The track record to your involvement I am currently on positioning with the fostering team in Nuneaton which has in excess of seventy five carers around the Nuneaton/Bedworth area. The fostering team involves 4 regular social workers, whose role encompasses assessment work along with supervisory responsibility of foster carers based on the Section for Children, Colleges and Family members 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' March 2010 which "sets out how organisations and individuals should work together to save and promote the welfare of children and young people relative to the Children Function 1989 and the Children Act 2004" ( (DCSF, March 2010) and to identify placements for children being accommodated under various parts of the Children Work 1989.
While on placement I shadowed a communal worker involved with supporting 14 yr old Philip's foster carers to cope with particular behavioural conditions that had resulted in his placement breaking down. The foster carers have 3 foster children currently in their treatment, Phillip 14, James 15 and David 16. The 2 2 foster carers Mike 49 and Jane 46 reside in a 4 bedroom house in Hinckley. Philip possessed left the house and was refusing to come back, saying that his foster carers did not like him and that he wished to go on his own. Foundation and breakfast time accommodation was set up for him for a couple of days as the situation was re-assessed and a meeting with the foster carers organized. Fundamental to all or any relationships and particularly the interaction between Philip and his mother, Philip and his foster carers and sociable worker and foster carers, communication is a central element. Analysing how effective communication performs a vital part in this client's circumstances will form the foundation of this debate.
Good communication skills are a basic principle element of effective public work practice. They include productive, attentive and empathetic being attentive, reputation of verbal and non verbal communication and general formal and casual interview techniques, as Payne has recommended, the use of communication theory provides "practical assist in controlling and understanding human relationships and interactions with clients and a technology of interviewing and interpersonal skills" (Payne, 2005, pg 178). Over recent 12 months the children taken care of by foster carers have included an increasing percentage of distressed adolescences combined with the disruption rate for these placements as being high (Farmer et al 2003). Among the goals of the fostering social employee is to perform complete assessments of parenting methods and strategies utilized by the foster carers caring for an adolescent in a long-term placement and how these strategies can change and develop during the placement.
Research has been conducted into fostering process with adolescents by Farmer et al (2004), discovered that they were concerns about the behavior and wellness of children when they transfer to a fresh placements. The studies in cases like this study highlighted a number of factors that added to the breakdown in the relationship with the foster carers and Philip and finally the position. In this example I had discovered the Philip's cultural worker hadn't communicated the nature and context of behavioural issues associated with him to the foster carer's sociable worker so that foster carers could have been better informed.
Following the position breakdown the foster carers had reflected on their own lack of knowledge and experience at interacting with young people with behavioural problems had highlighted the necessity for specific training in this area for foster carers.
Part 2
Using the material from part 1, critically analyse the problems in ensuring good practice in conversing with this service consumer/s or carer/s
What theory underpins your connections?
Modern sociable work theory contains social psychology and social structure theory to comprehend the way organizations in society relate to each other and create and keep maintaining social identities. Social psychology has affected social work practice specifically with concepts from role theory and communication theory. Role theory offers a viewpoint in sociology and also within communal psychology which includes most of day-to-day activities to be the acted out of socially defined categories such as mother, supervisor, and lecturer. Each determining social role comes with a set of rights, duties, goals, norms and behaviour a person needs to be able to accomplish. Communication theory uses a range of ideas from the scientific to the humanistic, to help us understand how people perform themselves in creating, exchanging and interpreting messages (Farrell, 1987). These principles help us to understand patterns of terminology and identify " how people construct their sociable world. . . . helping them to reconstruct the earth by using vocabulary differently to identify alternatives for change" (Payne, 2005, pg 161).
Communication theory can be involved with a variety of ideas that can describe how individuals, groups and organisations talk to each other. Linguistically, by means of the spoken and written phrase and other mediums, and non verbal forms, such as body gestures and the way we speak, including tone, pitch, intonation and quickness. Communication is more than the mere transmitting of facts, as has been advised "information might be facts, or other activities that might be learned, such as emotions, memories, bodily sensations or an idea about how exactly someone seems about you" (Payne, 2005, pg 171 or 178) and moreover that "terminology informs the way we think, the way we experience, and just how we interact with each other. Terms provides the basis of community, but also the grounds for division" (Thompson 2003:36)
This shows that communication networks are inextricably linked to social id, ethnicity, culture and class. As Payne advises, "networks of communication build up and how exactly we connect and with whom, becomes part of your culture and social relationships, for example, ethnic and class department are proclaimed by separation in communication networks" and "patterns of communication often express ability, domination and subordination. Communication may, therefore, help us to recognize oppression and inequality" (Payne, 2005, pg 171). If we use terminology, along with the capacity to converse, to form our lives and relate with others, then sociable workers have to be sensitively aware how their selection of words and mode of communication in intensely personal and emotional incurred situations, can increase and decrease oppression in their connections with young people. For instance, use of professional jargon without explanation may alienate a client by setting up a language barrier between social employee and the service customer or carer.
