered as part of a North–South continuum. In this paper, I reflect upon these interrelated crises by developing a decolonial childist approach to education—understood as an intergenerational relationship, implying an effort on part of present adults becoming good ancestors of the future, in the present. Such efforts require larger structural shifts which I consider by means of the four strategies I discuss building upon previous co‐reflections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. Aboriginal parents' experiences of having their children removed by statutory child protection services.
- Author
-
Newton, BJ
- Subjects
CONTROL (Psychology) ,ACTION research ,CHILD welfare ,CRIME ,ETHNOPSYCHOLOGY ,DOMESTIC violence ,FOSTER home care ,INTERVIEWING ,PARENT-child relationships ,SUBSTANCE abuse ,PARENT attitudes ,INDIGENOUS Australians - Abstract
The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in out‐of‐home care has more than doubled in the past decade. Research into the experiences of parents who have had their children removed is an emerging area; though very few of these studies are specific to Indigenous children and families. This paper presents a participatory research study that explored the experiences of a group of Aboriginal Australian parents who have had their children removed by child protection authorities in one Australian state, New South Wales. This paper highlights the challenges for Indigenous families navigating the child protection system, specifically the ongoing experience of feeling powerless following the removal of their children, and in creating environments that maintain quality relationships with their children. The paper then offers suggestions for supporting families in light of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. Does the gender of a practitioner matter in early childhood education and care? Perspectives from Scottish and Chinese young children.
- Author
-
Xu, Yuwei
- Subjects
CHILD care ,CHILD welfare ,CHILD behavior ,CONVERSATION ,FEMINISM ,INTERPERSONAL relations ,SEX distribution ,TEACHING - Abstract
This paper responds to concerns over the assumed 'feminisation' of early childhood education and care (ECEC) and adds children's perspectives to debates on whether more men should work in ECEC. Pictorial conversations were conducted with 280 children aged 2–6 years old from the cities of Edinburgh, Hong Kong and Tianjin. Findings show that although children sometimes related practitioners to their gendered experiences in and outside ECEC, children's gender subjectivities are dynamic and are linked to their short‐term and long‐term, fluid and stable, and interactive relationships with practitioners. This paper argues that practitioners need to openly discuss gender with children in ECEC practices and pedagogies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Convergent spaces: Intersectional analysis of ethnic minority status and childhood disability in Irish safeguarding work.
- Author
-
Flynn, Susan
- Subjects
ATTITUDE (Psychology) ,CHILD welfare ,ETHNIC groups ,GROUP identity ,INTERNATIONAL relations ,MINORITIES ,CULTURAL pluralism ,RACE ,CHILDREN with disabilities - Abstract
The core argument of this paper is that intersectionality provides a constructive conceptual lens for the convergence of ethnic minority status and childhood disability in Irish child protection and welfare. The utility of intersectionality in this paper lies in broadening the scope of reflection on the complex intersections of ethnic minority status and childhood disability. Within this, intersectionality is implicitly situated within an overarching critical disability studies perspective. Theoretically informed commentary on the literature attends to three aspects of practice. These are respectively novel intersections of ethnic minority status and childhood disability, as a consequence of intensifying globalization; compounded levels of risk; and the importance of nonconflation of potential sites of oppression, such as race and disability. Overall, the intention of the paper is to be illustrative. Specifically, analysis is presented as an aid to students and practitioners, moving forward, in negotiating a complex and dynamic field of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. From communication to co‐operation: Reconceptualizing social workers' engagement with children.
