Therapeutic approaches to children and families in child protection contexts

2020 ◽  
pp. 134-148
Author(s):  
Paul Delfabbro ◽  
Alexandra Osborn
Keyword(s):  
Child Protection ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches

scholarly journals Institutional Risk in Child Protection: Perspective of Professionals

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-384
Author(s):  
Ilona Tamutienė ◽  
Vaida Auglytė
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Internal Field ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Level Of Involvement ◽  
Interview Method ◽  
Family Assistance ◽  
Rights Of The Child ◽  
Institutional Risk ◽  
Content Analysis Method

This article focuses on institutional risk factors that relate to the ability of child rights professionals to protect maltreated children. The aim of the article is to reveal the structural threats existing in the system of protection of the child’s rights, which create preconditions for the disclosure of institutional risks. Semi-structured qualitative interview method used. Ten interviews with children's rights protection specialists (CRPS) conducted during March-April 2018. According to the content analysis method, it has been established that the family assistance model for child protection is declarative in nature, due to the lack of services that meet the needs of children and families, and poor accessibility and quality, especially in rural areas, and social work orientation into control. The findings highlighted gaps in inter-agency cooperation in the protection of the child, the low level of involvement of health care, in particular – the treatment of paediatric and addictive diseases. In view of the internal field of the childʼs rights services, it has been highlighted that institutional problems are significantly contributing to the institutional risk: CRPS experienced inadequate methodological assistance and training which not corresponding to the problems encountering in everyday practice, lack of human resources, large workloads, low wages, lack of working methods, lack of stress management. In the context of the ongoing reform of the protection of the rights of the child, it is recommended to eliminate institutional risks, to strengthen services for children and families, and to improve inter-agency cooperation in the protection of the child.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ppaa.17.3.21953

“Essential” services, risk, and child protection in the time of COVID-19: An opportunity to prioritize chronic need

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 208-223
Author(s):  
Johanna Caldwell ◽  
Ashleigh Delaye ◽  
Tonino Esposito ◽  
Tara Petti ◽  
Tara Black ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Child Protection ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Child Protection Workers ◽  
Health Response ◽  
Vulnerable Families ◽  
Essential Services

In many North American jurisdictions, socioeconomically vulnerable families are more likely to be involved with child protection systems and experience ongoing challenges. The current public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on these families via unemployment, “essential” work, isolation, and closures of childcare and schools, with negative implications for children’s developmental wellbeing. Experts warn that while child protection referrals have gone down, children who are at risk of maltreatment are less exposed to typical reporters (e.g., school professionals). At the same time, physical distancing measures are prompting many human service settings to shift toward virtual intervention with children and families. In this commentary, we suggest that a focus on short-term risk in the response to COVID-19 may obscure support for children’s long-term outcomes. We propose two policy considerations: (1) in the immediate term, that child protection workers be deemed “essential”; and (2) in the longer term, that permanent, universal basic income guarantees be implemented to support a baseline of predictability both in families’ material wellbeing and in fiscal budgets in the case of a future crisis. As we write, it is impossible to predict the longevity of these closures nor the extent of their impact on children and families. However, the present article mirrors commentary following previous crises noting the importance of going beyond immediate health risk mitigation to consider wellbeing with regard to children’s development and families’ socioeconomic needs in the long term.

scholarly journals An evaluation of training to prepare nurses in a home-based service to care for children and families

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 589-602
Author(s):  
Catherine Jones ◽  
Jennifer Fraser ◽  
Sue Randall
Keyword(s):  
Child Protection ◽  
Training And Development ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Paediatric Hospital ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Home Service ◽  
Evaluation Of Training ◽  
Sydney Australia

Evaluation of training was conducted for a paediatric hospital-in-the-home service in Sydney, Australia. Community nurses with no paediatric training or experience were employed and undertook a training program. The aim was to assess the degree to which the training had prepared them to care for children and families in their homes. A mixed-methods design was employed. Overall, the following aspects of the training were well received by the community nurses: paediatric resuscitation, growth and development, clinical deterioration and child protection. Each topic provided basic knowledge and skills in the speciality. The participating nurses generally reached a ‘competent’ level of practice as defined by Benner (2000). Further training and development is recommended. Where paediatric nursing practice is isolated from acute paediatrics services, opportunities must be provided to improve safe levels of practice for children of all ages.

Barriers and solutions: Australian Indigenous practitioners on addressing disproportionate representation of Indigenous Australian children known to statutory child protection

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 171-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Oates
Keyword(s):  
Child Protection ◽  
Disproportionate Representation ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Indigenous Australian ◽  
Doctoral Study ◽  
Indigenous Child ◽  
Policy Practice ◽  
Programme Design ◽  
Indigenous Children

The rate of Indigenous child removal in Australia has been referred to as an epidemic. With numbers predicted to increase in the near to medium future exploring alternative ways to engage Indigenous children and families is critical. This article outlines the views of Indigenous practitioners collected as part of a doctoral study exploring the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners who undertake child protection work in Australia. Practitioner narratives were elicited by way of qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews. The narratives of practitioners identify barriers in contemporary statutory child protection practices that may contribute to the disproportionate representation of Indigenous children in the statutory child protection system. Potential solutions offered by practitioners including cultural supervision for non-Indigenous practitioners are also outlined. The narratives of participants indicate that Indigenous practitioner-led policy, practice, training and programme design is critical to addressing the escalating rates of Indigenous child removal in Australia.