Where a kid is suspected of being in need of protection the public worker must balance the needs of the young persons safety combined with the potential of splitting up the family. The communal worker which i shadowed assumed that the needs of teenagers in foster care and attention could be met through important, consistent and positive connections with the foster carer whilst on the other side you have child health care insurance plan which is generally about safeguarding, benefits and accountability.
A critical time for young people spans 12-19 years, this is when they ask themselves: Who am I? Where do I want to be? During this period also, they are concerned with the way they may actually others and what categories and systems they identify with. Erikson conditions this psychosocial stage as the Individuality versus Role Confusion period (Beckett, 2002 ).
Attachment theory
"Attachment theory offers an knowledge of personality development and behavior in close associations and provides a merchant account of the difference in people's emotional and romance styles". (Howe, 2000). John Bowlby is considered to the psychiatrist that developed the attachment theory. Bolwby suggests that when children are separated off their parents or service giver they put up with loss because of the attachment between them. I can observe how Philip may have experienced when he thought the he had to leave his home for a second time having already lost the home of his delivery mom, it is thought by the communal employee and the foster carers any particular one of the reason why that Philip does not want to come back is because he will not want to suffer loss again. It has had an obvious affect of Philip's behaviour, the tenets of this theory is the fact close relationships or parts have a direct effect on the psychological and interpersonal development across a life-span (Howe 2000).
Avoidant Attachments
Howe (2009) describes avoidant parts as children and young people whom display avoidant parts as having parent(s) that are either indifferent whom have their own injury happening or are psychologically rigid or completely rejecting with their child's needs. Although parents will react well when the youngster is happy and content that soon changes when the kid needs change for instance when their child is in stress which is need of comfort. Howe claim that "attempts at intimacy only seem to increase parental distance, even rebuff", this communicating to the child they are not wanted.
Attachment to home and a safe place is a primary ways that people preserve self-identity. "the way in which people identify and become mounted on places, buildings, items, and how this connection can donate to personal well-being or how exactly we feel about ourselves (Low et al 1992). To check out why these places, building and things become important provides us with insight into what goes on when folks have to move and the dilemmas that they could face. Attachment can be an emotional relationship that delivers reliability, continuity, health care and comfort. John Bowlby writes in his research associated with the idea of attachment, describing it as a "lasting emotional connectedness between humans" (Bowlby, 1969, p. 194). Bowlby held the psychoanalytic view that early years activities of a kid comes with an important propensity toward development and behavior later in life, most connection styles are developed in the early years of childhood developed through the partnership with the care-giver.
Mary Ainsworth through the 1970's built on the task of Bowlby's work in her study called "Strange situations" which looked at children where these were left by themselves for a brief period of time then quickly comforted by the attention giver/mom (Ainsworth, 1978). These help her to formulate the attachment classification system, which look at specific distinctions in a child's use of connection information as a frequent and reliable base from which they may then explore the environment. Change requires personal modification, plus some change can be more nerve-racking than others. When facing a move doubts of adjustment and a big change in familiar environment and living conditions can be seen as a major problem for young people. Philip was unwilling to move from the area that he resided at along with his foster carers, he believed that if he previously to go to reinforced lodging that it might be in an are where he has already established problems before.
Care Management entails examining needs and keeping a watchful eyesight over a number of services that are provided by workers apart from the social worker, the role of treatment director is not not used to sociable work and has been around for quite some time, historically the communal worker would organise a bundle of care, seek the views of the service user, build relationships other specialists when collecting information highly relevant to the care package following that there would be an examination then the communal worker would engage appropriate services that found the need of the service individual.
Discrimination, Inequality and oppression, Separation and Loss
Solution concentrated (simple) theory
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)is dependant on solution-building rather than problem-solving. SFBT explores the here and today and designed aspirations against solving the current problems this method of dealing with young people can be utilized and also other interventions.
The theoretical underpinnings of solution-focused quick remedy have been developed out of beliefs as well as an appreciation of connecting positive outcomes by using a creative process. Most important because the emphasis of the intervention is on future goals place by the young person, moreover because with this method of intervention shows that problems are not limited by restrictions therefore neither the interpersonal employee (and other pros) can't be wrong the tends to lead to agreements being forged. This have been found to help build the partnership with David so that he felt that he was being read through his verbal and non verbal communication. However whilst there is not a grounded understanding that identify the nature of the condition SFBT it creates problems in being able to measure efficacy. In this situation SFBT was used to build self-assurance, trust and capacity with David so that he would be prepared for his future with the current foster carers.
Task centred practice
Task Centred cultural work provides a clear framework for professional intervention, it package with current (here and now) problems. It focuses on the situation and will try to make a deal and agree a method of coping with the situation by identifying goals and setting timescales.
