Pub Date : 2023-06-19DOI: 10.1177/03085759231178315
Jonah Gosling, J. Purrington
This service evaluation explored foster carers’ experiences of remotely accessing the children in care consultation model during the Covid-19 pandemic. The service evaluation utilised the Kirkpatrick evaluation model to collect data at four levels (reaction, learning, behaviour and results) and employed a mixed methodology. Participants were foster carers who had accessed remote consultations between June 2020 and June 2021. Thirteen participants completed questionnaires and eight consented to follow-up interviews. Questionnaires were analysed descriptively, and interviews were analysed thematically. Questionnaires demonstrated that most participants felt listened to, felt they could talk about what mattered to them and felt the consultations were the right length. However, some participants were unsure whether the pace and delivery were suitable for them. The thematic analysis highlighted four themes: (1) Reassurance and support: the consultations provided foster carers with reassurance and support that underpinned their current actions and aided their working relationships with other professionals; (2) Approach and understanding: the sessions provided foster carers with both specific and general approaches to challenges and enhanced their understanding; (3) Online consultation approval/disapproval: foster carers had mixed views regarding the remote delivery, but most valued this; (4) Behaviour change: following consultation, most foster carers experienced a change in behaviour within the household. Recommendations are discussed. Plain language summary It is recognised that foster carers play a unique role for children in care and that the nature of this role often requires specialised support. One format of specialised support for foster carers is the children in care consultation model. The consultation model allows for the exploration of the difficulties being experienced by the child in care and the needs of the foster carers supporting them. During the Covid-19 pandemic several services began administering these consultations remotely via videoconferencing communication platforms. This shift towards digital ways of working has also continued post-pandemic and many services continue to engage in remotely delivered practices. However, foster carers’ experiences of accessing these consultations remotely have not yet been investigated. Therefore, this evaluation aimed to explore foster carers’ experiences of remotely accessing the children in care consultation model. Participants were foster carers who accessed remote consultations between June 2020 and July 2021. Thirteen foster carers completed a questionnaire with eight of these volunteering to be interviewed. The questionnaire data revealed that foster carers predominantly felt listened to, felt that they could talk about what mattered to them and felt the consultations were an appropriate length. Most foster carers felt that the consultations covered enough material, were accessible and th
{"title":"Experiences of foster carers remotely accessing the children in care (CIC) consultation model during the Covid-19 pandemic: A service evaluation","authors":"Jonah Gosling, J. Purrington","doi":"10.1177/03085759231178315","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/03085759231178315","url":null,"abstract":"This service evaluation explored foster carers’ experiences of remotely accessing the children in care consultation model during the Covid-19 pandemic. The service evaluation utilised the Kirkpatrick evaluation model to collect data at four levels (reaction, learning, behaviour and results) and employed a mixed methodology. Participants were foster carers who had accessed remote consultations between June 2020 and June 2021. Thirteen participants completed questionnaires and eight consented to follow-up interviews. Questionnaires were analysed descriptively, and interviews were analysed thematically. Questionnaires demonstrated that most participants felt listened to, felt they could talk about what mattered to them and felt the consultations were the right length. However, some participants were unsure whether the pace and delivery were suitable for them. The thematic analysis highlighted four themes: (1) Reassurance and support: the consultations provided foster carers with reassurance and support that underpinned their current actions and aided their working relationships with other professionals; (2) Approach and understanding: the sessions provided foster carers with both specific and general approaches to challenges and enhanced their understanding; (3) Online consultation approval/disapproval: foster carers had mixed views regarding the remote delivery, but most valued this; (4) Behaviour change: following consultation, most foster carers experienced a change in behaviour within the household. Recommendations are discussed. Plain language summary It is recognised that foster carers play a unique role for children in care and that the nature of this role often requires specialised support. One format of specialised support for foster carers is the children in care consultation model. The consultation model allows for the exploration of the difficulties being experienced by the child in care and the needs of the foster carers supporting them. During the Covid-19 pandemic several services began administering these consultations remotely via videoconferencing communication platforms. This shift towards digital ways of working has also continued post-pandemic and many services continue to engage in remotely delivered practices. However, foster carers’ experiences of accessing these consultations remotely have not yet been investigated. Therefore, this evaluation aimed to explore foster carers’ experiences of remotely accessing the children in care consultation model. Participants were foster carers who accessed remote consultations between June 2020 and July 2021. Thirteen foster carers completed a questionnaire with eight of these volunteering to be interviewed. The questionnaire data revealed that foster carers predominantly felt listened to, felt that they could talk about what mattered to them and felt the consultations were an appropriate length. Most foster carers felt that the consultations covered enough material, were accessible and th","PeriodicalId":92743,"journal":{"name":"Adoption & fostering","volume":"103 1","pages":"174 - 191"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79033208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-15DOI: 10.1177/03085759231174906
