In my view effective communication and leadership is fundamental to the role of FGDM. Forming and assisting the formation of positive working relationships is key to enable the ‘family’ to work collaboratively for the best interests of the child. I am an emotionally intelligent individual skilled at building relationships under difficult circumstances and managing conflict through mediation and being calm, a good listener and emphatic. I have undertaken the Practice Teacher Award, which assisted my development of leadership qualities. I feel confident and capable of leading this process through valuing each member and empowering families to resolve issues independently and produce creative, safe, family based care plans. The Leadership qualities …show more content…
I have case managed many complex care plans in both LAAC and Child Protection processes and always value the contribution of children and their families, ensuring they remain firmly at the core and actively involved. I am passionate about best outcomes for children and already embrace a ‘team’ approach to case management and am of the view that family is always best (unless highly risky). I have many first-hand experiences of working with family networks to problem solve and I am skilled at managing the complex family dynamics which surround this. The principles behind the FGDM Model is neatly aligned with how I already practice. My complex risk assessment and care planning skills and experience will be a valuable resource to families throughout this process as it could be used to encourage and assist them to be creative, risk aware and child centred. I am four and a half years Child Protection trained and routinely plan and organise Case Conferences for both families and professionals. These preparatory organisation skills are fundamental to the role of FGDM as planning is key to ensuring smooth running on the day of the FGDM Conference. Not only have I been an active participant in many formal decision making forums, I regularly chair planning meetings so have developed chairing skills transferable into this …show more content…
Evidence informs us that that by using this model it would significantly reduce the number of children being received into care, cut down on legal proceedings and children being placed on ‘Orders’ and it would provide extra protection for children deemed to be at risk through utilising family resources. Glasgow’s statistics tells us that our most stable children are in kinship placements, therefore adopting this model and promoting family resources will improve outcomes for Glasgow’s Children, while at the same time save the council money.
The benefit to families is that they are empowered to make decisions affecting their family’s lives, avoiding formal intervention where possible. This in turn benefits the SW Service as it then frees up our valuable resources. The process will nurture family relations and family problem solving skills, therefore strengthening the family union. In much of the literature available, FGDM is viewed as an ethically sound and practically effective way of working with families whose strengths and resources often remain untapped by mainstream practice. For the child it offers opportunities to stay within their extended family when it is not possible for them to live with their parents. The outcomes for children in kinship care are seen as positive in terms of identity formation, stability of placement,
In Family Court there are steps in gaining certainty that the placement of a child is right for him/her. Whether it be non-kinship foster care or kinship foster care the agency will provide understanding to the family in placing the child in a safer environment would be the child best interest. This is determine by Family Court Act article 7 “Person in need of supervision” which concern the child 18 years of age in care. Under the act there are categories to determine if the child brought into care falling into the category of detention, secure detention facility,
Kinship care appears to be a more viable option for parents seeking to regain connections with their children once removed by state agencies. Kinship care supports the family unit and keeps children with familiar family members that lessen the trauma involved with separation from parents. The idea that children in kinship care tend to experience decreased future contact with state child welfare agencies enhances this option in that it minimizes repeat
A foster parent, as defined by the Health reference series second edition, is an individual who is licensed to provide a home for an orphaned, abused, neglected, delinquent or disabled child (Matthews, 2004). A permanent placement is one that is intended, but not guaranteed, to last forever (Barth & Berry 1988). Foster care is not for delinquents but somewhere for children go when their parents can no longer care for them. A form of foster care has always been around in early Christian churches where “worthy widows” would board children in need and were paid by church collections. Foster care started in 1562 during the time of the English poor laws, which stated the poor children were allowed to be placed in legal services until they reached of aged (nfpaonline.org). In the 1970’s, foster care increased in popularity but foster parents were seen as unfit to adopt children permanently (Barth and Berry, 1988). In 1980 the Adoption Assistance of Child Welfare Act (public law 96-272) made it clear that the most desirable permanent placement for children is with their own family. The law...
Despite attempts in the foster care system agencies under the guidelines of the “Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997” (ASFA) to locate suitable homes and families for foster children, many remain in foster care. “Too often, Child Welfare policy and the agencies responsible for it – offices that respond to child abuse and neglect, oversee foster care placements, and seek to reunite children with their parents to find adoptive families- are out of sight and out of mind except for fleeting moments of tragedy, such as a child’s death”.
