Conference report the children (ni) order - challenges ahead

The long awaited new Children (NI) Order has yet to be implemented but there is no doubt about the significance in relation to providing an important watershed for the future development of Child Care Services in Northern Ireland. The recent conference organised by BASW (NI) in association with the Children (NI) Order Group provided a forum for the dissemination of information of the experiences of local authorities and judiciary in England since the Children Act 1989- This unique blend of the social work/legal context coupled with the keynote presentation and overview by Baroness Faithful offered the first major conference in the Province to address the main issues posed by the legislation. The conference attracted over 250 delegates from a multidisciplinary background and key Department of Health and Social Services personnel. The programme content included conference speakers from England and Northern Ireland and reflected the key roles played by the judiciary, social services management and the social services inspectorate. Baroness Faithful is well known in child care circles and recognised as a major contributor to the development of the Children Act. Her services for families and children in Northern Ireland and the potential strengths to be gained from its implementation set the tone for the conference. She also indicated the necessity of extending training to three years would be raised agin for debate. This was by An Overview of the English Experience of the Children Act 1989 with speaker Kay Birch from the Lord Chancellor's office, Mary Barnard J.P., Chairman of the Family Proceedings Committee and Judge Nigel Fricker Q.C., Designated Family Judge. They highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary training and partnership, the development of good information systems, the significant change in culture required by such aspects as the “non intervention” policy and the role of lay magistrates and the changes in court procedures.     

Dilemmas in Working in Partnership with the Parents and Relatives of Children Involved in Child Protection Planning

This paper considers the currency of the word “partnership” in child protection as it relates to the parents and other relatives of children subject to child protection investigations orprocedures. Parents, it is suggested, are often effectively ignored, or worse, deliberately excluded, once child protection concerns are being addressed. To ignore, however, the families that children were either born to or live with when efforts are made to protect them is, it is suggested, to de-contextualise their lives. Ultimately indeed it may be to place them at greater peril than exists as the consequences of any abuse. The basis for professional power in child protection is analysed along the dimensions of legal mandate and statutory role, gatekeeping functions and the organisational and professional context in which it operates. Seligman's theory of learned helplessness is employed as a conceptual framework in which to understand the processes by which birth parents and other relatives are likely to become increasingly ineffectual, once child protection procedures are invoked, in participating in a partnership with professionals to promote the best interests of their children. The paper concludes in examining what Sir Henry Maine first described as the move from 'status' to 'contract' in modern liberal democracies, a process whereby the regulatory functions of traditional kinship systems increasingly have been eroded by the State. It is suggested that only those models of child protection which can effectively begin to reverse this trend are likely to lead to effective partnerships between parents and birth relatives of children who are seen to be at risk, and the various professionals concerned to protect them. The paper concludes in suggesting that good intentions on the part of professionals are necessary but insufficient requirements for partnership; partnership can only effectively be achieved, it is suggested, through a fundamental reform of the legal framework.-     

Parent-professional partnership: A review and discussion of issues

This paper looks at issues which affect partnership between parents and professionals in Education. Such issues relate both to the variety of terminology used, which relates to the clarity with which “partnership” is conceived, and to the different professional groups who may see themselves as stakeholders in “partnership.”     

Child protection and anti-oppressive practice: The dynamics of partnership with parents explored

The paper begins by outlining briefly the impact of legislative changes in England and Wales following the implementation of the Children Act 1989 on the 14th October 1991. The Act was described by our Lord Chancellor, Lord Mackay as “the most comprehensive and far reaching reform of child law which has come before Parliament in living memory.” (Hansard, H.L. Vol. 502, col 488) The notion of parttnership is central to the Act; it is the intention that it should permeate all aspects of practice. This paper focuses on preventive practice and partnership with parents in cases involving child protection, issues of anti-oppresive practice are applied to the notion of partnership, and the balance between partnership on the one hand and collusive or oppresive practice on the other is explored. The implications of such an analysis for child prevention is then discussed with reference to a case example, and conclusions drawn.     