Claire Elizabeth Palmer, A. Coffey, Alyson M. Rees
This article explores the motivations and decision-making processes of parents who adopt older children from the UK care system. It draws on interview data from parents from 14 adoptive families to consider what influenced their decision to adopt an older child. Data were analysed thematically, and the analysis was theoretically informed by the concept of adoption as a ‘marketplace’. The study shows how prospective adoptive parents can be influenced in their decision-making by the information they have been given or perceive about the state of the adoption marketplace and indicates that making choices and decisions around the characteristics of future children is often an uncomfortable aspect of the process. The participants cited moral reasoning and notions of fate as key factors influencing their decisions. The article concludes by making recommendations for practice. Plain language summary In this research, parents from 14 families who adopted older children (children aged four and over when they moved into their adoptive home), were asked about why they made the decision to adopt an older child. This is important, as older children are often more difficult to find adoptive homes for than younger children. We found that the messages given in adoption preparation courses and by social workers influenced parents’ thoughts around the child or children that they went on to adopt. Parents in the study highlighted that making choices and citing preferences around the characteristics of their future child or children was an uncomfortable part of the adoption process. Several parents saw adopting an older child as a way to provide a permanent home for a child that might not otherwise have this chance. Many spoke of the strong sense of connection they felt to their new child, even before they had met them. Ways to improve practice are noted.
{"title":"The motivations and decision-making processes of parents who adopt older children","authors":"Claire Elizabeth Palmer, A. Coffey, Alyson M. Rees","doi":"10.1177/03085759231174906","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/03085759231174906","url":null,"abstract":"This article explores the motivations and decision-making processes of parents who adopt older children from the UK care system. It draws on interview data from parents from 14 adoptive families to consider what influenced their decision to adopt an older child. Data were analysed thematically, and the analysis was theoretically informed by the concept of adoption as a ‘marketplace’. The study shows how prospective adoptive parents can be influenced in their decision-making by the information they have been given or perceive about the state of the adoption marketplace and indicates that making choices and decisions around the characteristics of future children is often an uncomfortable aspect of the process. The participants cited moral reasoning and notions of fate as key factors influencing their decisions. The article concludes by making recommendations for practice. Plain language summary In this research, parents from 14 families who adopted older children (children aged four and over when they moved into their adoptive home), were asked about why they made the decision to adopt an older child. This is important, as older children are often more difficult to find adoptive homes for than younger children. We found that the messages given in adoption preparation courses and by social workers influenced parents’ thoughts around the child or children that they went on to adopt. Parents in the study highlighted that making choices and citing preferences around the characteristics of their future child or children was an uncomfortable part of the adoption process. Several parents saw adopting an older child as a way to provide a permanent home for a child that might not otherwise have this chance. Many spoke of the strong sense of connection they felt to their new child, even before they had met them. Ways to improve practice are noted.","PeriodicalId":92743,"journal":{"name":"Adoption & fostering","volume":"119 1","pages":"211 - 228"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78546385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-15DOI: 10.1177/03085759231174902
Sarah Lloyd
BUSS® (Building Underdeveloped Sensorimotor Systems) is an innovative treatment model for children who have experienced developmental trauma. It is based on an understanding that just as a baby needs responsive, attuned and empathic relationships to grow and develop psychologically, attention needs to be given to the impact of the absence of these kinds of relationships on a child’s bodily development and regulation. The premise underpinning BUSS® is that these two processes – the need for an attuned caregiver and the progression through predictable stages of motor development – are inextricably linked; one cannot happen without the other. A case study is used to illustrate this innovation in practice, its frame of reference, methods and evaluation. Improvements were seen in physical development, parent–child relationships, cognitive functioning, self-esteem and confidence in parenting capacity. Consideration is given to how this model fits alongside therapies for children who have experienced developmental trauma and their families. This early evidence suggests that BUSS® is a clinically effective and cost-effective intervention that has positive benefits on physical and psychological development for children who have been impacted by early trauma. Further research will be required to establish