the social exclusion of children in foster care in...

The social exclusion of children in Foster Care

in the UK.

• Placement experience

1 Copywright©2010 Companyname | Free template by Investintech PDF

Solutions

http://www.investintech.com/


Hear their voice

Child’s point of view about foster care


Solutions



Children in the foster care system

• “The Local Authority, through the children’s services dept, is legally responsible for the welfare of all looked-after children.” (Adams in Adams et al, 2009, p314)

• “Widespread discrimination against looked-after children” (Mahadevan, 2009)

3

Copywright©2010 Companyname | Free template by Investintech PDF

Solutions



Statistics of children in care • 60,000 children in

care at one time (BAAF,

2010)

• 90,000 children pass through the system each year (DCSF, 2010)

• Mainly due to abuse and neglect (BAAF, 2010)


Solutions



The nature of the social exclusion

• Marginalised; views not being heard, out of control, powerless to adults’ decisions

• Living with uncertainty; location changes/school changes/carer changes

• Trauma • Normative childhood

experiences? • Self-harming behaviour

common • Humiliated by the

processes faced when in care (Roy et al., in Adams et al., 2009, p270)

Can feel multiply socially isolated; Diversity and individual needs only tokenistic in policy (McLeod, 2007)

Homelessness risk after foster care (Naude et al,. 2009)

Lack stability-moves from home to home (Jackson and Thomas, 1999)

Discriminated against in future job and academic attainment (Mahadevan, 2009)


Solutions



Click to edit Master title style

The welfare state’s approach to service provision is evolving

• From social-demographic model where;

“The public are seen as not sophisticated or knowledgeable enough to need any substantial influence over the content of services” (Banks in Adams, 2009, p45)

6

• To more neo-liberal model where

Welfare state provisions cut back to allow for greater privatisation of services, providing more choice for service user (Robinson in

Adams et al., 2009)


Solutions



A more satisfying model

• More individualistic/personalised, less prescribed

• Starting to recognize and respond to the diversity and multicultural society it serves


Solutions




An example of this shift of utilising private sector

• The Children’s Family Trust (CFT)

• Paul Field- ‘Home for Waifs and Strays’

• Left there disillusioned and formed his ‘family for life’ ethos in 1945. (CFT, 2010)

• 1945 ‘Care of Children Committee’ Inquiry Inspected 1709 homes, only 349 were of ‘marvellous’ a standard (Myrtah, 1945, in Hyland 2008)

8

• Children Act 1948 gave Local Authorities responsibility for managing and providing care services to children.

• Made organisations subject to more controls by the Home Office. (Hyland 2008)


Solutions



Current Legislation

• Children Act 1989 c.41

• Children Act 2004 c.31

• The Fostering Services Regulations

• Under section 23(1) of the Care Standards Act 2000 c.14 The National Minimum Standards Fostering Regulations (DoH, 2002)


Solutions



The CFT in 2010

• A private non-profit charitable organisation.

• The Local Authority buys into the service

• CFT works with Local Authorities to provide foster carers to children who are looked-after by the State.


Solutions



What does the CFT offer to potentially socially excluded children in care?

• ‘Outstanding’ –the grade achieved when inspected in 2010 (McLeave, 2010)

• Providing a stable home; 90% of children are still with same carers after 5 years. (CFT, 2010)

• Social workers who are afforded the time to actively promote the inclusion of children who are looked-after, into society & the community they grow up in.


Solutions



Better life chances

• Strive to reduce feelings of social exclusion in person-centred way;

• identifying what each child’s interests & individual needs are & then consistently & effectively providing it;

Therapeutic counselling services, Extra tuition, Arranging regular sibling/family contact, Driving lessons, Arranging transport to preferred college/schools.