The efficacy of the parent-teacher “partnership” of the 1990s

The 1990s are times of rapid social and technological change. There are many unknowns that face both adults and children. We all have problems that need resolution. The time when adults “knew” the answers and children learned by “watching” echo faintly in the whirl of scientific change which is impacting on most aspects of our daily life. As early childhood teachers we have to learn to enquire, to listen, to think together with children, their families and society. The concept of negotiation is central to communication while the basic tenet of the process focusses not on the person but the issue. It is in these times of rapid change that we need to deepen our understanding of the family and further our professional insights by “tapping” the wealth of crucial kndowledge that parents have about their children. Hurst asserts that the partnership of parents in issues of their children's education:

“is probably the greatest single opportunity for educational advance open to teachers today”.

Hurst: 1987; 109     

The myth of alcoholism prevention

Although practically every article about alcoholism contains at least one or two paragraphs that stress the importance and need for prevention programs, the “hows” and the “specifics” are rarely spelled out in any detail.The analysis of why this situation exists points to the existence of three central premises around which the present alcohol prevention model is constructed. Each of these premises has at its core the existence of some invalid statements, the perpetuation of which effectively blocks the establishment of more appropriate prevention models.Awareness of “facts” about alcohol leads to a change in drinking. The paper cites evidence from experimental and empirical sources, illustrating that the presentation of facts, although in some cases altering attitudes, does not result in changes in certain behaviors. An explanation and model are provided stating the conditions under which “facts” do and do not result in behavioral change and where “alcohol facts” fit into this paradigm.Prevention programs centered around “consequences” are an effective way to produce change in drinking. The common theme most alcohol prevention programs share today is that their “message” deals with the consequences of drinking. This approach is highly unsuccessful in appealing to alcoholics whose characterological style ties them to the present and not the distant consequences of their behavior.Applicability of a medical primary and secondary prevention model to alcohol education. This section of the paper deals with the misapplication of the medical primary and secondary prevention models to alcoholism. It discusses why the etiology of alcoholism must be understood prior to the establishment of a primary prevention program. It also questions the methodological premises around which the early warning signs of alcoholism are built and their validity in successfully predicting the later development of alcoholism. The need for more longitudinal studies is suggested.     

Change in women's perceptions of parental child rearing attitudes in Turkey: a three generation comparison

The change in women's perceptions of parental child rearing practices, attitudes, and beliefs across three consecutive generations within the context of social change in the Turkish society was investigated. The total sample consisted of 48 subjects; 16 representing each consecutive generation of “daughters”, their “mothers”, and “grandmothers” from the same family. Each generation represented the time periods that signify the relatively different periods of social change in the Turkish society. Each subject sorted 87 socialization relevant items on a seven point scale for both parents. Mean difference and correlational analysis across generations was made. Perceived child rearing practices, attitudes, and beliefs show significant differences across generations. The direction of change indicates a trend towards decreasing emphasis on authoritarian control and an increasing emphasis on encouraging independence, open expression, and expression of affect.     

The Contextuality of Children's Communication Difficulties in Specialist Practice: A Sociological Account

This paper reports findings from fieldwork in situations that brought young children and child welfare practitioners together with the aim of diagnosing and treating children's communication difficulties. The findings suggest that communication difficulties tend to be treated as a property of the individual child rather than as an emergent, contextual property of interaction. The attention will be steered from clinical definitions of “impairment” and “disability” to dynamics of social interaction, where understandings of “good” and “normal” communication play a central role. The findings have implications for current recommendations for good practice, which derive from needs-led, rights-led and skills-led approaches.     

A qualitative study of caregivers' attitudes about child care

Thirty-one caregivers and directors involved in various types of day care for young children were interviewed. Qualitative methods were used to assess their role identity constructs and attitudes toward parents and the child care profession. Caregivers thought of themselves as “mothers,” “grandmothers,” or “teachers.” These social role identities clustered with attitudes about parents and professional role (e.g., “mothers” tended to see parents as neglectful, while “teachers” felt parents failed to reinforce progress made in day care). The authors concluded that conflict over attachment issues contributed to problems between parents and caregivers.     

Developmental awareness and moral stage development in child Abuse

In an attempt to better understand why children who have been sexually assaulted commonly fail to reveal their victimization to parents or other adults, a study was undertaken in which the “engagement strategies” of 41 perpetrators were examined, exploring common rationalizations, threats, etc. aimed at insuring continued silence on the part of the victim. The “appeal” for silence offered by the perpetrator to the child was analyzed according to Kohlberg's stages of moral development.

