Children
who have been sexually exploited and trafficked are being put in
further danger because of a dire lack of trained foster carers, children's charity Barnardo's has warned.
The most vulnerable children are left in residential care or secure units
where they are at greater risk from groomers and traffickers, according
to the charity.
Taking action after nine men were jailed for grooming young girls for sex in Rochdale, the Department of Education
has announced new funding for a specialist foster care scheme in an
attempt to tackle the problem, but Barnardo's argues that more must be
done.
"Without a doubt the system is completely failing children in
residential care. This idea that you can gather large numbers of
vulnerable children together in one place acts as a magnet to abusers –
you might as well put up a neon sign saying get your most vulnerable
children here," said Anne-Marie Carrie, chief executive of Barnardo's.
You can read more on this story on The Guardian's website here.
Showing posts with label residential care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label residential care. Show all posts
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Therapeutic Approaches To Social Work In Residential Child Care Settings
Geraldine Macdonald and others for the Social Care Institute for Excellence have published a new report looking at therapeutic approaches to social work in residential child care settings.
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. This report focuses 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 in their care.
Staff reported that therapeutic approaches do have some limitations – for example in dealing with physical aggression – meaning that other models such as Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) were still an important part of practice. Young people in residential child care often noticed an improved ‘atmosphere’ and the use of fewer punishments to deal with poor behaviour, even if they did not notice that a new approach was being used.
Some factors that helped put these approaches into practice included training staff, offering follow-up supporting materials, and developing wider systems of working that support the approaches – for example careful planning when a young person is first admitted to a home. Therapeutic approaches can complement specialist therapeutic interventions – such as trauma-focused and cognitive-behavioural therapy, counselling and so on – but do not replace them. These specialist services are a vital part of the support that looked-after children and young people should have access to.
The report is available to read here: http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/reports/report58/files/report58.pdf
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. This report focuses 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 in their care.
Staff reported that therapeutic approaches do have some limitations – for example in dealing with physical aggression – meaning that other models such as Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) were still an important part of practice. Young people in residential child care often noticed an improved ‘atmosphere’ and the use of fewer punishments to deal with poor behaviour, even if they did not notice that a new approach was being used.
Some factors that helped put these approaches into practice included training staff, offering follow-up supporting materials, and developing wider systems of working that support the approaches – for example careful planning when a young person is first admitted to a home. Therapeutic approaches can complement specialist therapeutic interventions – such as trauma-focused and cognitive-behavioural therapy, counselling and so on – but do not replace them. These specialist services are a vital part of the support that looked-after children and young people should have access to.
The report is available to read here: http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/reports/report58/files/report58.pdf
Monday, 14 May 2012
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.
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.
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