Every Child Matters - Case Study Example

PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE CHILD CARE Introduction The United Kingdom government’s green paper Every Child Matters: Change for Children is a new approach in Social Work, and the policy is targetted for the well-being of children and young people from birth to age nineteen (ECM, 2005). The purpose of this paper is to outline the policy of “Every Child Matters”, the reason for the United Kingdom government establishing the policy, and how the provisions “Stay Safe” and “Make a Positive Contribution” should be jointly implemented by multiprofessionals forming a Children and Families Social Work Team. Discussion 1. Outline of the Policy “Every Child Matters”: The government’s proposals for reforming social services for children, young people and families build on existing measures to protect children at risk of harm and neglect, from negative outcomes. The Five Outcomes Framework of the policy supports all children irrespective of background or circumstances, to develop to their full potential. 1) “Be healthy: Enjoy good physical and mental health and live a healthy lifestyle. 2) Stay safe: Be protected from harm and neglect. 3) Enjoy and achieve: Get the most out of life, and develop the skills for adulthood. 4) Make a positive contribution: Be involved with the community and society and not engage in anti-social or offending behaviour. 5) Achieve economic well-being: Realize their full potential in life” (ECM, 2005). The government’s green paper focused on four key themes, which are: increasing the focus on supporting families and carers who are the most critical influence on childrens lives; ensuring necessary intervention takes place before children reach crisis point and protecting children from falling through the net; addressing the underlying problems identified in the report into the death of Victoria Climbie, which are weak accountability and poor integration; and ensuring that the people working with children are valued, rewarded and trained (ECM: Background, 2005). 2. Reasons for Establishing the Policy “Every Child Matters”: The main reason for establishing the policy is based on the identified failings in the Victoria Climbie case. The eight year old girl who had been brought to Europe from West Africa by her great-aunt, was subjected to severe abuse for several months, which culminated in her death in the year 2000. There were several occassions when healthcare staff, social workers and several others had the opportunity to see and speak to her. If any of them had pursued the case with the concern and urgency it had deserved, the continued ill-treatment and death of the child could have been prevented. Several other similar cases have been recorded (Mudaly, 2006: 24). The Lord Laming Report (2003: 1.57) clearly identifies the failings in the Victoria Lambie case: factors like the links between hospital and social services being weak; and failure of clear written communications or open exchanges within organisations, which are attributed for the continued abuse of Victoria Climbie. Other reasons are absence of any one person in possession of the full range of critical information that had been obtained in parts by different individuals and agencies who were responsible for Victoria’s care (Meads & Ashcroft, 2005: 72-75). It is acknowledged that new child welfare policies need to be formulated, with focus on timely prevention, interventions and care for children at risk of abuse (Cooper, 2005: 9) and (Weinstein et al, 2003: 14). “Every Child Matters” aims to reform current policy and procedure to ensure inter-agency working and information sharing. The Children Act (2004) provides the legal framework for the policy “Every Child Matters”. Its primary aim is to “legislate for changes at local and national levels to transform children’s services and thereby optimize the wellbeing, life chances and potential of all children and young people, particularly those belonging to socially disadvantaged communities”, states Harris (2006: 5). The Children Act locally established Children’s Safeguarding Boards, which function on the principle that children can only be safeguarded properly if the key agencies coordinate and work effectively together. The core membership of LSCBs includes local authorities, health bodies, the police and others (Stanley, 2005: 157). 3. The Implementation of the Provisions Entitled “Stay Safe” and “Make a Positive Contribution” in the Children and Families Social Work Team: According to Wilson & James (2001: 50), “child abuse and neglect are the most common causes of death in young children in the United Kingdom today, with parents and relatives being responsible for three-quarters of the deaths”. The “Stay Safe” programme ensures that positive steps are taken towards teaching children to protect themselves from harm. Stay Safe Programme for Child Protection: Assessment of Child’s Condition: According to Connolly (2007: 826) the Assessment Framework introduced in the U.K. by the Department of Health provides a systematic approach to analyzing information about the child’s developmental needs, the ability of caregivers to respond to those needs; environmental factors and the risks of care-giver behavior. Collaboration among cross agencies including the police, social workers, health care workers, the school, etc. promotes action for child protection. Research conducted by Horwath (2005: 108) highlights two crucial factors: the role of the social work team as well as individual social worker in determining the focus of assessments, and subjective factors which prevent the correct assessment of child abuse or neglect. Members of a team of social workers tend to support the majority’s attitude to the extent that individuals are willing to deny the evidence of their own senses. Individual social workers also tend to get influenced by the subterfuge employed by the child’s abuser, and the child’s silence in the matter, and do not take any action. This tendency for avoiding proactive intervention proves fatal, and has to be addressed in training programmes. The Stay Safe Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Programme: According to De Chesnay (2005: 267), the Stay Safe is the most comprehensive Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program developed till date, based on cognitive, affective and behavioural aspects of learning. It involves parents, teachers and the larger community. Studies show that the Stay Safe programme has a positive and enduring effect on the children who participate in it by training children in the most crucial skills of expressing assertiveness and safety. It is successfully being used as a primary prevention intervention for child abuse by empowering children (MacIntyre,1999: 1307). Effective prevention programs maximise parental involvement for re-inforcing the skills learned. They are also comprehensive and cover bullying and other forms of victimization such as discrimination on racial, class or religious grounds (Berrick & Barth, 1992: 1). Child Protection Conferences: These do not directly involve children’s participation, and have been identified as significant barriers to promoting children’s voices. Sanders and Mace (2006: 89, 103) state that agency policy towards children’s participation in the child protection process was found to be inadequate. Many agencies were resorting to advocacy in the form of an adult to speak in favour of the child’s case. Social workers’ suggestions for promoting child participation included: flexibility of duration of attendance, adequate support during the conference and throughout the entire process, inclusion, advocacy, and using creative methods for clearly explaining the procedures to the children. Multi-disciplinary teams: The work of professionals from various relevant areas of health care, social services, local authorities, etc. should be integrated, for identifying children at risk, and to ensure that required services are tailored to their needs (ECM, 2005: 51). Signposting done by each agency by recording their observations and interventions through formal documentation in one identified location, would ensure that all the involved agencies are updated on the ongoing measures that are being taken. Information sharing among all agencies is crucial in identifying child abuse and taking timely and effective protective steps. All local authorities should have a list of children in their area, and contact details of relevant professionals (ECM, 2005: 52). Therapeutic Interventions: Argles (1980: 33) states that cases of child abuse and neglect are often based on past and ongoing defects in the bonds of attachments between parent and child. Focusing therapeutic interventions on re-establishment or strengthening of these bonds needs to be done by the social worker, by means of regular visits to the family. Separation of the child from the parent would cause further weakening of bond, hence that has to be prevented. Tact and deep involvement of the therapist in the life of the family is required. For both parent and child, the subconscious fears and resentments have to be uncovered, and an exchange of protective and loving feelings and actions between them have to be promoted by the social worker’s skills. Therapeutic interventions also include measures taken to tackle social exclusion, preventing youth crime and anti-social behaviour. For achieving these goals, the social worker has to help the child gain self-esteem and recognise the benefits of living a normal, productive life. In the case of mental illness, deviancy or behavioural problems, institutionalisation may be called for. Social work undertaken for institutionalised children would also need to take environmental factors, extent and quality of care provided, neglect and abuse into consideration for devising effective therapeutic interventions. Rehabilitative practices should promote clients self-sufficiency, strengths and assertiveness. Therapeutic interventions employed by the social worker include: casework, group work, individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy and behaviour therapy (Segal, 1972: 3). Depending on the age group, the young persons should be helped to develop creative skills such as art and handicrafts, and vocational skills such as carpentry, small scale industry work or technical knowledge for building self-confidence and a sense of purpose. Such interventions would focus on keeping the child/ adolescent safe and out of danger. Also, integrating children into the community by means of participation will give them a sense of identity and significance, preventing them from resorting to potentially risky and harmful behaviours. Making a Positive Contribution: According to ECM (2005), making a positive contribution means children and young people are supported by their parents, carers and others to engage in decision making and support the community and environment, engage in law-abiding and positive behaviour in and out of school, develop positive relationships and choose not to bully or discriminate, develop self-confidence and successfully deal with significant life changes and challenges. The priorities for ‘Make a Positive Contribution’ include three main areas: engagement and decision making; reducing negative behaviour; and enterprise. The Positive Activities for Young People programme is for 8-19-year-olds who are at risk of social exclusion and community crime. The developmental activities help children to grow up to their full potential (Youth Matters, 2006: 1). At-risk young people when persuaded to make positive contributions in community activities and to participate in constructive projects, acquire a sense of fulfillment and self-respect. By channelising their energies in after –school and holiday activities that are constructive, negative impulses and behaviours are eliminated. This directly impacts their self-esteem and confidence which are key factors in staying safe. The sense of empowerment helps in developing their assertiveness towards self-protection and safety from abuse. Opportunities for volunteering should be made known to young people, so that they may avail of them and be benefitted. The lead agents which encourage children’s volunteering are: Children’s and Young People’s Services, the Youth Offending Service and the Youth Service. Professional vigilance, collaboration and inter-disciplinary working should enable fulfillment of the responsibilities of each agency. For example: specialized criminal investigations by the police, a full Child in Need assessment by social service staff, etc should be done irrespective of the medical diagnosis, which may give a clear chit from abuse. Moreover, monitoring of outcomes and performance of the various disciplines are vital for child safety and protection (Meads and Ashcroft, 2005:76) Weinstein et al (2003: 14) state that partnerships between agencies are essential to delivering the objectives of care services. Skilled collaboration between the staff who deliver the services is indispensable in making those partnerships work. Also, it is essential that the agencies should be held personally responsible for the effectiveness of the services and for ensuring the best protection possible for all children. Accountability is vital, states Laming (2003: 1.42).. Local strategic partnerships, and commissioning of children’s services such as the Local Safeguarding Children Boards help to protect vulnerable children and young people, especially those at risk of abuse or neglect. The government’s political agenda includes early intervention, community support, multi-agency working and a focus on families (Anderson et al, 2002: 368). Family therapy and parenting programmes for offending parents, to enhance parent-child bonds by tactful interactions over sustained periods of time, family counseling and rehabilitation by group work and participation in community activities to give a sense of belonging, are essential. These activities create opportunities for young people as well as parents to meet new people, befriend programme organisers and develop self confidence which result in improved outcomes. Social workers whether working in groups or alone, should take responsibility for their work, use agency policies appropriately and make a positive difference with timely interventions. Conclusion This paper has highlighted the significance of the policy Every Child Matters, of the United Kingdom government. The implementation of the provisions “Stay Safe” and “Make a Positive Contribution” through the integrated efforts of social workers, family, the government, other agencies, and the child victims themselves, has been discussed. Family mediation service, therapeutic interventions for abusive parent and for child victim, parenting and family support are all crucial actions taken by social service workers for eliminating child abuse and neglect. 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