Personal social services for children and families in the UK: a historical review
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 72-84, September 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to chart the history of personal social services for children and families in the UK and examine the factors that have influenced it. Special attention is given to changing perceptions of rights, the impact of scandals and the contribution of child development research. Design/methodology/approach Analysis of historical documents and research reports using four methods: a timeline of milestones, demarcation of distinct developmental periods, trends in policy and practice and comparisons of children ’s n...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
Children's social work at the crossroads
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 69-71, September 2017. (Source: Journal of Children's Services)
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
Equipping the child welfare workforce to improve the well-being of children
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 211-220, September 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss ways of equipping the child welfare (CW) workforce to improve the well-being of children through graduate education and post-MSW training. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyses the barriers to providing mental health (MH) services to vulnerable children and families and discusses three evidence-based ways of overcoming them. Findings Child and family social workers need to do more than case management if they are to influence the well-being of the children and families they seek to...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
Future proofing child protection social work
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 202-210, September 2017. Purpose How might the profession of child protection social work be “future proofed”, i.e. remain intact and of value beyond its present existence? The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach This is a discussion/“think piece” paper, in which the author argues that foregrounding the art and science of helping relationships is a way fo rward. Recognising and promoting the centrality of helping relationships is the direction in which the author believes (or is it hopes?) social work should head, because “more ...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
Turning the ship around: reflections on changing a nation ’s social work practice system in the interests of children and families
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 197-201, September 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reflect on progress and lessons in improving the social work system in England in the interests of children and families. Design/methodology/approach Based on an interview with the author by Michael Little (one of the Guest Editors of this edition). Findings Social work is best placed to lead the child protection system given its ability to manage risks in a challenging social and political environment. However, there is a need to address common concerns about the system, for instance to give social...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
Bringing back the social: the way forward for children ’s social work?
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 190-196, September 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to argue for the need to move away from a sole focus on assessing and dealing with individualised risk factors in order to more fully engage with and understand the social determinants of many of the harms that are manifest in families. Design/methodology/approach It draws from a number of research studies being conducted by the authors and a literature on psycho-social approaches to social suffering. Findings It highlights the evidence on the contribution of poverty and inequality to many of the probl...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
Being more human – why children’s social care should be more about people and less about paper-work
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 184-189, September 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to argue for a strengthening of the relational aspect of social work and for initiatives that involve local people and local communities. Design/methodology/approach A think piece based on observations of the current situation and supporting evidence. Findings Social work has become distanced from those whom it seeks to help. Case management and risk assessment need to be complemented by a more human approach based on positive relationships between professionals and service users. Originality/value An...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
From “silo” to “network” profession – a multi-professional future for social work
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 174-183, September 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to argue that the future of social work can be situated as part of a fundamental shift towards co-located, multi-disciplinary practice and networking. It is argued that social work has a key role to play in co-located, multi-disciplinary child welfare practice, and indeed can be a leading profession in this context. Situating social work in this way involves re-conceptualising social work as a network profession, rather than a silo profession. The paper builds on an earlier study of five multi-profession...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
Does reflective supervision have a future in English local authority child and family social work?
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 164-173, September 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the underlying assumption that social workers need reflective supervision specifically, as opposed to managerial or any other form of supervision or support, and to consider whether our focus on the provision of reflective supervision may be preventing us from thinking more broadly and creatively about what support local authority child and family social workers need and how best to provide it. Design/methodology/approach The paper provides an argument based on the author ’s own research an...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
The end of false choices
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 158-163, September 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to expose and dispel some outdated dilemmas and straw men that have drawn attention away from debates of substance in social work. The paper presents what Frontline believes to be the substantive dilemmas facing the social work profession, as it looks into the future. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on the insights and experiences of the past four years during which Frontline has been innovating in the field of social work education and leadership development. Findings Building a better soc...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
Outcomes in Children ’s Social Care
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 144-157, September 2017. Purpose There are often calls for more focus on outcomes in Children ’s Social Care yet there is little consensus on what these outcomes should be. Key challenges include who should decide what outcomes should be measured and the sheer range of issues that social workers deal with. The purpose of this paper is to provide a reflective account of approaches to measur ing outcomes that the author has used in recent studies in order to illustrate the complexity involved in understanding what the purpose of Children’s Social Care is and ther...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
The future of child protection may not be in local government
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 138-143, September 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to offer a view about the future of children ’s social work from the perspective of a frontline practitioner. Design/methodology/approach Reflections of a frontline practitioner are based on his experience of practising social work with children and families. Findings The professional task of assessment and intervention in order to prote ct the nation’s children from significant harm is probably one of the most complex in modern society. However, a focus on gathering too much information and the ne...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
Online video supervision for statutory youth caseworkers – a pilot study
This study presents and explores the use of a novel approach to statutory casework supervision. (Source: Journal of Children's Services)
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
Supporting practice: reflections on a career in children ’s social work
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 122-126, September 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reflect on development in children ’s social work over 35 years from the perspective of someone who has worked in the field as a practitioner and director. Design/methodology/approach Interview. Findings The paper provides insights into implementing the Reclaiming Social Work model and how systems can better support social work practice with children and families. Originality/value The paper offers a unique perspective on developments in the field and implications for the future of children’s s...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
People and systems: reflections on the development of social work for children
Journal of Children's Services,Volume 12, Issue 2/3, Page 113-121, September 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the aspects of social work for children, primarily in England. Design/methodology/approach It is based on reflections on research undertaken by the author prior to 1995 and after 2015. Findings The paper explores the interaction between people – effective leaders and practitioners – and systems. Research limitations/implications It is an opinion piece, and does not present findings from a single study. Practical implications It urges systems that do not restrict the capability of pract...
Source: Journal of Children's Services - October 20, 2017 Category: Child Development Source Type: research
