Listening To Troubled Families

Listening To Troubled FamiliesThe purpose of this essay is to critically analyse a accounting Listening to Troubled Families (Casey, 2012). To gain this it will be necessary to give a brief historical overview of tender policy and legislative developments from 1979 to the present day. It will go on to struggle the drivers for contemporary practice and strategies that promote children safeguarding and family actualise. The essay will apply legislation, guidance and policies that give social puzzle outers a legal mandate to work with families whose children are deemed to be at risk. The essay will to a fault deliberate a selection of social work skills whilst employing theories and methods that are in accordance with social work value (Teater, 2010, p. 4).The report entitled Listening to Troubled Families is a snapshot of sixteen familys lives who have entrenched, long-term cycles of suffering problems and causing problems (Casey, 2012, p. 1). The phrase long-term cycles is very uniform to an expression that the Prime Minister at the time Tony Blair (2006) used in a speech to describe families with problems that are multiple, entrenched and often passed down the generations (Blair, 2006 cited in Welshman, 2008, p. 77). Both statements can be compared to Josephs (1972) cycle of deprivation hypothesis (Joseph, 1972 cited in Welshman, 2008, p. 77). This is important because fit to Welshman (2012) it is an enactment of the debate concerning the deserving and undeserving poor and pop beliefs aimed at scroungers in British society. This has led Featherstone et al. (2012, 630) to conclude that previous and successive governments since 1979 have demonstrated a cross-party consensus in regard to reduced political reward for the welfare state.The families in the report had been compelled to work with the Family Intervention Project or risk facing action on child care proceeding (Casey, 2012, p. 3). However, the report is actually found on 120,000 families that h ave been identified as strike (Casey 2012, p. 5) and who have cost the Government some 9 billion in the destruction year alone (HM Government, 2012, p. 1). This equates to around 75,000 per family (http//www.number10.gov). The figure of a 120,000 families is found on a report conducted by the Social Exclusion Task Force (SETF) (Levitas, 2012, p. 4). That carried come forth some secondary analysis (Levitas, 2012, p. 4) from the Family and Children longitude study (FACS) in 2004. Which highlighted that 2 per cent (p. 4) of households in Britain had numerous disadvantages. Levitas (2012) nones that the Coalition government have intentionally sought to deceive the electorate, into assuming that multiple disadvantage (Levitas, 2012, p.12) equates to families that are troubled, to families that are or cause trouble (Levitas, 2012, p. 5).In order to work effectively with families where neglect and abuse empower children at risk it is essential that the subject get byledge, understa nding and skills (QAA, 2008, p. 8). That the student has acquired in professional training underpin all incumbrances with individuals to allow an understanding of situations (Trevithick, 2012, p. 4). To understand a situation it is important that a social doer has excellent discourse skills Koprowska, (2009, p. 1) considers that these are a fundamental requirement for social work assessment and intervention (Koprowska, 2009, p. 72). Research conducted by Levin (2004, p. 5) substantiates this as service users require social workers who are skilled in listening, counselling, assessing, case managing and finding practical ways to facilitate. Sedan (2005, p. 22) notes that communication comprises of an interactive process involving the giving, receiving and checking out of meaning. Having the skills to communicate would enable the practician to take aim with caregivers and children to conduct an assessment ensuring an effective and fair process and outcome (Holland, 2010, p. 110). L aming (2009, p. 28) reiterates this claim by asserting that the assessment processes should encourage an more and more clear understanding of a childs situation (Laming, 2009, p. 29).To accomplish assessments social workers are required to use the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DoH et al. 2000). This is a holistic (DoH et al. 2000, p. 26) and bionomic tool that has been influenced by the work of Bronfenbrenner (1979) who proposed that individuals are shaped by their macro, exo, meso and microsystems (Bronfenbrenner, 1979 cited in Trevithick, 2012, p. 325). When an assessment is conducted with an ecological appeal it gives a sociological context to the whole persons life-time and can gauge the impacts of government policies on individuals who are often in poverty (Trevithick, 2012). A practitioner who utilises an ecological perspective