12


Solutions




The challenges faced by social workers in the UK

• Private sector placements very expensive e.g. 3,500 per week per child (Roy et al., in Adams et al., 2009, p271)

• Foster carer shortage to meet current demands (Cosis Brown in Adams et al., 2009, p268)

• 10,000 required (The Fostering Network, 2010)

• Occasionally, foster carers failing to achieve high standards of care (Cosis Brown, in

Adams et al., 2009, p267)

• The reality of the

constraints upon the modern UK welfare state;

• Not always enough funding to support the child’s needs (The Fostering Network, 2010)

• Services and benefits are usually tightly rationed, patchy and delivered at a low level (Spicker, 2010)

Implications for a social work student

• When working in foster care;

• “Those professionals responsible for children…owe it to them to practice in a critical and reflective manner; to get it ‘right enough’ to enable them to have a stable remaining childhood within a family where they can develop their potential to the full.” (Cosis Brown 2009, in Adams et al 2009, p269)


Solutions



Hear the child

• One Looked After Child’s top tips for social workers...


Solutions



Questions?

• Thank you for your time

• This exchange has proved invaluable to my learning already, thank you for sharing this

opportunity with me.


Solutions



References

• Adams, R. (2009) In R, Adams, Dominelli, L. and Payne, M. (2009) Social Work, Themes, Issues and Critical Debates (2nd Edition) Basingstoke; Palgrave Macmillan

• Adams, R. Dominelli, LN and Payne, M. (2009) Critical Practice in Social Work (2nd Ed.) Basingstoke Palgrave MacMillan

• BAAF (2010) Fostering in the UK Accessed 08.09.10 http://www.baaf.org.uk/info/lpp/fostering/index.shtml#legislation

• BBC (2010) History, the welfare state Accessed 08.09.10

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/britain/welfarestaterev1.shtml

• Be My Parent (2010) Public Profiles Accessed 08.09.10 http://www.bemyparent.org.uk/public-profiles.html

• Berry, S. (2010) The Rise and Fall of the British Welfare State Libertarian alliance Accessed 08.09.10 http://www.la-articles.org.uk/ws.htm

• Briggs, A. (1961) The welfare state in historical perspective European Journal of Sociology Vol 2 pp221-258

• Children Act 2004. (c. 31) London: HMSO

• Children Act 1989. (c.41) London: HMSO


Solutions

http://www.baaf.org.uk/info/lpp/fostering/index.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/britain/welfarestaterev1.shtml

http://www.bemyparent.org.uk/public-profiles.html



http://www.la-articles.org.uk/ws.htm





References

• Cosis Brown, H. (2009) In R, Adams, Dominelli, L. and Payne, M. (2009) Critical Practice in Social Work (2nd Edition) Basingstoke; Palgrave Macmillan

• Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) (01.04.10) Children in Care Every Child Matters Accessed 08.09.10 http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/safeguardingandsocialcare/childrenincare/childrenincare/

• Children’s Family Trust (2010) Rescue Boat Accessed 09.09.10 http://www.thecft.org.uk/

• Core 77.com (22.07.08) British Irony Accessed 09.09.10 http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/british_irony_10573.asp

• DHD Multi Media Gallery (2010) Money (Accessed 09.09.2010)http://gallery.hd.org/_c/money/UK-coins-and-Scottish-and-English-banknotes-1-ANON.jpg.html

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/safeguardingandsocialcare/childrenincare/childrenincare/

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/safeguardingandsocialcare/childrenincare/childrenincare/

http://www.thecft.org.uk/

http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/british_irony_10573.asp

http://gallery.hd.org/_c/money/UK-coins-and-Scottish-and-English-banknotes-1-ANON.jpg.html

















References

• Department of Health (2002) National Minimum Standards Fostering Services Regulations London: The Stationary Office

• Ewijk, H.V. (2009) Citizenship-based social work International Social Work Vol 52 No 2 pp167-179

• Field, F. (2009) The Welfare State- Never Ending Reform BBC Accessed 08.09.10 http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/field_01.shtml

