Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
Publication year:
2022
Pagination:
19
Place of publication:
Glasgow
The terms 'non-engagement' and 'non-compliance' describe deliberate behaviours that aim to reduce professional intervention. The term 'disguised non-compliance' in social work refers to uncooperative and hostile behaviours from parents, initially masked by a short period of cooperation that seeks to draw practitioners' attention away from any concerns. Disguised non-compliance socio-political discourses which stress individual failings, not social inequality and injustice. Subtle forms of discrimination can come into play. For example, parents experiencing multiple adversities might be seen and labelled as a group that commonly exhibits behaviours associated with disguised non-compliance. Disguised non-compliance can impact social workers' decision-making, focusing on parental
(Edited publisher abstract)
The terms 'non-engagement' and 'non-compliance' describe deliberate behaviours that aim to reduce professional intervention. The term 'disguised non-compliance' in social work refers to uncooperative and hostile behaviours from parents, initially masked by a short period of cooperation that seeks to draw practitioners' attention away from any concerns. Disguised non-compliance is not a well-defined or commonly understood term. There is currently no research that identifies the reasons for disguised non-compliance. Consequently, risk assessments or subsequent interventions may not be proportionate to what is required to protect children. To understand the reasons for non-compliance, social workers need to ask whether parental feelings of shame come into play, shaped by dominant socio-political discourses which stress individual failings, not social inequality and injustice. Subtle forms of discrimination can come into play. For example, parents experiencing multiple adversities might be seen and labelled as a group that commonly exhibits behaviours associated with disguised non-compliance. Disguised non-compliance can impact social workers' decision-making, focusing on parental behaviours without taking other factors into account. There should be a greater focus on shared parent-professional responsibility for successful engagement and for social workers to have a more critical understanding of socio-economic context and how power (and shame) shapes this. An exclusive and separate focus on the child's needs to address risks is needed. A position of 'respectful uncertainty' should be maintained in assessing risk and the interconnected factors which contribute to the complexity of decision-making in child protection.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
social work, social worker-service user relationships, non-compliant behaviour, parents, child protection;
British Journal of Social Work, 51(3), 2021, pp.945-963.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
This qualitative study explored how professionals and parents with mental illness experience their relationships with each other, what aspects of interaction promote a constructive relationship and the role of wider organisational and systemic factors. A purposive sample of 30 adult mental health and children’s services professionals, and 21 parents completed semi-structured interviews. Professionals’ transparent, non-judgemental, empathetic and positive approach and ability to form partnerships and to share power with parents were keys in building trusting relationships with them. Professionals’ capacity to use limited self-disclosure of their own personal experiences (i.e. parenting) enabled them to develop constructive relationships with parents. Equally, important was parents’ willingness to form partnerships with professionals and to accept a whole family approach to service delivery. Professionals’ limited understanding of mental illness and focus on administration hindered their relationships with parents. An understanding of what constitutes a constructive relationship between professionals and parents and how it develops may help professionals to reflect upon how they engage parents and to do it well. It may also assist organisations to develop the necessary structures and resources to create the conditions for promoting constructive engagement between professionals and parents.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This qualitative study explored how professionals and parents with mental illness experience their relationships with each other, what aspects of interaction promote a constructive relationship and the role of wider organisational and systemic factors. A purposive sample of 30 adult mental health and children’s services professionals, and 21 parents completed semi-structured interviews. Professionals’ transparent, non-judgemental, empathetic and positive approach and ability to form partnerships and to share power with parents were keys in building trusting relationships with them. Professionals’ capacity to use limited self-disclosure of their own personal experiences (i.e. parenting) enabled them to develop constructive relationships with parents. Equally, important was parents’ willingness to form partnerships with professionals and to accept a whole family approach to service delivery. Professionals’ limited understanding of mental illness and focus on administration hindered their relationships with parents. An understanding of what constitutes a constructive relationship between professionals and parents and how it develops may help professionals to reflect upon how they engage parents and to do it well. It may also assist organisations to develop the necessary structures and resources to create the conditions for promoting constructive engagement between professionals and parents.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
parents, mental health problems, social work, mental health services, staff-user relationships;
Journal of Family Social Work, 20(1), 2017, pp.26-40.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
Military families face not only the same challenges as other families, but also unique issues due to their military involvement. Parenting programs for civilian families can be helpful, but they do not generally cover the specific issues faced by military families. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gather information from a focus group of eight service providers about the types of issues that affect military families, such that content and delivery of workshops at a social service agency could be formed to specifically cater to military families. This study utilized a phenomenological approach, and analyses revealed areas for social service involvement around the cycle of deployment. Specifically, social services could be helpful by using psychoeducational and normalization techniques around the five major themes that resulted from this study: (1) the issues of servicemembers psychologically withdrawing before deployment, (2) family cohesion and connectedness during and after deployment, (3) family stability during reintegration of the service member, (4) military families experience many of the same challenges that nonmilitary families do (such as domestic violence and financial issues), and (5) utilizing a military culture framework for all military family programs.