will understand how the structures of society (Jack, 2011) and the inequalities and adversities that some i ndividuals face within it can impinge on their life chances (Trevithick, 2012). It avoids individualising (Trevithick, 2012, p. 326) problems. Using the assessment framework facilitates the practitioner in ascertaining if a child is in need and how best to react (Ward and Glaser, 2010) which the social worker will base on current question findings (DoH et al., 2000). Information is recorded about the childs developmental needs (Ward and Glaser, 2010, p. 160) and the caregivers capabilities to respond appropriately (DoH et al. 2000, p. 12). Whilst taking account of all other sources of family support and any environmental influences (DoH et al., 2000, p. 12). another(prenominal) significant element in the assessment framework is information sharing in the midst of multi-agencies for best interest decisions for the child and family (Rose, 2010, p. 44). This is to avoid what has often been referred to as a silo style of working (Miers, 2010, p. 75). Brandon et al. (2009, p. 49) in t heir serious case reviews have highlighted the leave out of information sharing within and between professional agencies (Brandon et al., (2009, p. 49) which has led to children dying or suffering unnecessarily. Moreover, under working Together to Safeguard Children (DCSF, 2010, p. 31) there is a legal requirement to implement effective (DCSF, 2010, p. 31) collaborative joint working (DCSF, 2010, p. 31) between agencies and multi-professionals who bring a range of knowledge and expertness into discussions.However, it is imperative that the social worker consults with the family and seeks appropriate consent (Rose, 2010, p. 44) except when or if a child is suffering, or is at risk of suffering, significant harm (HM Government, 2012, p. 22). This would be in concordance with government guidelines Information Sharing Guidance for practitioners and managers (HM Government, 2012). This is to protect the family from any over-zealous (Brammer, 2010, p. 126) interference and a considerati on of the Human Rights Act 1998 Article 8 should be applied to the families situation by any professionals involved in their lives. A practitioner should also consider the Rights of the Child under The United Nations Convention 1989 (Brammer, 2010, p. 178). Although these rights are not recognised under the United Kingdom domestic law and usually the Gillick power applies (Brammer, 2010, 179).Angela and Carl (a case study within) the Troubled Families report had asked for help in relation to their son Sam, unfortunately this was not forthcoming. An appeal for support and Sams presenting behaviour should have been an opportunity for early identification of any additional need (DCSF, 2012, p.84). Professionals in health or educational activity could have implemented the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) with conscious consent (CWDC, 2012, p. 20).Performing a CAF would have identified Sams additional needs as above and beyond universal services (CWCD, 2012). The CAF is a combination of merged frontline (CWCD, 2012, p. 8) service provision that is incorporated into statutory guidance (CWCD, 2012, p. 8) of the Children Act 2004 under section 10 (multi-agency collaboration) and section 11 (protection and promotion of children) (CWCD, 2012, p. 8). Significantly, the local authority, health and education ignored Angelas concerns and displayed an individualised approach (Davis and Smith, 2012, p. 14) to Sam and his family. This may have been because of the rationing (Davis and Smith, 2012, p. 14) of services in social care. As a result of numerous local authorities losing fifty per cent of their child in need budget (Community Care, 2011). Professionals involved should have endeavoured to understand the life issues (Davis and Smith, 2012 p. 14) for Sam and contacted health and education professionals that Working Together to Safeguard Children (DCSF, 2010) requires.As an alternative, to an individualised approach the social worker concerned could have employed a s election of politically nuanced holistic models (Davis and Smith, 2012, p. 18) to the intervention. These models according to Davis and Smith (2012) would allow the social worker to recognise that they are not the total expert in situations and accept that there are some forms of expertise (Davis and Smith, 2012, p. 18). The social worker should have identified Angela as the expert on her family and listened to her concerns. Dolan et al. (2006, 2008) have differentiated several processes to assist the practitioner in family support work (Dolan et al. 2006 cited in Davis and Smith, 2012, p. 19). They propose that by identifying a service users resilience and strength (Dolan et al. 2006, 2008 cited in Davis and Smith, 2012, p.19) a promotion