both the consistency of outcomes and the mechanisms underlying its efficacy, especially in relation to psychological changes. Plain language summary Babies need predictable, loving care to develop physically and emotionally. They need the grown-ups in their lives to protect them from harm or stress. As newborns, babies are entirely dependent on those adult relationships for their survival – they can’t feed themselves and they don’t have control of their head or limbs. They need to be held, carried, cared for and played with to grow into their bodies, so that by the end of the first year of life, they’re able to move around and are beginning to explore their world and the people in it. Babies in frightening or stressful situations (during pregnancy and once they’re born), miss out on these crucial experiences and, as a result, the normal development of their brain and central nervous system is disrupted. This affects how children move and the sense they have of themselves and their bodies – what we call bodily regulation. Good bodily regulation is knowing where our body is without having to think about it, knowing how much pressure or force to use when we’re doing something like giving someone a hug or hanging our coat up on a peg. It’s knowing that our arms and legs will work together in a helpful way when we’re running or climbing. We’re much more used to thinking about how early adversity affects a child’s emotional or psychological wellbeing, and we haven’t paid as much attention to how this affects bodily regulation. BUSS® is designed to bridge that gap – where there has been disruption to these earliest stages of development it’s possible to go back
{"title":"An innovative approach to working with children who have experienced developmental trauma: An introduction to the Building Underdeveloped Sensorimotor Systems (BUSS®) model","authors":"Sarah Lloyd","doi":"10.1177/03085759231174902","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/03085759231174902","url":null,"abstract":"BUSS® (Building Underdeveloped Sensorimotor Systems) is an innovative treatment model for children who have experienced developmental trauma. It is based on an understanding that just as a baby needs responsive, attuned and empathic relationships to grow and develop psychologically, attention needs to be given to the impact of the absence of these kinds of relationships on a child’s bodily development and regulation. The premise underpinning BUSS® is that these two processes – the need for an attuned caregiver and the progression through predictable stages of motor development – are inextricably linked; one cannot happen without the other. A case study is used to illustrate this innovation in practice, its frame of reference, methods and evaluation. Improvements were seen in physical development, parent–child relationships, cognitive functioning, self-esteem and confidence in parenting capacity. Consideration is given to how this model fits alongside therapies for children who have experienced developmental trauma and their families. This early evidence suggests that BUSS® is a clinically effective and cost-effective intervention that has positive benefits on physical and psychological development for children who have been impacted by early trauma. Further research will be required to establish both the consistency of outcomes and the mechanisms underlying its efficacy, especially in relation to psychological changes. Plain language summary Babies need predictable, loving care to develop physically and emotionally. They need the grown-ups in their lives to protect them from harm or stress. As newborns, babies are entirely dependent on those adult relationships for their survival – they can’t feed themselves and they don’t have control of their head or limbs. They need to be held, carried, cared for and played with to grow into their bodies, so that by the end of the first year of life, they’re able to move around and are beginning to explore their world and the people in it. Babies in frightening or stressful situations (during pregnancy and once they’re born), miss out on these crucial experiences and, as a result, the normal development of their brain and central nervous system is disrupted. This affects how children move and the sense they have of themselves and their bodies – what we call bodily regulation. Good bodily regulation is knowing where our body is without having to think about it, knowing how much pressure or force to use when we’re doing something like giving someone a hug or hanging our coat up on a peg. It’s knowing that our arms and legs will work together in a helpful way when we’re running or climbing. We’re much more used to thinking about how early adversity affects a child’s emotional or psychological wellbeing, and we haven’t paid as much attention to how this affects bodily regulation. BUSS® is designed to bridge that gap – where there has been disruption to these earliest stages of development it’s possible to go back ","PeriodicalId":92743,"journal":{"name":"Adoption & fostering","volume":"17 1","pages":"157 - 173"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89436738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-05-21DOI: 10.1177/03085759231170879
J. Selwyn, S. Lewis
