Exploring the perceptions of staff towards children and young people living in community-based children's homes

This article examines the perceptions of staff working in community-based children's homes. Data from interviews with staff, using the repertory grid technique, are analysed and presented in the form of a case study. Particular consideration is given to the child-worker relationship and how it might affect the quality of care provided. The findings are selected from a doctoral study and suggest that despite significant changes in the residential sector, many staff feel powerless to address the real issues and problems affecting children. Rather than confront the realities of the situation and implement strategies that empower staff, it would appear that current developments in social work continue to de-prioritize the needs of children. The authors argue that a fundamental change in residential care is needed if social work is to meet the needs of many of the most vulnerable children in society

Examining the terminology of race issues in assessments for international exchange students

This study examined assignments by students from a university in Scotland and a university in the USA, and explored the terminology used by student when referring to race issues in assignments linked to practice. The findings suggest the terminology of race issues in assessments may be inappropriate for students because they allow racism to be marginalized from practice or presented in a way that conveys little analysis

Examining professionals' critical thinking about children who pose a serious threat to others

Concerns have been raised about the quality of child-care professionals' critical thinking and analytical skills. This study examines the critical thinking demonstrated by professionals when discussing risk in relation to vulnerable children. Data were collected from thirty consultation meetings, each of which focused on assessing the risks of a child who presented a serious threat of harm to others. Discourse analysis is used to examine the way in which critical thinking about risk is discussed at the consultation meetings. The findings suggest that critical thinking is demonstrated by professionals in ways that differentiate between potential harm and actual harm, and in relation to harm children pose to themselves and to other people. Also, the willingness of professionals to ask relevant questions and challenge each other is an important way of prompting individuals to demonstrate critical thinking. However, professionals tend to demonstrate a relatively narrow conceptualisation of critical thinking. This narrow conceptualisation cannot be reduced solely to the abilities or traits of an individual or professional group and it is argued that the bureaucratic and procedural demands of organisations in relation to vulnerable children may be an important factor in limiting the way professionals demonstrate critical thinking

Household, production and the organisation of cooperative labour in Shixini, Transkei

Incidences of cooperation in agricultural activity are widespread phenomena in low-income third world communities. Two forms of cooperative labour groupings are identified in Shixini, Transkei . These are the work party and the ploughing company. It is argued that different organisational principles operate in the different cooperative forms. Work parties are based on principles of neighbourhood whi Ie ploughing companies are organised around kinship relationships. Factors which determine the principle of organisation are social values; the wider South African economic system; ecology; reciprocity; the constitution and structure of the household; economic differentiation; and labour demand and supply. The dissertation is divided into five chapters. The first is an overview of the Shixini social, economic and political systems. This chapter discusses the influence of the wider South African politico-economic system on agricultural production; the Shixini!Transkei political context; kinship and its relation to social organisation; and the likely effects of an agricultural 'betterment' scheme on the area. The second chapter is an overview of agricultural production in Shixini. It is found that the most significant determinants of agricultural production is the structure and constitution of the household and the way in which stock is distributed in the community. The third and fourth chapters describe and analyse Xhosa work parties and ploughing companies . Argument is lead as to the reasons for the specific organisational principles operating in each case. The penultimate chapter is an analysis of sacred and secular ritual. It is argued that both ritual forms reveal cooperative principles of organisation. Secular ritual dramatises the organisation of work parties while sacred ritual dramatises kinship relationships and so, the organisation of ploughing companies.KMBT_36

Using practical philosophy to enhance the self-regulation of children in secure accommodation

Secure accommodation provides extreme forms of control and support for a small minority of society’s most vulnerable children. Within such environments it is unclear how children exhibit or develop self-regulation when external controls affect every aspect of day-to-day life. This study provides an insight into self-regulation by examining children’s adherence to the rules associated with a practical form of philosophy, namely Community of Philosophical Inquiry (CoPI). Data was collected from a series of CoPI sessions which took place in secure accommodation and a thematic analysis was used to identify key themes emerging from participants’ rule-adherence. The findings suggest that argumentative dialogue allows children to demonstrate self-regulation in relation to the CoPI rules, although it is often sporadic and variable between individuals. Whilst encouraging argumentation and dialogue can seem counterintuitive, it might promote more adaptive behaviours, which will give children in secure accommodation greater control over their lives

Breaking into secure : Introducing philosophical discussions to young people in secure accommodation

Summary -- This article explores a unique project that introduced a 10-week programme of practical Philosophy with Children to young people living in secure accommodation. It aimed to gauge the extent to which young people in secure accommodation were able to engage in philosophical dialogue and to explore the challenges and opportunities in introducing practical philosophy to young people in secure accommodation. Transcripts of 10 philosophical dialogues were analysed and young people and staff working with them were also interviewed. Findings -- Following 10 weeks of Community of Philosophical Inquiry sessions, it was evident that the young people were not only able to engage in philosophical dialogue, but also they responded positively to the structures of the sessions. While it may seem counter-intuitive to teach young people to argue, the structures offered by Community of Philosophical Inquiry appear to have been positive in terms of providing young people with the freedom to express their ideas, engage collaboratively with one another, and self-regulate their behaviour. Applications -- Although secure accommodation can be described as a controlling environment, the model adopted in this study suggests that some forms of control, such as those offered in the practical philosophy sessions, may be liberating for young people in these contexts. This study offers those working with young people in secure accommodation a new perspective on young people’s thinking and a new approach for supporting young people in their care and as they transition to the wider world