of partnership working will be open for all individuals concerned including the child. (Dolan et al. 2006 cited in Davis and Smith, 2012 p 19.). A social worker should be accessible and listen to a childs requests and views while considering the ir well-being and safety (Dolan et al. 2006, 2008 cited in Davis and Smith, 2012, p.19). This is a requirement under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 (CA 1989) as amended by section 53 of the Children Act 2004 (CA 2004) to determine the wishes and feelings of the child (http//www.legislation.gov.uk).Applying an ecological perspective to Sam would have facilitated the practitioner into recognising the impact of poor housing on his mind, body and emotions (Davis and Smith, 2012, p.16). An opportunity was missed by social services to engage the family with a minimum intervention service (Davis and Smith, 2012, p. 18) and connect Angela via a systems approach with some community resources and networks (Mantle and Backwith, 2010, p. 2381).The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families recognises the implications of poverty and is primed(p) to tackle the root causes of poverty and social exclusion (DoH et al. 2000, p.1). However, Brewer et al. (2009) challenge this claim, and note that in 2007 08 poverty for individuals in the United Kingdom had addd to a total of 13.5 million. This has led to the highest levels of income inequality since 1961 (Brewer et al., 2009 cited in Mantle and Backwith, 201, p. 2380). It is vital therefore that whilst conducting an assessment that the social worker does not exhibit poverty blindness (Becker, 1997 Dowling, 1999 cited in Gupta and Blewett, 2008, p. 462) and has awareness of the effects poverty and how it can impact on parenting abilities. Service users in a collaborative research project were asked their views about what makes a best social worker. They cute practitioners who were open and honest and could demonstrate an understanding that society as well as individuals can create neglect (Gupta and Blewett, 2008, p. 465).The Listening to troubled families report was deficient in its lack of reference to poverty or social inequality (Palmer, 2010 cited in Trevithick, 2012, p.77). It did not disc uss the multiple forms of oppression (Hick and Murray, 2009, p. 88) that preponderant structures (Hick and Murray, 2009, p. 88) create. Hick and Murray, (2009, p. 88) suggest that the social worker who uses a structural perspective would seek to emphasise the class analysis of the oppressed individual by the forces of preponderant economic power (Hick and Murray, 2009, p. 88). They posit that this perspective has been influenced by a feminist analyses and the patriarchal (Hick and Murray, 2009, p. 88) effects on family dynamics and work environments. As just about social workers and the recipients of services are women (Balloch, 1997 Howe, 1986) a social worker could utilise a feminist perspective to inform their practice and advocate for fairer rights and opportunities (Orme, 2009, p. 67) with these particular families. The social worker should be politically enlightened to enable them to campaign for the collective interests of working-class (Orme, 2009, p. 67) groups. Leading to a recognition of full economic and social rights (Bryson, 1999 cited in Orme, 2009, p.67).Nicole who was a participants from the report had been raped at the age of four by her half-brother, started suffering depression, it all got too much (Casey, 2012, 34) and was subjected to domestic abuse and rape by an ex-partner. Nicole was overwhelming alcohol and a speed addict and was presenting with anti-social behaviour (Casey, 2012, p.34). Research from Widom Spatz and Sturmhofel (2001) note that the experience of being abused as a child can increase a persons likelihood for alcohol related problems as an adult. It could be hypothesised that Nicole was using alcohol and drugs as a form of self-medication and to gain control of an oppressive life situation. Research indicates, that Dylan Nicoles son or children of parents who abuse substances may be at risk of poor attachments to caregivers (Brooks and Rice 1997 Klee et al. 1998 Howe et al. 1999 Flores 2001), difficult interpersonal f amily relationships (Cleaver et al. 1999 Velleman and Orford 1999 Harbin and Murphy 2000) and a comfortably increased risk of violence (Brookoff et al. 1997). The chronicles of children whose parents have or are misusing substances have been procured by an evaluation of research studies by Kroll, (2004). Themes that emerged from the research studies were attachment, separation and loss (Kroll, 2004, 133) children verbalize about being second best and keeping secrets. When you see em do drugs long enough you know youre not number one you know youre always put second and the drugs are put first (Jessica aged 15, in Howland