Results indicate that perpetrators appear to alter their engagement strategies to coincide with the developmental level of the child, thus further insuring silence by appealing to criteria for assessing “appropriate” or “inappropriate” behaviors (eg. sexual contact) which are developmentally consistent with the child's level of cognition and moral reasoning.     

The Education Welfare Service -A Naswe Perspective

NASWE members have a professional Code of Principles and Practice and work to protect the rights of children and young people in education. This is more simply expressed by the NASWE motto “For every child a chance”. In this submission “The Education Welfare Service” we, as members of Executive Committee of NASWE have presented an overview of the EWS giving its historical background and ongoing development including adapting to changes in Child Care legislation. The submission provides a policy statement containing aims and objectives and examines the role of die EWS and the duties undertaken by it. It gives the legal framework from which die service operates. The impact of die recent implementation of the Children (M) Order 1995 has been reviewed under the headings of legislation, partnership and initiatives.

It is hoped that this submission will help in some way to promote the EWS and raise awareness of its function in die wider field of Child Care practice generally     

Children's Ways of Experiencing Peer Interaction

Educational practice in age integrated child groups rests on the assumption that children learn from their peers. The benefits of age integrated teaching is to enhance the value of heterogeneity in child groups. The fact that children are different from each other with different experiences is seen as an asset, which both children and teachers can benefit from. 22 children in a school class with children of mixed age; ranging from 7-9 years, were interviewed about their conceptions of peer interaction. How do children conceive peer collaboration, and what does it mean to children to teach someone something? A phenomenographic research approach is being used to discern the variation in ways of thinking about how children do when they teach someone something, and how they conceive peer collaboration at school. Children are conscious about the fact that they are able to teach their peers, and they can express this in different ways. Children also shift in their roles as “teacher” and “learner”. In some examples it is the “teacher” who plays the active role, in others it is the “learner” who has to be active by imitating the model/teacher.     

Early intervention with high-risk teenage mothers and their infants

There is an urgent need to develop specialized services for “at-risk” teenage mothers and their children. Although absolute numbers of teenage mothers are being reduced, young women from severely disorganized backgrounds continue to have and keep their infants. These infants are at risk for developmental delay, emotional disturbance, maltreatment and neglect. While many of these families are offered services from various social service agencies, many refuse traditional services or drop out after brief intervention. It is imperative that intervention approaches be developed, provided and evaluated that are designed to overcome resistance and to improve parental functioning and child development.     

Child Abuse: Focus on a Team Approach for School Teachers and Counsellors

Although laws protecting children from abuse have become commonplace at least since the colonial era, the legal concept of “mandatory reporting” is relatively new in Africa. The author argues that child abuse refers to more than physical injuries—the term encompasses a compilation of significant events, that interact with the child's ongoing development to interrupt, alter, or impair her or his psychological development. This article provides a selective review of child abuse and emphasizes the need for standard procedures for referral, medical provisions, and legal reporting. Toward this end, issues of establishing the dimensions of child maltreatment were reviewed in order to understand the social and cultural nature of child abuse. Recommendations are offered for integrating critical issues for the present and future development of child abuse into practica training, legislation and scope of practice.     

Organisational space for partnership and sustainability: lessons from the implementation of the National Dementia Strategy for England

National policy initiatives are faced with challenges in their partnership development and sustainability. The National Dementia Strategy for England recommended Dementia Adviser (DA) and Peer Support Network (PSN) services and 40 demonstration sites were established. In this paper, we report on the national evaluation of these demonstration sites, with specific reference to aspects of organisational development. The research used a mixed‐methods design with three main strands: (i) activity and outcome monitoring; (ii) organisational surveys and collaborative discussion; (iii) in‐depth case studies in eight of the 40 sites. This paper focuses primarily on three rounds of organisational surveys distributed to all 40 demonstration sites over a period of 21 months and interviews in the case studies. Data identify the significance of infrastructure within immediate services as well as the position of services within the external infrastructure of the wider health and social care landscape. Partnership – both internally and externally – was key to establishing and sustaining services that flourished. When working well, DAs and PSNs acted as a link between services and people with dementia at the same time as filling gaps in existing support, providing information, advice and interpersonal support that was tailored to individual needs and circumstances. In conclusion, to achieve the full potential and sustainability of services requires them to be in an organisational space that allows them to work in partnership and collaboration with other services, and that values their distinct knowledge of their communities.     

