core assets fostering services in scotland (ws29)
DESCRIPTION
An overview of the fostering service delivered in Scotland by Core Assets – including an introduction to the team parenting model. To include an overview of international developments and the Core Assets journey into Europe, Australasia, North America and East Asia. Contributor: Core AssetsTRANSCRIPT
Providing Quality Foster CareLocal and Global
Core Assets Scotland – Team ParentingWendy BrownSenior Therapist
Core Assets International DevelopmentsGabrielle JeromeHead of International Social Work
Social Services Expo and ConferenceEdinburgh March 19 2013
www.coreassets.com
Quality Care in a Family Setting
• Core Assets founded in 1994 by Jan Rees and Jim Cockburn, operating in England• Core Assets founded in 1994 by Jan Rees and Jim Cockburn, operating in England
• Core Assets Scotland was set up by Estella Abraham, our founding Director, and celebrated its 10th Anniversary in October 2012.
• We have cared for over 1,600 children in Scotland and currently have over 350 children and young people in placement
• Over 265 foster carers are supported by nearly 100 staff members
• Our vision: to make a positive and lasting • difference to the lives of children and
• young peopleCore Assets founded in 1994 by Jan Rees and Jim Cockburn, operating in England
Core Assets founded in 1994 in England by Jan Rees and Jim Cockburn.
Core Assets Scotland was set up by Estella Abraham, our founding Director, and celebrated its 10th Anniversary in October 2012.
We have cared for over 1,600 children in foster care in Scotland and currently have over 350 children and young people in placement.
Over 265 foster carers are supported by nearly 100 staff members
Our vision: To make a positive and lasting difference to the lives of children and young people
Where Are We in Scotland?
1 Core Assets Scotland’s Head Office – Glasgow
8 local offices:
2. Glasgow & West - Stepps3. Central & Lanarkshire - Hamilton 4. Edinburgh5. Perth6. Scottish Borders - Selkirk7. Ayrshire - Prestwick8. Inverness9. Aberdeen
Care Inspectorate Inspection Report 2012
• Quality of care and support – 5. Very good• Quality of staffing – 5. Very good• Quality of management and leadership – 5. Very good.• www.scswis.com
What Team Parenting Means
• Team Parenting suggests that a looked after child should be “surrounded” by carers and professionals who understand the child’s emotional and developmental needs
• Team Parenting emphasises the impact of traumatic experiences on a child’s ability to form attachments
• Team Parenting perceives that a child’s attachment difficulties are often central to their inability to fulfil their potential
• Team Parenting hypothesises that looked after children have specific therapeutic needs because of their history and experiences
Our Team Parenting Model
Theoretical Base
TEAM PARENTING
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Team Parenting
• Suggests that a child’s early experiences are likely to be “acted out” again at a later date, either by themselves or by the wider system
• Suggests that a child’s behaviour may be an expression of survival within their history of trauma and poor attachment
• Suggests that carers should be supported within a process of understanding, empathy and non-blame, given the enormously challenging task they undertake
Therapy Services input to Team Parenting
Individual ChildRecharged Therapy
Joint carer and child sessions
Team parentingMeetings
Consultation to carers
Consultation to staff and training for carers, including new carer groups,
ADAPT and other similar groups
Ensuring a system ofReflective and systemic practice across staff and
carers
Education Services input to Team Parenting
Year 11 tuition
Education crisis support work
Attendance at education meetings/reviews & team
parenting meetings
Carer training and staff and carer advice
Accessing & maintaining a school place and gaining education information about the child
Ensuring an ethos of educationattendance, attainment and
achievement.
Key components of Team Parenting
• The creation of a metaphoric ‘therapeutic space’ community around the child
• The belief that carers are the ‘primary agents of change’
• A systemic approach that works to combat the fragmentation and fracturing of the lives of children lives who are in care
• A dynamic, vivid and experiential appreciation of how a child has come to be the way they are
• ‘Emotionally intelligent’ team members willing to consider how they interact with and impact on the system and vice versa
TEAM PARENTING: creating a parenting team around our children
Thank you!Wendy BrownSenior Therapist
Core Assets Group
Our Services
• Children’s Services• Fostering • Education• Children’s Domiciliary Care• Therapy• Independent Social Work• Adoption Support• Disability Services• Children's Centres
• Consultancy • Social care Interventions • Outcome based
accountability programme
Recruitment & ResourcingResourcing and recruiting in health and social care Whole team solutions
Learning & DevelopmentWork force DevelopmentTrainingCreative LearningEarly Years TrainingE Learning
Our Story
Working internationally since 2005
• World wide shortage of foster carers• Realization that our model of care is not common practice in other
countries and its transferable.• Culturally relevant• Human capital is locally-based, we can be a bridge and catalyst for
change, building-capacity • Demonstrated that we can effectively manage the dual
imperatives of being carer-focused and child-centred• We seek local visionary partners as we believe that communities
look after their child best• Our model can bring both social and actual cost-benefit.
• Currently looking after 3288 children in foster care with 3326 foster families
Our International Reach
• Ireland• Finland• Sweden• Germany• Australia• New Zealand• Canada• Singapore• Japan• USA
Operating in 10 countries / 17 Jurisdictions
CSR project in Bulgaria partnering an NGO called ‘For our Children Foundation”www.detebg.org Building a sustainable fostering service through financial resources and skills sharing, consultancy and mentoring.
Where to next………….
New South Wales- AustraliaSouth Island - NZFlorida -USA
Developing Fostering Standards Internationally
Our Priorities in Outcomes for Children
Standard 1 Promoting Children’s SafetyStandard 2 Promoting Health and WellbeingStandard 3 Promoting Growth and Development
Standard 4 Promoting Belonging & KinshipStandard 5 Promoting CultureStandard 6 Promoting Skills for LifeStandard 7 Promoting Participation
Promoting Key Developmental Assets
Adapting Team Parenting to Culture and Context
Adapting to language and practice
Adapting to child care and foster care context
• Children living in large Soviet Style institutions• Children living in hotels/motels• Children living in “baby” homes• Medical models of disability• Medication of children with emotional and behavioural issues
• Foster carers seen as “volunteers”• Foster carers not well supported or trained• Fostering seen as appropriate only for younger children• Refugees placed in hostels• Parents and children placed in hostels or institutions
Adapting to geography and lifestyle
North Ontario Canada Osaka Japan
Investing in Research
• Rees Centre is funded by the Core Assets Group for 3 years.
• The focus will be on the efficacy of• foster care and outcomes for children.
• International Experts Reference Group advises the Centre.
• Seminars• Publications• Blogs• Monthly newsletters• http://reescentre.education.ox.ac.uk
A global world
A very local challenge
The right to family life for every child