Digital storytelling using co-production with vulnerable young people

Summary: The importance of listening to young people is enshrined in legislative and policy frameworks and is integral to the children’s rights agenda. However, social work has often struggled to give a voice to vulnerable young people, especially when their views conflict with adult perspectives. This project pioneers the use of digital storytelling using a co-productive approach to address an ongoing deficit in the way accommodated young people express their views at key decision making forums. A four-day residential retreat was used as the venue for co-constructing a digital story and collecting data about young people’s experiences of the process. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes emerging from participants’ accounts of their experiences. Findings: The findings suggest that child care meetings should be re-conceptualized as a process in which young people undertake the role of educator, rather than their current positioning as passive information giver. The shift from a passive provider of information to educator is theorised by linking the concepts of scaffolding and Zone of Proximal Development to co-production. Applications: This study expands current conceptualisations of co-production as an approach to digital storytelling that holds transformative potential for genuine inclusion of children’s voices in decision-making forums. Whilst the study focused on accommodated young people, the findings are relevant to other service user groups. New technology presents exciting opportunities for practitioners and policy makers to involve those most excluded in society, and at a time when key decisions are made about their lives

Reconceptualising protective factors in response to risk with vulnerable children

Summary -- The quality and robustness of childcare professionals’ thinking about protective factors is crucial to interventions with vulnerable children. Yet, protective factors in childcare are under-conceptualised in policy and practice and have been overshadowed by the concept of risk. This study uses discourse analysis to examine how childcare professionals discuss protective factors in response to risk and in a way that demonstrates critical thinking. Findings -- Data is collected from 30 consultation meetings, which involve a total of 109 professionals. The consultation meetings focus on the assessment of a child who presents a serious risk of harm to others and who are themselves at risk. The findings suggest that professionals do discuss protective factors in response to risk, however, it occurs on a ratio of approximately one to nine, which suggests a level of separation in the way these terms are conceptualised in practice. Application -- It is suggested that a professional construct of ‘protective factors versus risk’, which is applied with critical thinking, will offer a more robust way of conceptualising the support provided to vulnerable children. Whilst professionals have to analyse risk in terms of what is wrong, it is equally crucial to include protective factors in a strategy for it to work. A starting point is for professionals to re-construct protective factors and risk and apply it with critical thinking to core elements of social work practice, such as assessments, multi-disciplinary meetings and the verbal communications with service users

Young people in secure accommodation : self-regulation through Community of Philosophical Inquiry

In this presentation we will report on a ten-week project that used Community of Philosophical Inquiry (CoPI) with young people aged between fourteen and seventeen in secure accommodation (locked provision). The project examined CoPI as a potentially supportive and challenging activity that might enhance the self-regulation of young people in secure care. Interventions within secure accommodation tend to focus on creating a positive living environment using, for example, prosocial modelling, behaviour modification, life space intervention and opportunity led work (Smith, 2005). Part of the problem in selecting a specific intervention is in prioritising the behaviour or problem to be targeted. Children in secure care are among the most damaged and vulnerable in society and many have experienced highly stressful and chaotic family circumstances. For Duckworth et al ‘Self-regulation thus becomes a potential key, not only to academic attainment, but also to issues around behaviour and discipline’ (2009, p. 22). Children in secure care are often likely to have poor self-regulation and might find interventions aimed at improving self-regulatory skills particularly beneficial. This study focussed on using CoPI as a way of developing self-regulatory strength. Encouraging extremely vulnerable young people to argue can seem counter intuitive. However, the process of arguing requires judgements and control over feelings, especially when participants are frustrated, excited or angry. We proposed that increasing children’s ability to follow the rules will strengthen self-regulation and be beneficial in helping them cope with real life situations within and outside secure settings. Learning to argue will also help to reduce the risk of conflictual situations escalating out of control. Therefore, arguing is a self-regulatory resource that might promote adaptive behaviours and reduce aggressive behaviour. Examining the adherence to, or breaking of, CoPI rules provides an insight into the existence and development of young people’s self-regulatory skills in secure accommodation. Following analysis of recorded dialogues and interviews with staff and the young people, three main themes emerged from the study: issues relating to the dialogue; the lived experiences of the young people; and the structures involved in and surrounding the sessions. The presentation will address each of these themes. We will conclude by sharing findings that suggest the young people were able to self-regulate during the sessions and that the structure of CoPI appears to have supported this. Further, the young people engaged with the process and were able to regulate their often volatile behaviour to work with others without the session deteriorating. The young people clearly identified with the group. It appears, therefore, that there is something in the structure of the practice that encourages the young people to self-regulate in a manner that does not seem to be evident at other times in the Centre. We will also share lessons learned from the project in relation to working with young people in secure accommodation

Using philosophical inquiry to support vulnerable young people's identities and transitions

This paper shares initial findings from a Community of Philosophical Inquiry (CoPI) project offered to young people within a secure residential setting in order that they might develop the confidence and skills that will be useful to their lives and that will be transferable to the wider community on leaving the Centre. Secure residential settings such as the Centre where the study takes place are reserved for young people who have committed serious crimes. The outcomes for individuals leaving secure care are extremely poor. Addressing such difficulties whilst in secure care is complex and requires a range of interventions. In this project, CoPI is used as a unique approach to augment other strategies used in the Centre in helping to address complex needs such as emotional and physical neglect and/or abuse, trauma, and personal behaviour that have placed the young people and others at considerable risk. Evidence will demonstrate whether participation supports them to communicate more effectively and build better relationships with others. These aspects are often acutely limited for young people who have been placed in secure accommodation and CoPI offers them opportunities to think about their own wellbeing, including issues of safety and risk. Given the vulnerability of the young people, there is increasing pressure on staff in such settings to operate from evidence-based practice and it is hoped that this project supports their work