The use of the Children Act 2004 in day-to-day work with children and young people allows multi-disciplinary teams to shared information, which is used to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people known to one or more agencies. The interests of the child are paramount. In the setting, a specifically trained member of staff will be appointed to supervise safeguarding and child protection.
The family unit is recognized as an importance in the field of social work. If a family is in need of temporary assistance, social workers are in full support of this, because
The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) was as a response to growing concerns about “foster care drift”; that is, children experiencing multiple, unstable foster care placements over extended periods, children virtually lost within the child welfare system (Rockhill, 2007). The ASFA has become a very important and much needed policy that helped with placement and safet...
ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care and
The majority of children who would otherwise need foster care are in kinship care, which
Children and families have various issues that must be addressed when they are in facing difficulties. The family dynamic offers multiple perceptions and needs, these may require addressing matters individually as well as on a group level. There may be matters such as domestic violence or substance abuse which requires both individual and family counseling and resources. In times of crisis families need education and coping strategies in order to regain their lives back. The necessities of the family may entail emotional and medical support requirements depending on their situation. When there is a possible case involving violence the focus may turn to more than medical and emotional support and possible removal of the children from the home may be required. Single mothers’ needs may be comprised of employment, education, shelter, food, child care and assistance with medical and child support. In some cases counseling and a support resource may be all that is required. When a divorce occurs, the needs which were once met by a two parent family now rest on the shoulders of ...
private home of a state-certified caregiver referred to as a foster parent. The placement of the child is usually arranged through the government or a social-service agency. Family-based foster care is generally preferred to other forms of out of home care. Foster care is intended to be a short term solution until a permanent placement can be made. The first choice of adoptive parents is a relative such as an aunt, uncle or grandparent, which is known as kinship care. If no related family member is willing or able to adopt, the next preference is for the child to be adopted by the foster parents or by someone else involved in the child 's life (such as a teacher or coach). This is to maintain stability in the child 's life. If neither above option are available, the child may be adopted by someone who is a stranger to the child. When the child is put into the care of someone who is a stranger that is when the stability problems and abuse and neglect start to happen to the child. Not all foster care homes are bad. Some children are lucky and get loving, caring foster parents. But most of the time kids are placed with foster care parents who are just
...be seen gave the author a clear vision on how child protection has developed. Looking at the death of children and discussing them also gave some answers on how children services have developed over time over the years. In the evaluation the author discussed Tthe benefits and challenges offered by inter-agency and inter-professional partnership work have also been considered and it has emerged . By weighing the pros and cons of the author finds out that there is limited evidence on the outcomes for children and families. Even though a number of outcomes were discussed by Atkinson et al., their review provides evidence on the outcomes from professionals’ view point. Therefore, their review is not representative. Perhaps more study based on the outcomes or children and families will provide us a better understanding of on how effective inter-agency working really is.
I was able to develop skills that will be relevant for practice in the future and support my professional development. This case study allowed me to focus on a specific case that developed my understanding of theory, law and policy that organisation use to provide services for families. I was able to enhance my understanding of the Cycle of change, Children Act 1989 and Working Together safeguarding policy. Developing my understating of evidence based practice and the importance of linking theory to
Commission for Social Care Inspection (2005) Making Every Child Matter, Commission for Social Care Inspection
By listening to what families, children and young people perceive their needs to be and working to adapt their services in order to cater or counteract some of the problems that arise when the wellbeing of the individual is being affected is what practitioners aim to achieve. Several agencies in UK worked together to improve children and young adults welfare such as Teachers, Social workers, Foster carers, Children safeguarding team, etc…Using Activity 2.9 ( Open University 2014 ) as an illustration, the narrator explained about Connors story, a young boy who has been place into foster caring. As a young child, Connor had probably experienced ambivalent, avoidant and disorganised patterns of attachments before his current placement which might have an impact on his behaviour. The foster family had concern that if Connor had to leave them, this could lead to further problems. Agencies working within Connors welfare such as Children social workers should adapt the fact of Connors relationship with the foster family does not impact on his wellbeing. Practitioners need to work in accordance of children and youth people diversity as well. Diversity can help to begin to overcome inequalities in society, which be might be a positive outcome or a negative outcome. Practitioners must firstly identify the assumptions they make about people so that they can make sure that they treat everyone with respect.