(Publisher abstract)
Military families face not only the same challenges as other families, but also unique issues due to their military involvement. Parenting programs for civilian families can be helpful, but they do not generally cover the specific issues faced by military families. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gather information from a focus group of eight service providers about the types of issues that affect military families, such that content and delivery of workshops at a social service agency could be formed to specifically cater to military families. This study utilized a phenomenological approach, and analyses revealed areas for social service involvement around the cycle of deployment. Specifically, social services could be helpful by using psychoeducational and normalization techniques around the five major themes that resulted from this study: (1) the issues of servicemembers psychologically withdrawing before deployment, (2) family cohesion and connectedness during and after deployment, (3) family stability during reintegration of the service member, (4) military families experience many of the same challenges that nonmilitary families do (such as domestic violence and financial issues), and (5) utilizing a military culture framework for all military family programs.
(Publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
armed forces personnel, social work, families, parents, family relations;
British Journal of Social Work, 41(7), October 2011, pp.1251-1270.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
This study explored the decision making processes of social workers in child protection social work. Meaning was assigned to clients' behaviours in a context containing multiple competing discourses relating to the nature and cause of clients' problems. Participants included 19 social workers, 5 parents, 5 foster parents and 3 young people. The study asked workers to describe cases they felt of change and honest in their dealings with workers. In conclusion, the author suggests that these ways of viewing children and parents contributed to maintaining relationships with clients despite the challenges.
This study explored the decision making processes of social workers in child protection social work. Meaning was assigned to clients' behaviours in a context containing multiple competing discourses relating to the nature and cause of clients' problems. Participants included 19 social workers, 5 parents, 5 foster parents and 3 young people. The study asked workers to describe cases they felt ‘pleased with’ and explain the reasoning processes they used in those cases. It also asked clients their views of decisions made about them. Findings revealed that workers valued family maintenance and sought to strengthen this while managing risk. In the cases selected by social workers, the causes of clients' problems were constructed in non-blaming ways, and they viewed clients as being capable of change and honest in their dealings with workers. In conclusion, the author suggests that these ways of viewing children and parents contributed to maintaining relationships with clients despite the challenges.
Subject terms:
parents, social work, young people, child protection, decision making;
SOCIAL CARE INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE, BLEWETT James, GUPTA Anna, TUNSTILL Jane
Publisher:
Social Care Institute for Excellence
Publication year:
2008
Place of publication:
London
When using services, parents have reported that they encounter discriminatory attitudes from some professionals on the basis that they are poor. This e-learning resource seeks to help you understand the positive steps that can be taken to building good relationships with parents in poverty. Having first thought about what families value in professional relationships, you will then watch different
When using services, parents have reported that they encounter discriminatory attitudes from some professionals on the basis that they are poor. This e-learning resource seeks to help you understand the positive steps that can be taken to building good relationships with parents in poverty. Having first thought about what families value in professional relationships, you will then watch different family members, who have experienced or are experiencing poverty, discuss issues which they value as good practice from the point of view of people who use services. You will then be asked to look at some of the steps that families feel practitioners can take to make a positive difference in their work with a family that is living in poverty. This is followed by a conclusion and a final video message
Subject terms:
parents, poverty, service users, social exclusion, social work, e-learning, good practice;
SOCIAL CARE INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE, BLEWETT James, GUPTA Anna, TUNSTILL Jane
Publisher:
Social Care Institute for Excellence
Publication year:
2008
Place of publication:
London
All of us who work with families carry into our work a whole set of beliefs and values about family life and how children should be cared for. This learning object is designed to make you aware of these personal values and how they might impact on your practice. This learning object explores the way that personal values can effect the way you deal with families and seeks to help make practitioners aware of the impact and implications that this can have. You will be asked to capture your initial thoughts relating to 3 case study images depicting different aspects of family life. Afterwards you will hear three child care professionals discussing their thoughts on each case study and the care that they would provide. After listening to these extracts you will be asked to reflect upon whether these individuals allowed their personal values and beliefs to affect the way that they responded to each case study. This is followed by a conclusion highlighting the codes of practice for child care professionals.
All of us who work with families carry into our work a whole set of beliefs and values about family life and how children should be cared for. This learning object is designed to make you aware of these personal values and how they might impact on your practice. This learning object explores the way that personal values can effect the way you deal with families and seeks to help make practitioners aware of the impact and implications that this can have. You will be asked to capture your initial thoughts relating to 3 case study images depicting different aspects of family life. Afterwards you will hear three child care professionals discussing their thoughts on each case study and the care that they would provide. After listening to these extracts you will be asked to reflect upon whether these individuals allowed their personal values and beliefs to affect the way that they responded to each case study. This is followed by a conclusion highlighting the codes of practice for child care professionals.
