Therapeutic approaches to social work in residential child care settings

We can open up and talk, rather than closing everything down
Young person in residential child care, Social Care TV film

SCIE’s newly launched report and at a glance briefing, produced in partnership with the Institute of Child Care Research in Belfast, focus on how residential child care staff in Northern Ireland trained in a variety of therapeutic approaches to enhance their practice and relationships with the young people.

Children and young people in care are among the most vulnerable in society.  Compared to the looked-after population in general, children in residential child care have some of the highest levels of need, including increased emotional and behavioural difficulties. 

What are therapeutic approaches?

Therapeutic approaches describe ways of working in which residential child care workers use a therapeutic perspective in their day-to-day social work with children and young people. This includes having a better understanding of how children’s experiences affect them, considering their emotional needs and fostering resilience.

Key findings from the study included:

•    Therapeutic approaches can help residential child care staff to use a therapeutic perspective in their day-to-day work

•    The approach is concerned with empowering all staff, not just those with therapeutic qualifications 

•    Staff reported the approach enhanced the consistency of their practice and their relationships with the young people

•    Young people were often not aware that a new approach was being used, but noticed an improved ‘atmosphere’.

A newly launched a Social Care TV film accompanies the report.  The film illustrates the impact of the approaches, focusing on the Lakewood Secure Unit in Bangor. Young people in the film say that talking about trauma and sharing stories means that they can “open up and talk, rather than closing everything down”.  Training for all staff, including kitchen staff, has helped them to create a calmer, and more positive environment.

• View SCIE Report 58: Therapeutic approaches to social work in residential child care settings on the SCIE website

• View SCIE's Social Care TV film: Therapeutic Approaches to Residential Child Care in Northern Ireland on the SCIE website