Research reviews of the contact arrangements for children in care have highlighted gaps in evidence. Using data from 9,316 looked after children in England and Wales aged four to 18 years, the analysis aimed to gain an understanding of children’s views of their contact arrangements. Data came from the Your Life, Your Care wellbeing surveys distributed by 42 English and Welsh local authorities between 2016 and 2020. The analysis confirmed some previous findings but challenged others. While previous UK research has emphasised that the quality of contact is more important than frequency, from the young people’s perspective frequency was equally important. Most children wanted more contact with specific individuals (and their pets) to understand why decisions had been made and wanted contact to be normalised and in the community at times to suit their and their family’s circumstances. Children in kinship placements more frequently had contact, but a quarter of the sample had no parental contact. Being in residential care, male and of an ethnic minority background were associated with dissatisfaction. Life satisfaction was not associated with whether parental contact was or was not occurring but was statistically associated with whether young people felt their contact arrangements were ‘Just right’. Recommendations for improving practice and a tool to help agencies audit their services have been developed. Plain language summary Professionals and the courts determine how often children and young people in care see or speak to members of their family. This study used a survey to ask over 9,000 children in care (aged between four and 18 years old) whether they were happy with their contact arrangements. Most children wanted to see their family, including brothers and sisters, more often. They also wanted to see other people who were important to them and their pets. Many children felt they did not understand why decisions had been made and wanted to see their family in the community and not in contact centres. Children who lived with a foster carer who was also a relative more frequently had contact with their families. Those who lived in residential care, were male or were from an ethnic minority background more frequently reported that they saw their families too little. However, satisfaction with contact was not linked to whether it was or was not occurring but whether children felt the frequency was ‘Just right’. For some children this meant no contact at all. Ways to improve practice are described.
{"title":"Keeping in touch: Looked after children and young people’s views on their contact arrangements","authors":"J. Selwyn, S. Lewis","doi":"10.1177/03085759231170879","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/03085759231170879","url":null,"abstract":"Research reviews of the contact arrangements for children in care have highlighted gaps in evidence. Using data from 9,316 looked after children in England and Wales aged four to 18 years, the analysis aimed to gain an understanding of children’s views of their contact arrangements. Data came from the Your Life, Your Care wellbeing surveys distributed by 42 English and Welsh local authorities between 2016 and 2020. The analysis confirmed some previous findings but challenged others. While previous UK research has emphasised that the quality of contact is more important than frequency, from the young people’s perspective frequency was equally important. Most children wanted more contact with specific individuals (and their pets) to understand why decisions had been made and wanted contact to be normalised and in the community at times to suit their and their family’s circumstances. Children in kinship placements more frequently had contact, but a quarter of the sample had no parental contact. Being in residential care, male and of an ethnic minority background were associated with dissatisfaction. Life satisfaction was not associated with whether parental contact was or was not occurring but was statistically associated with whether young people felt their contact arrangements were ‘Just right’. Recommendations for improving practice and a tool to help agencies audit their services have been developed. Plain language summary Professionals and the courts determine how often children and young people in care see or speak to members of their family. This study used a survey to ask over 9,000 children in care (aged between four and 18 years old) whether they were happy with their contact arrangements. Most children wanted to see their family, including brothers and sisters, more often. They also wanted to see other people who were important to them and their pets. Many children felt they did not understand why decisions had been made and wanted to see their family in the community and not in contact centres. Children who lived with a foster carer who was also a relative more frequently had contact with their families. Those who lived in residential care, were male or were from an ethnic minority background more frequently reported that they saw their families too little. However, satisfaction with contact was not linked to whether it was or was not occurring but whether children felt the frequency was ‘Just right’. For some children this meant no contact at all. Ways to improve practice are described.","PeriodicalId":92743,"journal":{"name":"Adoption & fostering","volume":"88 1","pages":"120 - 137"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78643195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.1177/03085759231157415
Karen Kenny
Children in care have consistently lower educational attainment than peers who live with their birth families. However, metrics often define ‘education’ narrowly, focusing on traditional in-school achievements with which this population typically struggles. In this study, interviews with current and former children in care (n = 7, ages: 11–59) revealed that they perceive education in a much broader way, occurring across their life experiences and encompassing both life and social skills. Regardless of their performance in school, participants storied themselves as achievers in the context of this broader concept of ‘education’ and described positive outcomes such as independence, agency, development of authentic identities and capacity to strive for and achieve goals. These reflections have implications for the provision of social support services and the evaluation of outcomes for children who are taken into the care of the state. For example, it may be valuable to redefine ‘education’ to include a wider range of activities and to therefore encompass a variety of potential interventions to support development and success. Additionally, there seems to be scope for working more closely with children in care when making decisions, centring their lived experiences and drawing on their insights so as to achieve a better balance of support for both formal and informal educational opportunities.