Thompson 1998, cited in Kroll, 2004, 133). The research highlighted the childrens losses and lack of reliable, consistent and responsive (Kroll, 2004, 133) parenting, their lack of confidence and self-worth, (Kroll, 2004, 133) and the loss of an ordinary life in which they would be able to invite friends home or attend school consistently (Cork 1969 Howland Thomps on 1998). In the childrens narratives they wanted professionals to appreciate their hurt on the inside (Kroll, 2004, 136) and not to be invisible (Kroll, 2004, 136).The local authority are compelled under the CA 1989 part III to support families who need help bringing up children and work in partnership with caregivers (DoH et al., 2000). However, after the implementation of the CA 1989 it was discovered through Messages from Research (DoH, 1995) that a assiduousness on child protection had created a dearth of services for the child in need (Morris, 2012, p. 14). This was supported by the Victoria Climbi inquiry as Laming (2003, p. 6) insist that usually the safest protection for the child was timely intervention of family support services In response to the inquiry, the Green Paper, Every Child Matters (2003) was introduced (Parton, 2006, p. 151). Its remit was to focus on universal (Parton, 2006, p. 152) services for all children and targeted (Parton, 2006, p. 152) services for children with any further supplementary needs.The Laming inquiry (2003) made recommendations that were instigated by New Labour who envisaged service provisions that were based around preventative services and early intervention (Driscoll, 2009, 335). These services took the form of Sure Start, the Childrens Fund and Connexions (Morris, 2012, 16). However, the provisions that New Labour implemented failed to engage the families with the most enduring and complex (Morris, 2012, p.16) requirements. Therefore, like the preceding CA 1989 which had ignored children in need (Morris, 2012, p. 17) and the subsequent Children Act (2004) which had failed to reach more complex families, policy drivers had go confusing and sometimes contradictory (Morris, 2012 17).The debate around early intervention (DoH et al., 2000 xi) have evolved from New Labours modernisation agenda and their attempt to meet the demands of a globalised saving (Frost and Parton, 2009, 25). However, these concepts can be traced back, to when the Conservative government who had initially gained power in 1979 (http//news.bbc.co.uk) and introduced managerialism and a mixed economy of care into the organisation of social services departments (Frost and Parton, 2009). As well as promoting economy, efficiency and effectiveness (Frost and Parton, 2009, p. 24) the Conservatives were concerned with encouraging services that were transparent and accountable (Frost and Parton, 2009, p. 25). When New Labour was elected in 1997 they adopted (Chard and Ayre, 2010 p. 96) many of the Conservative policies and implemented performance targets, inspection regimes and league tables (Frost and Parton, 2009, p. 25). However, Ferguson (2004, p. 4) posits that New Labour went further and has embraced the market with a passion and enthusiasm which often leaves the Conservatives standing many commentators (Dixon et al., 1998, cited in Chard and Ayre, 2010, p. 95) assert that managerialism has been regarded as a market drive n solution to a public service problem. Lonne et al. (2008) argue that a managerialist perspective does not appreciate the significance of forming trustful, professional, relationships with service users. Ferguson (2010) clarifies this as the absence of social work involvement with children and families as social workers have been increasingly drawn into an office based environment. Therefore, any direct contact with families is limited with the social worker orchestrating services and fulfilling administration duties. This leaves no time according to Peckover et al. (2008) for interpersonal communication between the practitioner and family. Broadhurst et al. (2010, p. 363) bemoans this outcome as the space between help-seeker and help-provider is steadily widening. Munroe (2011) in her final report on child protection stressed that professionals have found it increasingly difficult to sustain any direct work with children and their families. This is because of the burden of statuto ry guidance, targets and local rules (Munroe, 2011, p. 6). Laming (2009 10) reiterates these claims by asserting that ultimately the safety of a child depends on staff having the time, knowledge and skill to understand the child or young person and their family circumstances.In conclusion this essay has explored the Listening to Troubled Families (Casey, 2012) report and as Levitas (2012, p. 4) notes The problem is not the research itself, but its misuse and the Coalitions attempt to mislead the public.