The Age of Criminal Responsibility: “The Frontier between Care and Justice”

This is an extract from a speech given by Mr Justice Gillen to a conference in Belfast organised by Children Law UK in January 2006. It addresses the potential conflict between the concept of the welfare of children inherent in the family care system and that of responsibility inherent in the criminal justice system. It questions whether the abolition of doli incapax and the age of criminal responsibility at the age of 10 in the UK places too much emphasis on the prevention of offending and too little attention on a child centred focus. The article exhorts a more holistic “joined up” approach to family and criminal justice.     

Mother-toddler conversation: A two-way learning environment

Everyday conversation between parents and toddlers provides a rich context for the child's acquisition of conceptual skills and communication abilities. While earlier studies generally have analyzed the utterances of either parent or child, this analysis of conversations of one mother and 22-month old child focuses on the interaction of the two. The paper describes the sequences the pair uses in clarifying one another's focus of attention and in instructing and learning about concepts and motor skills. Mother and child adapt clarification and instruction patterns to the constraints of three play situations: free play, reading aloud, and parallel activity. The child adopts a “clarification” and the mother an “interpreter” role during free play, where the mother supports the child's focus. They reverse roles and communication strategies in the parallel context, where the child attempts to draw the mother into collaborative play. Further studies of mother-toddler discourse should focus on variations across mother-child pairs in the saliency of clarification and instruction in relation to other conversation functions.     

Characteristics of successful directors of for-profit child care centers

The need for quality child care is a national concern of increasing interest to parents, child care providers, employers, and policy-makers in the United States. One of the newest entries in child care options available for consumers is for-profit daycare chains. As for-profit chains increase in both number and size, they will receive increased research attention. Few studies have examined for-profit centers in general or the background characteristics of their directors specifically.

The purpose of this research was to develop a profile of directors of for-profit child care centers and to investigate whether certain background variables, such as level of education, differentiated “successful” from “unsuccessful” directors. Data were collected on 362 child care directors employed during a three-year period with a nation-wide daycare chain in the United States.     

Rethinking “Harmonious Parenting” Using a Three-factor Discipline Model

Diana Baumrind's typology of parenting is based on a two-factor model of “control” and “warmth”. Her recommended discipline style, labeled “authoritative parenting”, was constructed by taking high scores on these two factors. A problem with authoritative parenting is that it does not allow for flexible and differentiated responses to discipline situations. It is argued that a simpler, and more adequate, approach would be to switch to a model of discipline with a third factor, labeled “tolerance”. Parents of the most socially competent children are adept at knowing when they have a problem and when they do not. An example of the latter would be when a child expresses negative affect while complying fully with a request. Baumrind's notion of authoritative parenting was a useful “dialectic”, demonstrating that control and warmth are independent and equally necessary behaviors, but it did not go far enough. Baumrind's category of harmonious parenting (high warmth, moderate control, high tolerance), which she sees as an anomaly, should be substituted for authoritative parenting as the preferred discipline pattern.     

Children drawing: Are young children really scribbling?

Most research on children's drawing concerns itself with analyzing configural end products, whilst all that precedes them is dubbed “scribbling”, and has received scant attention. This paper, based on detailed longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, puts forward evidence which suggests that the child builds iconography on a substratum of symbolizations which are as much to do with movement and time as they are with configuration. The paper describes how the child experiments with 2D representation much earlier than has been commonly accepted, before and during the “scribbling stage”. Investigations made by the child at this time include those which monitor and represent the movement of imagined objects through space and time. Differing, interacting modes of representation are described, hitherto ignored by most investigators, which are mutually reciprocal in their contribution to the foundations of later iconography. More than this, these experiments aid the child in understanding the nature of the world.

The discussion is placed within a developmental context which starts from the child's early mark-making experience, where drawing defines basic axes and trajectories of body dynamism. From there, the emergence of different modes of representation leads to depictions of a topological nature. Transition from topological space to early (and rather startling) configural representation is described, as this is based on discoveries made by the child in the so-called “scribbling stage”. Implications for childcare and education are considered.