- Author
-
Ruch, Gillian, Winter, Karen, Morrison, Fiona, Hadfield, Mark, Hallett, Sophie, and Cree, Viv
- Subjects
CHILD welfare ,COMMUNICATION ,CONCEPTS ,DATABASE management ,EMOTIONS ,INTERPROFESSIONAL relations ,MEDICAL personnel ,BODY language ,PRACTICAL politics ,PROFESSIONAL employee training ,PROFESSIONAL ethics ,REFLECTION (Philosophy) ,RITES & ceremonies ,SOCIAL case work ,SOCIAL services ,PSYCHOLOGY of social workers ,EVIDENCE-based medicine ,PROFESSIONAL practice ,SOCIAL boundaries ,TASK performance ,PATIENTS' families ,SOCIAL worker attitudes - Abstract
Communicating and engaging with children is a foundational component of child care social work practice, but all too frequently, in the wake of serious incidents, it is the focus of criticism. Drawing on findings from a large‐scale ESRC‐funded research project conducted in the four U.K. nations, this paper explores, through a psychosocial analytic lens, how social workers anticipate, enact and reflect on their encounters with both children and their families. Close analysis of what social workers said about their practice alongside what they were observed to do in practice revealed perceptions, patterns and processes of communication that, first, minimize emotions and the complexity of the professional task and second, overly privilege verbal interaction. Drawing on Sennett's (2012) ideas this paper offers a reconceptualisation of this professional task, from a communicative to a co‐operative one. It affords and creates a space in which social workers can develop more attuned communicative practices that include rituals, gestures and the minimal use of force. The theoretical insights and evidence‐informed practice recommendations arising from this research have conceptual significance for the social work discipline and practical significance for the child care social work profession, across national and international contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. The child in child protection: Invisible and unheard.
- Author
-
Bastian, Carmela
- Subjects
PREVENTION of child abuse ,CHILD welfare ,CHILDREN'S rights ,CONCEPTUAL structures ,RESEARCH funding ,SOCIAL services ,QUALITATIVE research ,PROFESSIONAL practice ,BEHAVIORAL research ,DATA analysis software - Abstract
The paper presents findings from a qualitative study of four child death reviews published in Australia. The study was informed by the theoretical concept of childism. A critical social research methodology facilitated the exposure of childist dynamics in statutory child protection. The transformation of child protection practices and systems has traditionally relied on the imposition of never‐ending structural changes, policies, and procedures. This paper proposes that transformation and the erosion of childist dynamics is contingent on humane and ethical statutory child protection agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Children and Families and the Care System.
- Author
-
Appleton, Jane V.
- Subjects
ATTACHMENT behavior ,BORDERLINE personality disorder ,CHILD abuse ,CHILD welfare ,FOSTER children ,FOSTER home care ,SERIAL publications - Abstract
An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses reports published within the issue on topics including a comparison of the health and wellbeing outcomes between maltreated children placed in out-of-home care (OoHC) and those being cared for at home, the relationship between maternal personality disorder and child maltreatment and the impact of mandatory reporting for teacher education in Ireland.
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. If It's Not on the System, Then It Hasn't Been Done: 'Ofsted Anxiety Disorder' as a Barrier to Social Worker Discretion.
- Subjects
FOCUS groups ,SOCIAL workers ,RESEARCH methodology ,GROUNDED theory ,ETHNOLOGY research ,CHILD welfare ,CASE studies ,QUESTIONNAIRES ,SOCIAL worker attitudes ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,ANXIETY disorders - Abstract
A main theme within the Munro Review of Child Protection was that social workers should be better able to employ their discretion in the best interests of the individual child. This paper reports on the results of an ethnographic case study of one local authority child protection team. The research sought to explore, with 21 social workers and four team managers, the extent of social worker discretion within the child protection team. Employing a mixed‐methods design – encompassing documentary analysis, observation, focus group, questionnaire, interview and Critical Realist Grounded Theory – the aim was to identify continued barriers to social worker discretion. Main findings highlight how a retained focus on preparation for inspection contributed towards the 'bureaucratic burden' – epitomised by conceptions of Ofsted Anxiety Disorder – and served as a barrier to achieving Munro's image for social worker discretion within the child protection team. Ultimately, despite previous efforts to reform external inspection in the wake of the Munro Review, the paper concludes that there may still be more to do if we are to achieve the 'child‐centred' and 'effective' system that Munro advocated. Key Practitioner Messages Child protection social workers continue to be afforded discretionary space.The discretionary space can be differentiated by 'type.'Social workers are more likely to employ discretion in managerially sanctioned discretionary space.Local approaches to external inspection continue to hinder social worker discretion in the best interests of the child. 'Reports on the results of an ethnographic case study of one local authority child protection team' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. A Study of Alternative Measures in Resolving Cases of Child Sexual Abuse among the Ga Community in Accra, Ghana.
