Post on 25-Dec-2015
Exploring the complexities in CP work
Caroline Meffan
University of Hertfordshire
c.meffan@herts.ac.uk
The risks
• There are significant risks when working with families
• Hostility towards the social worker
• Misunderstood families
• Misguided social workers
• Why do we continue to question social work intervention in CP work
Terminologies
• Safeguarding children
• Children are the paramount consideration
• At risk
• Protect from harm
• Can we say that they all mean the same?
Significant Studies Undertaken
• Brandon et al (2002)
• Sinclair and Bullock (2002)
• London Serious Case reviews 2006-2009
• Morris et al (2007)
• Rose and Barnes (2008)
• Brandon et al (2008)
• Munro (2011)
Similar issues and outcomes identified
The risk perspective
• The dilemmas posed
• Premise that agencies are working together
• Frustrations inherent in social work practice
• Skills development – risk or uncertainty?
• No one says! (Who needs to know?)
Multiple Problems within Families
• Parental history
• London review – Out of 40 children selected 17% of mothers had experienced sexual abuse themselves
• Chaotic life styles
• Lack of parenting for them
Continued
• Mental health issues
• In the London study 60% of the families had a parent with mental health problems.
• In some instances the SCR found that psychotic illness was only identified after the death of a child
Domestic violence
• DV being seen as a significant problem within families
• In a number of studies (which offered similar statistics) 47% were identified with concerns around domestic violence
• Interestingly looking at the different studies approx 26% included an adult with a history of violence, other than DV
Daphne Project
• EU funded
• Explores Women and their experiences of DV and mental health that has been ignored in recent years
• Programmes for providers of mental health
• How do they identify with the impact on the chil
Legal/policy context
• The Children Act 1989 and 2004
• Human Rights Act
• Adoption Act
• Working together document
• Social Work Task Force
• Munro’s review of social work in CP 2012
UN Convention
• Article 19
• Who says that it works?
• How do social workers engage with the article?
• How does this work alongside the Children Act?
Other issues for the families
• Drug and alcohol problems
• Mobile families
• Children with disabled children
• Issues for those with learning difficulties
• Housing
• Poverty
• Education
Engaging with families
• The hostile family
• Passive aggressiveness
• Passive hopelessness
• Avoidant families
• The manipulative family
Brandon et al
• Continue to offer biennial analysis of SCRs in order to identify where social work and health professionals need to develop
• Outcomes and recommendations are similar and there is then the question of what is effective to safeguard children
Gender issues
• Fixed thinking about men
• Men and male care givers
• Fear of men
• Lack of understanding of women as perpetrators/abusers
• Social workers views on gender considerations
Criminal Behaviour
• More than half of the parents/carers in the cases reviewed by Brandon et al (2008) had a criminal record
• 6 (15%) of primary carers had a criminal record in the Sinclair and Bullock (2002) study and 14 (35%) secondary carers
continued
• In the Owers and Brandon (1999) study 9 out of 10 parents or caregivers had criminal convictions
• Brandon et al (2002) 6 out of 10 parents or secondary carers had a criminal record
• Parental criminality was a feature in 5 of the 12 analysed by Morris et al (2007)
Recent studies
• Brandon et al 2008 - SCRs
• Vincent 2009 protecting YP
• Sidebotham 2011- what do SCRs achieve?
• Sequeli 2012 - Lessons learnt?
• Brandon et al 2011- study of recommendations
• Munro 2011b final report
Themes
• The invisible child
• Chaotic families
• Being overwhelmed
• Overwhelmed, unsupported families
• Family and environmental characteristics
• Overwhelmed professionals
• Lack of professional confidence
Themes continued
• Multiple problems within the family
• Failure to exercise professional judgement
• Silo practice
With these issues to consider and the impact of the work needing to be undertaken, social work is in a particularly difficult position.
Finally
• It would be naïve to think that child abuse and child deaths can be eradicated. However with growing evidence and knowledge perhaps a lesson can be learnt in protecting the vulnerable.
Questions
• How can we truely protect children from violence?
• What skills are needed to work with hostile families?
• How do we recognise abuse in families?
• Is it always the male figure who abuses?
• What has been learnt in your country?