Subject terms:
parents, poverty, service users, social exclusion, social work, e-learning, good practice;
Qualitative Social Work, 20(5), 2021, pp.1356-1373.
Publisher:
Sage
Life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses in children have profound implications for all family members, many of whom experience unmet health and support needs. Guided by literature on family-centered care and an Interpretive Description methodology, qualitative focus group interviews were conducted with 18 parental caregivers and health care and support providers to explore family experiences and identify care and support needs across the illness trajectory. Data analysis resulted in three themes related to parental participation in children’s medical care, parental and familial psychological well-being, and social support needs. These inter-related themes reflect the complex nature of family life with childhood illness, highlighting families’ holistic needs and how children’s physical and psychological care is intertwined with the psychological and social well-being of the family system. Additionally, the findings revealed the significance of communication to parental caregivers’ hope, coping, and well-being. The findings add depth to existing literature, and identify opportunities for addressing families’ unmet needs, with specific attention to the role that social workers can play in facilitating family-centred care to promote effective support of parental caregivers. As such, the findings emphasize the important contributions that social workers can make within health care teams and in educational settings to optimize parents’ ability to care for ill children while maintaining family functioning and well-being, and as advocates for social and policy change.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses in children have profound implications for all family members, many of whom experience unmet health and support needs. Guided by literature on family-centered care and an Interpretive Description methodology, qualitative focus group interviews were conducted with 18 parental caregivers and health care and support providers to explore family experiences and identify care and support needs across the illness trajectory. Data analysis resulted in three themes related to parental participation in children’s medical care, parental and familial psychological well-being, and social support needs. These inter-related themes reflect the complex nature of family life with childhood illness, highlighting families’ holistic needs and how children’s physical and psychological care is intertwined with the psychological and social well-being of the family system. Additionally, the findings revealed the significance of communication to parental caregivers’ hope, coping, and well-being. The findings add depth to existing literature, and identify opportunities for addressing families’ unmet needs, with specific attention to the role that social workers can play in facilitating family-centred care to promote effective support of parental caregivers. As such, the findings emphasize the important contributions that social workers can make within health care teams and in educational settings to optimize parents’ ability to care for ill children while maintaining family functioning and well-being, and as advocates for social and policy change.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
parents, carers, holistic care, social work, interprofessional relations, physical illness;
DAHL Silje Louise, ANDENES Ellen Madssen, DAHL Johanne Yttri
Journal article citation:
Journal of Children's Services, 16(1), 2021, pp.1-12.
Publisher:
Emerald
Purpose: This study aims at a better understanding of parents’ identity work when their parenting skills are questioned, in an organizational setting. The parents in this study were assessed as at risk of unsatisfactory parental functioning because of problems related to drugs, mental health and/or psychosocial functioning, and they were observed and offered guidance at an extended health centre in Norway. The study explores how individual self-presentations are interwoven with and dependent on organizational narratives of identity. Design/methodology/approach: Based on an analysis of 16 qualitative interviews, three exemplary cases are analyzed in detail. Narrative identity and professional gaze constitute the theoretical framework. Findings: Parents and service providers negotiate which to parents’ identity needs should be an integral part of services provided. If parents are to cooperate with state services and engage in interventions, their needs for preserving an acceptable and coherent self-narrative must be considered. Originality/value: This paper adds to the understanding of how identity work is a central feature of service provision. It also adds to the literature on relationships
(Edited publisher abstract)
Purpose: This study aims at a better understanding of parents’ identity work when their parenting skills are questioned, in an organizational setting. The parents in this study were assessed as at risk of unsatisfactory parental functioning because of problems related to drugs, mental health and/or psychosocial functioning, and they were observed and offered guidance at an extended health centre in Norway. The study explores how individual self-presentations are interwoven with and dependent on organizational narratives of identity. Design/methodology/approach: Based on an analysis of 16 qualitative interviews, three exemplary cases are analyzed in detail. Narrative identity and professional gaze constitute the theoretical framework. Findings: Parents and service providers negotiate which organizational narratives of identity are available, and the narratives are integrated in parents’ self-presentations in different ways. The most common strategy is to accept the organizational narratives offered, but they are also transformed and rejected. The experience of being seen by an empathic professional gaze contributes to the creation of an acceptable self-narrative. Practical implications: Tending to parents’ identity needs should be an integral part of services provided. If parents are to cooperate with state services and engage in interventions, their needs for preserving an acceptable and coherent self-narrative must be considered. Originality/value: This paper adds to the understanding of how identity work is a central feature of service provision. It also adds to the literature on relationships between identity narratives at different levels of society.
(Edited publisher abstract)