There are 2 primary components of this approach which are
Task
Crisis intervention theories
Outcomes Led Approach
Child development
Children don't have the same vocabulary skills or the mental development of adults and therefore their attachment anxieties are brought on stopping them expressing themselves verbally and producing dysfunctional or connection behaviours. Attachment behaviours can include minimising expressions of stress, this is the child knows that whenever their parent is shouting at them and the child is distressed this ends up with further parental rejection, therefore the child learns to minimise expressions of problems. The child operates happy even though frighten. On the other hand the child express graet distress, particularly when a parent is going to leave a type of attention seeking behaviour is communicating but not declaring verbally "show me you love me".
Parenting an adolescent in foster treatment can be significantly different from the normal parenting a birth child that is currently a teenager. While using foster child there have to be a popularity and understanding of the young person record along with any prior positioning breakdowns whether there are any disturbed and difficult behaviours. Foster carers must help out with altering the young person's defence mechanisms, producing parts with the foster family whilst whenever we can maintaining links with the delivery family. The foster carers experienced that credited to a recently available discussion with Philips birth mother he thought that nobody liked him as his labor and birth mother got chastised him for his dialect toward her.
What skills are necessary?
Report writing relating to the BAAF specifications, work load and time management.
Correspondence and record keeping
Empathy is a dominating concept within cultural work. Recieving empathy enhances a clients sense of self value by interacting to them they are understandable and are well worth understanding. A sociable personnel verbal and non verbal responses are crucial to communicating to your client they may be being known and requires skills "to filter out and feedback themes or templates and core announcements in your client communication"( )
Communications skills are essential in effectictive sociable work practice throughout the phases of analysis, planning, intervention and review. Questioning skills need to be employed to gain greater clarification related to extremely personal issues also to constructively challemge client to accepted their responsibilities. For example, in the examination process the accuracy and reliability of information is vital. However, the type of the information is often hypersensitive and loaded with emotion and sense from days gone by. If foster carers and teenagers have the ability to share this type of information they have to be convinced that there are being realized.
What knowledge is required?
In my conversation with service users and specifically in cases like this providers (foster carers) human development theory influences my procedure and form of communication.
What techniques work?
Interview - formal and informal
Assessment
Reflection
From my learning perspective, this case study highlights the complexities associated with dealing with children with behavioural issues. It was an possibility to examine how social work can and does address thiese issues through the legislative and insurance plan frameworks, along with our own knowledge and experience as well as the beliefs and ethics set out in the Country wide Occupational Expectations.
Your analysis should also include representation on your skills and learning needs
(500 words including 500 expression description of the interaction with something user)
References
Department of Children, Institutions and Households (2010) Working Alongside one another to guard Children: HELPFUL INFORMATION to Interagency Working ToSafeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children Nottingham: DCSF Magazines.
Thompson, N. (2003) Communication and Language: A Handbook of Theory and Practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Low, S, & Altman, I. (1992) 'Place connection: a conceptual inquiry' in Altman, I. and Low, S. M. (eds) Place Attachment, New York: Plenum Press.
Thompson, N. (2005) Understanding Community Work, Preparation for Practice- Second model. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Department of Health (1991). Care Management and Assessment: a Practioners Guide. London: HMSO.
Howe, D. (2000) 'Attachment Theory'. In Davies, M. (ed). The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Friendly Work. Oxford: Blackwell (pp 25-27).
Howe, D. (1995) Connection Theory for Community Work Practice. NY: Palgrave.
Farmer, E. , Moyes, S. , Lipscombe, J, (2004) 'Fostering Adolescents' Jessica Kingsley: London
Farmer, E, . Moyers, M, (2003) Parenting skills adolescents: Skills and starategies, London School for insurance plan Studies, University of Bristol: Bristol
Care Management
Care management is gathering information and seeking out how needs can be best achieved whilst permitting the service consumer to gain access to services required, it also monitors service delivery making certain their services are continuing to meet up with the identified needs. The partnership between social staff member and carer is a continuously expanding one whereby the negotiating with other experts and providing and obtaining information, this is all done in a non judgemental way allowing the carer to also develop their own skills of negotiating. I this circumstance the carer was concerned with achieving a kind of contract or understanding regarding the amount of foster children she may have at her home.
It is important never to make the carer feel that care management is all about ticking boxes and making certain the correct little bit of newspaper have been completed, if this where in fact the circumstance then there would not be the need for cultural work skills when manage care and attention packages.
Characteristics of Attachment
"Bowlby held that there were four characteristics of connection:
Proximity Maintenance - The need to be close to the people we are mounted on.
Safe Haven - Returning to the attachment amount for comfort and safety in the face of a dread or risk.
Secure Bottom - The connection figure functions as a foundation of security that the child can explore the surrounding environment.
Separation Problems - Anxiety occurring in the absence of the attachment shape". (Bowlby, 1969).
Care Management, " involves overseeing the provision of any package of care services aimed toward maintaining someone locally who would normally need to count on institutional provision" (Thompson 2005 p69). Proper care management encompasses a macro guide when completing the assessment, it ought to be completed in partnership with the service customer and family paying regard to the durability and weaknesses as well as their potential to look at their life record and communicate the reason why they end up in today's situation. Treatment Management is defined in government information as " the process of tailoring services to specific needs" (DOH, 1991:b).