- Author
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Markwei, Ummu and Tetteh, Peace Mamle
- Subjects
PREVENTION of child sexual abuse ,CHILD sexual abuse laws ,PARENT attitudes ,CAREGIVER attitudes ,SEX offenders ,HUMAN rights ,GOVERNMENT regulation ,RESEARCH methodology ,COMMUNITIES ,INTERVIEWING ,SOCIAL stigma ,CRIME victims ,QUALITATIVE research ,EXPERIENCE ,SELF-disclosure ,PUNISHMENT ,CHILD welfare ,GUARDIAN & ward ,GOVERNMENT policy ,RESEARCH funding ,ETHNIC groups ,LEGAL procedure ,JUDGMENT sampling ,STATISTICAL sampling ,THEMATIC analysis ,RURAL population ,POLICE - Abstract
Many children continue to be sexually abused worldwide. In Ghana, relatively high figures of child sexual abuse (CSA) are reported by the police daily. Although there are laws that seek to protect children from sexual abuse, in reality, there is a wide gulf between legislation and practice. This paper explores why this is so by examining the measures adopted in sanctioning perpetrators of CSA in the Ga community in Ghana. The study uses a qualitative approach to collect data from parents and guardians through in‐depth interviews. The study revealed that, generally, traditional rather than legal sanctions are adopted in handling CSA cases. This paper thus interrogates the consequences of the obvious contraventions of the law as traditional interventions are resorted to. We posit that CSA can be minimised only when child protection laws are enforced by the police and victims are reoriented to appreciate the benefits of seeking legal redress. Key Practitioner Messages: Conscious efforts must be made to destigmatise child sexual abuse.Sensitisation programmes should be organised periodically by stakeholders to educate community members on child sexual abuse.The police in partnership with the media must also lead the campaign to educate the populace that choosing traditional options of redress and non‐disclosure of incestuous acts against children is a clear violation of the law and the rights of the child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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49. Girls engaging in activism to end child marriage in Sierra Leone: Negotiating power, interacting with others and redefining their own lives.
- Author
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Cuevas‐Parra, Patricio and Zhu, Yan
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CHILD welfare , *POWER (Social sciences) , *MARRIAGE , *FOCUS groups , *GROUP identity , *RESEARCH funding , *INTERVIEWING , *NEGOTIATION , *PSYCHOLOGY of women , *HUMAN rights , *INTERSECTIONALITY , *THEMATIC analysis , *ATTITUDE (Psychology) , *EXPERIENCE , *RESEARCH methodology , *POLITICAL participation - Abstract
Children's right to participate has been one of the most challenging rights to implement due to dominant norms which position children under adults' authority. Notably, this has more negatively impacted girls than boys due to traditional gender norms and practices that often restrict girls' agency and are reproduced and unchallenged in many societies. To contest these struggles, young female activists (13–17 years) in Sierra Leone, who are the focus of this paper, engaged in direct actions to influence public decision‐making and prevent girls from being married during childhood. Drawing upon empirical evidence exploring the girls' activism experiences, this article explore, young female activists' practical work is an example of what intersectionality as praxis means by connecting social categories to inequalities and highlights that they saw themselves as social actors with the ability to negotiate power, take part in community‐based activism to end child marriage and network with others to seek justice for practices and attitudes they perceived to be abusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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50. Measuring the ratio of true‐positive to false‐positive judgements made by child and family social workers in England: A case vignette study.
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Wilkins, David and Meindl, Melissa
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CHILD welfare , *SOCIAL workers , *PROFESSIONAL practice , *RECEIVER operating characteristic curves , *SOCIAL services , *DECISION making in clinical medicine , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics , *SOCIAL case work , *SURVEYS , *JUDGMENT (Psychology) , *FAMILY support , *DATA analysis software , *MEDICAL referrals - Abstract
Social workers routinely make judgements and decisions as part of their everyday practice. The nature and quality of these can have a significant and long‐lasting impact on the children and families concerned. In this paper, we present an analysis of more than 20 000 judgements (n = 21 193) made by social workers (n = 586) in relation to case vignettes, based on a series of anonymized referrals (n = 12) to social services in England. We do so to ascertain how accurately the social workers were able to predict subsequent actions, events and outcomes, and to calculate the ratio of true positives to false positives at various decision thresholds. We find that the social workers' predictions were more accurate than chance in relation to all but one of the referrals, albeit at the cost of a high rate of false positive errors. We consider these findings in relation to what appears to be a general lowering of the threshold for child protection interventions in England in recent years and in relation to who suffers the injustice of false positive errors in child and family social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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