Children and Poverty - Essay Example

Children and Poverty Children and Poverty The case history reviewed in this paper presents several areas of need which appear to be lacking proper resolution. With the number of government programmes established for the purpose of meeting social needs and the present focus on combined services in the UK, it is apparent that the agencies involved with this family have not made a sufficient effort to cover all family issues with a single integrated plan. What are the issues in this family? In addition to living in condemned housing and facing homelessness within 12 months, an overall issue is neglect leading to isolation. Each member of the family focuses on personal difficulties and has little interaction with others. Kerry, age 2 Under Theory of Mind, a securely attached child sees an image of self in a caregiver and this offers security. It is obvious Kerry is lacking the connection to her mother that she needs to form emotional attachments. Although the fact that she seldom speaks is not a real concern--children younger than 3 often hold back on conversation until they feel secure about communicating--it still might be an indication of a more serious problem. Since she would at her age be expected to use two or three word sentences, her development would appear to be slower than normal. Shouting or crying for what she wants is a definite bid for attention. There is a universal human need to form close emotional bonds, and Kerry seems to be lacking any positive connection to her family. This is a problem that needs to be addressed. Suggested Resolutions Attendance at a Sure Start Children’s Centre might offer Kerry the opportunity to make friends and learn how to communicate with others. Sure Start local programmes, in use since 1999, bring together childcare, early education, health and family support services for families with children from before birth to 4 years old. It has been targeted at the most disadvantaged areas of the country such as the industrial areas of the Midlands. Kerry might be a candidate for the Talking and Learning Together Project which addresses speech and language issues. The holistic approach with multi-disciplinary teams of professionals goes beyond childcare and supports families in parenting and employment aspirations (Sure Start: local programmes, 2006). Declan & Maxine Alcohol, drugs and physical abuse are possible concerns in this family. Declan appears to be at loose ends as far as being employed, and, although he claims to be looking for work, it is not clear if he is actually utilising the Job Centre as a source. He doesn’t have any specific work skills and shows a tendency toward being physically abusive when frustrated. Maxine’s depressive illness is keeping her from being a stable parent. Even though she is at home all day, she has little interaction with her children. Her ongoing and persistent failure to meet her children’s physical and psychological needs is a serious concern that needs to be addressed. Sufferers from depression have higher than normal levels of stress hormones which can be helped by anti-depressants. In Maxine’s case, she might need a different anti-depressant or perhaps just a higher dose (McAllister, 2000). Suggested Resolutions Perhaps Declan would benefit from a training programme through the Job Centre in an area that interests him, but he would have to be willing to give it a try. Job Centre Plus is a more expanded program said to be available to everyone by 2006. His prison record is likely not serious enough to be detrimental if Declan makes an honest effort to improve his life, and he could benefit greatly from taking advantage of the opportunities available to him (Families and Children, 2006). If it should turn out that Declan needs help with alcohol, the Department of Health plans to strengthen early identification of alcohol problems with schemes in place, such as a Model of Care Framework for alcohol treatment (Alcohol Concern 2005). Maxine would benefit from psychiatric care, if this has not already been set up. She might need a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Obviously, her present condition is not being properly treated. Her depression has lasted three years, much too long. She has never held a job and has no training for employment. In her case, the Sure Start programme recommended for Kerry includes the kind of help Maxine needs (Sure Start, 2006). It supports links with Jobcentre Plus, local training providers and further/higher education institutions. Maxine apparently has little opportunity to look outside the home for activities, and it could make all the difference in her feelings about herself and her family (Working, 1999). Blair, age 9 Blair is mixed race, black father and white mother, and at the age of 9 shows signs of alcohol and drug misuse. It is not surprising that Blair is at odds with his family. He needs a father figure to look up to and he doesn’t have that. Declan shows no concern that Blair stays out late in the evenings and smells of alcohol and cigarettes. His mother is ill and cannot give him the attention he needs. Blair doesn’t even know his real father, and the fact that he is mixed race undoubtedly has repercussions at school, if not at home. Blair is on his way to a delinquent lifestyle and intervention for him is imperative. He surely is harbouring suppressed anger which will eventually erupt into an irreversible situation. Suggested Resolutions Under the government’s Every Child Matters (2003), the Young People’s Fund focuses on out-of-school activities for children. Perhaps there is a teacher who can relate to him and gain his trust. Research on the subject of delinquency indicates that until Blair actually breaks the law, there is little recourse (Grieve & Howard, 2004). In the meantime, an effort to discover his interests will probably meet with resistance, but, following Bruner’s theory, gradual introduction to various opportunities might trigger his cooperation and create arousal of interest. Perhaps he has an artistic bent and could benefit from one of the programmes available in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. If Blair could