{"title":"The educational experiences of children in care across five decades: A new perspective on the education of looked after children in the UK","authors":"Karen Kenny","doi":"10.1177/03085759231157415","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/03085759231157415","url":null,"abstract":"Children in care have consistently lower educational attainment than peers who live with their birth families. However, metrics often define ‘education’ narrowly, focusing on traditional in-school achievements with which this population typically struggles. In this study, interviews with current and former children in care (n = 7, ages: 11–59) revealed that they perceive education in a much broader way, occurring across their life experiences and encompassing both life and social skills. Regardless of their performance in school, participants storied themselves as achievers in the context of this broader concept of ‘education’ and described positive outcomes such as independence, agency, development of authentic identities and capacity to strive for and achieve goals. These reflections have implications for the provision of social support services and the evaluation of outcomes for children who are taken into the care of the state. For example, it may be valuable to redefine ‘education’ to include a wider range of activities and to therefore encompass a variety of potential interventions to support development and success. Additionally, there seems to be scope for working more closely with children in care when making decisions, centring their lived experiences and drawing on their insights so as to achieve a better balance of support for both formal and informal educational opportunities.","PeriodicalId":92743,"journal":{"name":"Adoption & fostering","volume":"7 1","pages":"22 - 39"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75365581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.1177/03085759231154269
H. Alderson, R. Lingam, Rebecca Brown, R. McGovern
Evidence suggests that looked after children and care leavers start to use alcohol earlier than their peers and at higher levels. Much of this epidemiological research focuses upon a pathological vulnerability within the young people concerned, but qualitative research which elicits their experiences with alcohol enables a more nuanced understanding. This article explores the experiences and reflections of young people in care regarding their exposure to and use of alcohol. Twenty qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with young people who were members of Children in Care Councils (CiCCs) across the North East of England, and a socio-ecological model was used to guide data analysis. The findings suggest that experience prior to being in care, such as witnessing the detrimental effects of alcohol misuse and transitions within the care system, can both precipitate and deter an individual’s use, particularly when entering and living in residential care. The study highlights how a mixture of social and contextual factors influence young people in care’s perceptions and use of alcohol.
{"title":"Care-experienced young people’s reflections on their relationship to and use of alcohol: A qualitative exploration","authors":"H. Alderson, R. Lingam, Rebecca Brown, R. McGovern","doi":"10.1177/03085759231154269","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/03085759231154269","url":null,"abstract":"Evidence suggests that looked after children and care leavers start to use alcohol earlier than their peers and at higher levels. Much of this epidemiological research focuses upon a pathological vulnerability within the young people concerned, but qualitative research which elicits their experiences with alcohol enables a more nuanced understanding. This article explores the experiences and reflections of young people in care regarding their exposure to and use of alcohol. Twenty qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with young people who were members of Children in Care Councils (CiCCs) across the North East of England, and a socio-ecological model was used to guide data analysis. The findings suggest that experience prior to being in care, such as witnessing the detrimental effects of alcohol misuse and transitions within the care system, can both precipitate and deter an individual’s use, particularly when entering and living in residential care. The study highlights how a mixture of social and contextual factors influence young people in care’s perceptions and use of alcohol.","PeriodicalId":92743,"journal":{"name":"Adoption & fostering","volume":"22 1","pages":"6 - 21"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87722005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.1177/03085759231162110
Lizette Nolte, Caoimhe Forbes
The profound and lasting impact of losing a child to adoption or foster care has been powerfully described, and the importance of offering therapeutic support to birth relatives is a requirement in most parts of the UK. However, little is known about effective counselling for this group. In this article, we report on the experiences of four counsellors and a project worker who offer counselling to birth relatives whose children have been removed following care proceedings. We present their reflections under four themes, namely: ‘It’s all about the person, it’s all about the relationship’; ‘Meeting clients where they are’; ‘Having a sense of achievement’; and ‘This work can really get into you’. These accounts offer valuable reflections for others offering counselling to birth relatives and their supervisors, as well as those who commission and design these services.