scholarly journals Violent children: a framework for assessment

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Major Public Health Issue ◽  
Education Services ◽  
Violent Acts

Violence by and towards young people has become a major public health issue. Increased lethality, more random violence and fewer safe places largely account for the high levels of fear experienced by both children and adults. In the field of child protection and domestic violence, where traditionally the child is referred as the victim not the perpetrator, child psychiatrists are well versed, practised and skilled in the assessment of children and families. However, young people are increasingly being referred to child and adolescent mental health teams for assessment because of violent acts that they have carried out. This is reflected in heavy case-loads of children with conduct disorder who have multi-morbidity and complex need. In England and Wales, health (including mental health), social care and education services are mandated to assist youth offending teams.

Australian governments protecting children in detention: A view through the looking glass

2005 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-18
Author(s):  
Max Liddell ◽  
Chris Goddard
Keyword(s):  
Child Protection ◽  
Double Bind ◽  
Theory Theory ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Australian Government ◽  
The South ◽  
Immigration Detention ◽  
Child Protection Workers ◽  
Alice In Wonderland ◽  
Looking Glass

This article analyses the Australian Government’s communications on children in immigration detention, particularly those detained at Woomera and Baxter Detention Centres. The authors examine paradoxes and ‘double-bind’ theory; theory which analyses communications which continually put the target of them in the wrong and allow no escape. The analysis uses selected passages from Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘Through the Looking Glass’ to highlight the nature and impact of such communication. The authors conclude that the Australian Government has consistently used paradoxical communication. In doing so it has placed children and families in detention, child protection workers, the South Australian Government, and sometimes external critics in a communication trap from which it is difficult to escape. Other bodies such as Courts have also demonstrated much paradox in their behaviour and communications on detention issues.

Confidentiality in child protection cases Who benefits?

2010 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 11-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Ainsworth ◽  
Patricia Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Child Protection ◽  
Codes Of Ethics ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Australian State ◽  
Protection Legislation ◽  
Children's Court ◽  
Court Proceedings ◽  
Children’S Court ◽  
Many Sources

Child protection legislation in every Australian state and territory prohibits the disclosure of the identity of a person who acts as a mandatory reporter. There is also provision in most child protection legislation that prevents the naming of children and families in protection cases. It is argued that disclosure is not in the interests of the child, the family or the general public. Children's Court proceedings in most states and territories in Australia are closed to the public so that, unlike in most other jurisdictions, interested parties are not able to observe the proceedings. Child protection authorities also have considerable power to collect information about children and families from many sources. This power to obtain information is compounded by legislation which removes confidentiality provisions from professional codes of ethics. Furthermore, the rules of evidence do not ordinarily apply in the Children's Court. This article uses New South Wales as the exemplar state and raises questions about all of these issues.

scholarly journals The Negative Impact of the Effects of Coronavirus on the Well-Being of Children and Families Who Are Clients of Child Protection Authorities in Finland

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-46
Author(s):  
J. Kuokkanen ◽  
A Tiili ◽  
A. Paasivirta
Keyword(s):  
Child Protection ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Large Scale Survey ◽  
Restrictive Measures

In the spring 2020, the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic quickly spread across Finland, having significant negative consequences for people’s living conditions. On March 16, 2020, the Finnish government declared a state of emergency and imposed several restrictive measures that were in effect until July 16, 2020 [13; 16]. The coronavirus and its aftermath have weakened the resilience of the Finnish welfare state, thereby challenging the welfare state’s ability to protect those most in need of its support. Recent studies have shown that the most vulnerable populations, such as children, are most affected by the negative effects of the pandemic in Finland and worldwide [5; 9; 11; 14; 18]. In autumn 2020, the Central Union for Child Welfare (CUCW) and the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) conducted a large-scale survey among the heads of child protection authorities (15.08.—13.10.2020), the aim of which was to find out how the consequences of the coronavirus and government restrictions have affected the well-being of children and their families who are clients of child protection authorities during the fall 2020. This article presents the main results and conclusions of the survey.

Child Protection, “Dirty Work,” and Interagency Collaboration

2014 ◽  
pp. 130-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette Flaherty
Keyword(s):  
Child Protection ◽  
Service System ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
Interagency Collaboration ◽  
Protection System ◽  
Working Relationships ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Dirty Work ◽  
Child Protection Service ◽  
Effective Delivery

Working in partnership is considered a key mechanism for effective delivery of services to children and families. However, child protection system inquiries in Australia and internationally repeatedly highlight strained relationships and poor collaboration within the child protection service system. Despite organisational, technological, legislative, and procedural changes to enhance and facilitate interagency working, these interventions have generally failed to realise this goal. Trust and shared values are considered integral to effective interagency working. Developing trust and thus effective working relationships is fraught when one group of workers in the service system is perceived to be “dirty workers.” This chapter explores the concept of “dirty work.” It suggests that the way in which failure to attend to belief systems at the organisational, professional, and community level, particularly as they relate to the professional stigma which attaches to the practice of child protection work, inhibits the ability of agencies to work successfully together.

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