be encouraged to enter into one of these programmes, this might be a possible way for him to move away from alcohol and cigarettes and become interested in an activity that appeals to him. The chance for Blair to participate in sports at a local level is being offered in a programme for a national competition called the UK School Games which has been initiated as a major multi-sport event. It begins at the local level and moves up to the national level. The first UK Games will be held from 7-10 September, 2006 (Golden Opportunity, 2006). If Blair’s needs are not met, he might very well become an offender or be accused of anti-social behaviour (Working, 1999; Guide to Anti-Social Behaviour, n.d.). No one seems to know or care where he goes at night. He needs help immediately. Charley, 17, and Brandon, 3 months According to Vygotsky, biological and cultural development do not occur in isolation, and social interaction profoundly influences cognitive development. Charley’s mother, Maxine, had Maxine when she was about 16, and now Charley, who is 17, has given birth to Brandon. She is no more prepared to be a mother than Maxine was, and cannot depend on her own mother for help. Charley’s relationship with Brandon lacks the bonding Brandon needs. How much time does she spend talking to Brandon and playing with him? Mental and emotional engagement between mother and child are signs of a healthy relationship, but it would appear that this is lacking here (Trevarthen, 2004). Although physically Brandon appears well cared for, he doesn’t have his mother’s full involvement which affects emotional, intellectual and social progress. Charley does have a health visitor, Joan, but at present she assures her visitor that all is well. It is obvious that all is not well, and Joan should contact her home office to set up intervention, perhaps through Sure Start. Suggested Resolutions In Charley’s case, she might get through the early stages of child care, but without extra assistance, both Charley and Brandon’s psychological health is at risk. It is not clear in this case study why the Sure Start programme has not been investigated. It is a programme that Charley could have entered when she was first pregnant. It is certainly not too late (Child Care Bill, 2005). It is also possible that Charley is suffering from depression like her mother and would benefit from services offered at Sure Start. Fonagy (1999) states that “the securely attached child perceives in the caregiver’s reflective stance an image of himself as desiring and believing”. Charley definitely does care, and, at three months old, Brandon still can gain emotional security if his mother learns how to interact with him. She obviously is trying, but the family situation is not conducive to success . Conclusion This is a family in crisis and in dire need of assistance. The Government’s effort to integrate programmes that will cover different areas of need such as alcohol and drug abuse, teen pregnancy, childcare, physical abuse and delinquency under one plan is underway with “Every Child Matters” and the health visitors working with this family need to offer guidance leading to proper avenues of assistance, including the need for new housing, which are presently available (Health Visitor, n.d.). Each dilemma in itself would seem to be minor at present, but together they present a serious need. An overall programme of intervention such as that promised by Every Child Matters could be the answer. References Alcohol Concern. 2005. Parenting and Alcohol Training Programme. Retrieved April 26, 2006, from http://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/servlets/doc/1040 Child Care Bill - Summary Version. 2005. Sure Start. Retrieved April 28, 2006, from http://www.surestart.gov.uk/publications/?Document=1475 Every Child Matters. September 2003. [online] Retrieved April 26, 2006, from http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/_files/EBE7EEAC90382663E0D5BBF24C99A7AC.pdf Families and children. 2006. Department for Work and Pensions. Retrieved April 26, 2006, from http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/famchild/ Fonagy, Peter. Transgenerational Consistencies of Attachment: A New Theory. 1999. [online] Psych Matters. Retrieved May 14, 2006, from http://psychematters.com/papers/fonagy2.htm Goldberg, Carey. “We feel your pain. . . and your happiness too: the human brain’s source of empathy may also play a role in autism.” The Boston Globe on the Web 12 Dec. 2005. Retrieved May 13, 2006, from http://www.boston.com/news/globe/health_science/articles/2005/12/12/we_feel_your_pain_and_your_happiness_too?mode=PF Golden Opportunity for Young People to Shine in Run Up To 2012. March 29, 2006. Department for culture, media and sport. Retrieved April 28, 2006, from http://www.culture.gov.uk/global/press_notices/archive_2006/dcms043_06.htm Grieve, John, and Howard, Roger, eds. 2004. Communities, Social Exclusion and Crime. http://www.smith-institute.org.uk/pdfs/crime.pdf Guide to Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts. n.d. Available from: http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk/asbos9.pdf [27 April 2006] Health Visitor. n.d. Home Office. Retrieved April 28, 2006, from http://www.devonshirelodge.co.uk/pregnant/healthvi.htm McAllister, Hamish. 2000. Depression Overview. Netdoctor.co.uk. Retrieved May 13, 2006, from http://community.netdoktor.com/ccs/uk/depression/facts/whatis/article.jsp?articleIdent=uk.depression.facts.whatis.uk_depression_article_1822 Sure Start Children’s Centres: local programmes. (2006). Sure Start. Retrieved April 25, 2006, from http://www.surestart.gov.uk/surestartservices/settings/surestartlocalprogrammes/ Trevarthen, C. “Stepping Away from the Mirror: Pride and Shame in Adventures of Companionship”. 2004. [online abstract]. Attachment and Bonding: A New Synthesis. Retrieved May 14, 2006, from http://web.fu-berlin.de/dahlem/DWR%2092_Attachment/Chapter%2004.pdf Working with the Families of People with Alcohol and Drug Problems. 1999. Mental Health Foundation, Vol. 1, Issue 11. Retrieved April 25, 2006, from http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/page.cfm?pagecode=PBUP0111 Read More