• Harris, J. (1999) State Social Work and Social Citizenship in Britain; From Clientelism to Comsumerism British Journal of Social Work Vol 29 No 6 pp915-937

• Hyland, J (1.11.08) The Curtis Committee from the Inside Children Webmag Accessed 08.09.10 http://www.childrenwebmag.com/articles/child-care-history/the-curtis-committee-from-the-inside

• Jackson, and Thomas, N (1999) On the Move Again? What Works in Creating Stability for Looked After Children, Ilford, Barnardo’s

• Lowe, R. (17.11.1995) Watch the five giants take baby steps Times Higher Education Accessed 08.09.10 http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=161336&sectioncode=6


Solutions

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/field_01.shtml

http://www.childrenwebmag.com/articles/child-care-history/the-curtis-committee-from-the-inside















http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=161336&sectioncode=6



References

• Mahadevan, J. (26.03.2009) Children in care face exclusion Children and Young People Now Online Accessed 20.08.2010 http://www.cypnow.co.uk/news/ByDiscipline/Social-Care/893434/Children-care-face-exclusion

• McLeod, A. (2007) ‘Whose agenda? Issues of power and relationship when listening to looked after children’ Child and Family Social Work 12: 287-6

• McLeave, M. (07.07.2010) The Children’s Family Trust Inspection Report for independent fostering agency Ofsted Accessed 08.09.10 http://www.thecft.org.uk/

• Naude, A. LeTourneau, C. and Falcocchio, L. (2009) Conference Report Ending Homelessness After Foster Care (Online) Accessed 20.10.2010 http://www.commonground.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/Foster%20Care%20Report%20FINAL.pdf

• Roy, A. Young, F. and May-Chahal (2009) In R, Adams, Dominelli, L. and Payne, M. (2009) Critical Practice in Social Work (2nd Edition) Basingstoke; Palgrave Macmillan

• Short circuit (09.09.10) (Image) Just one book Accessed 09.09.10 http://www.saltpublishing.com/books/sgrw/9781844717248.htm

• Smurfitt Kappa Recycling UK (2010) (Image) Smurfitt Kappa Recyling Head office UK http://www.smurfitkappa-recycling.com/DropdownMenu/Locations/


Solutions


http://www.commonground.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/Foster Care Report FINAL.pdf




http://www.saltpublishing.com/books/sgrw/9781844717248.htm

http://www.smurfitkappa-recycling.com/DropdownMenu/Locations/





References

• The Fostering Network (04.03.2010) Foster Carers consider giving up due to lack of living wage (Online) Accessed 20.09.10 http://www.fostering.net/media/2010/foster-carers-consider-giving-due-lack-living-wage

• Track a crat (10.11.2009) (Image) Greetings from the welfare state http://trackacrat.com/2009/11/10/the-welfare-trap

• Spicker, P. (2010) An introduction to social policy, Aberdeen, Scotland: The Robert Gordon University, Accessed 08.09.10 http://www2.rgu.ac.uk/publicpolicy/introduction/contents.htm Standard Securities (2010 ) Standard securities in foster care Accessed 09.09.21010 http://standardsecurities.co.uk/foster-care-insurance/

• The Care Standards Act 2000 (c.14) London: HMSO

• The Children’s Family Trust (2010) The Children’s Family Trust- a family for life Accessed 08.09.10 http://www.thecft.org.uk/

• The Fostering Services Regulations 2002 London; The Stationary Office

• Wedge, P and Prosser, H (1973) Born To Fail, NCB, London.

• Williams, L. (22.06.2007) (Image)First Born’s are first in intelligence too Accessed 09.09.2010 http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/1404/first-borns-are-first-intelligence-too


Solutions

http://trackacrat.com/2009/11/10/the-welfare-trap





http://www2.rgu.ac.uk/publicpolicy/introduction/contents.htm

http://standardsecurities.co.uk/foster-care-insurance/






http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/1404/first-borns-are-first-intelligence-too













the social exclusion of children in foster care in...

Documents