{"title":"Building relational trust and hope: The experiences of counsellors in a service for birth relatives whose children have been adopted or taken into care","authors":"Lizette Nolte, Caoimhe Forbes","doi":"10.1177/03085759231162110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/03085759231162110","url":null,"abstract":"The profound and lasting impact of losing a child to adoption or foster care has been powerfully described, and the importance of offering therapeutic support to birth relatives is a requirement in most parts of the UK. However, little is known about effective counselling for this group. In this article, we report on the experiences of four counsellors and a project worker who offer counselling to birth relatives whose children have been removed following care proceedings. We present their reflections under four themes, namely: ‘It’s all about the person, it’s all about the relationship’; ‘Meeting clients where they are’; ‘Having a sense of achievement’; and ‘This work can really get into you’. These accounts offer valuable reflections for others offering counselling to birth relatives and their supervisors, as well as those who commission and design these services.","PeriodicalId":92743,"journal":{"name":"Adoption & fostering","volume":"1987 1","pages":"77 - 93"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90364664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.1177/03085759231160785
T. Cane
Cultural misunderstandings, systemic barriers, restrictive policies, inconsistent and subjective views around standards and requirements have prevented families from minoritised ethnic backgrounds from successfully adopting. Such barriers have led to a reluctance to adopt and a lack of trust in the adoption system. In this article, the author argues that these barriers arise from cognitive bias which affects decision-making in adoption. The BRAC2eD model for de-biasing is introduced to support adoption assessments of individuals and families from minoritised ethnic groups. It recognises that the process of assessing prospective adopters is complex and offers strategies to de-bias. In this model, social workers are encouraged to acknowledge the existence of bias, engage in de-biasing nudges, internal conversations and reflexive processes that support challenging bias, utilise cognitive resources towards de-biasing, and change and determine proportionate decisions. The contention for appropriate language around Black, Asian, Mixed ethnic and Other minoritised groups is acknowledged. The author uses ‘minoritised ethnic groups’ as a preferred term based on her own identity, however she appreciates that those referred to may have their own preferred terms. With that in mind, social workers must understand cultural and sub-cultural differences and preferences without homogenising the people they work with.
{"title":"BRAC2eD model: An approach to de-bias decision-making in adoption assessments with prospective adopters from minoritised ethnic groups","authors":"T. Cane","doi":"10.1177/03085759231160785","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/03085759231160785","url":null,"abstract":"Cultural misunderstandings, systemic barriers, restrictive policies, inconsistent and subjective views around standards and requirements have prevented families from minoritised ethnic backgrounds from successfully adopting. Such barriers have led to a reluctance to adopt and a lack of trust in the adoption system. In this article, the author argues that these barriers arise from cognitive bias which affects decision-making in adoption. The BRAC2eD model for de-biasing is introduced to support adoption assessments of individuals and families from minoritised ethnic groups. It recognises that the process of assessing prospective adopters is complex and offers strategies to de-bias. In this model, social workers are encouraged to acknowledge the existence of bias, engage in de-biasing nudges, internal conversations and reflexive processes that support challenging bias, utilise cognitive resources towards de-biasing, and change and determine proportionate decisions. The contention for appropriate language around Black, Asian, Mixed ethnic and Other minoritised groups is acknowledged. The author uses ‘minoritised ethnic groups’ as a preferred term based on her own identity, however she appreciates that those referred to may have their own preferred terms. With that in mind, social workers must understand cultural and sub-cultural differences and preferences without homogenising the people they work with.","PeriodicalId":92743,"journal":{"name":"Adoption & fostering","volume":"27 1","pages":"58 - 76"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78732518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.1177/03085759221150018
Karen Zilberstein
Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) are two interrelated diagnoses emerging from pathogenic and insufficient care during the first few years of life. They have been reported in children who were fostered or adopted after experiencing severe early deprivation through institutionalisation, as well as youth with foster care and maltreatment histories. Substantial comorbid and overlapping difficulties often coexist with both disorders, which complicates their identification. Despite a consensus that RAD and DSED are distinctive diagnoses that capture relational behaviours not elsewhere described, many questions remain about their development and treatment. Research probing underlying mechanisms for both disorders is scarce, and only a few studies exist that chronicle potential interventions. Extant treatments tend to focus on parent management training rather than attachment-based interventions and often do not incorporate assessment of the child’s relational schemata and comorbid difficulties into interventions. This article expands on earlier interventions by detailing the current state of knowledge about RAD and DSED and their common comorbidities in children with foster care and adoption histories and by suggesting how to weave that knowledge into comprehensive assessment and treatment. Two case vignettes are presented.
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