Search results for ‘Subject term:"vulnerable children"’ Sort:
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A sea change on the island continent: frameworks for risk assessment, prevention and intervention in child health in Australia
- Authors:
- FRANCE Alan, UTTING David
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Society, 19(2), April 2005, pp.91-104.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This article overviews prevention and early intervention approaches focusing specifically on their relevance to the health of children and young people in Australia. Australian public health has a sound track record although concealed within the aggregate profile are a number of sub-populations with poorer health indicators. Recognition of this has increased efforts to improve the health of children and young people especially in exploring the impact of social environments within the communities where children are raised. This paper examines emerging research in this area drawing out key lessons and learning from Australian experience in the field of early intervention and prevention in community settings.
Barriers to police addressing risk to children exposed to domestic violence
- Authors:
- SAXTON Michael D., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 106, 2020, p.104554.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Children are harmed by exposure to domestic violence (DV) and in extreme cases can become homicide victims themselves. A critical role for police responding to domestic violence calls is to assess risk for future violence. Training and procedural guidelines for assessment and intervention are often focused on adult victims, and children tend to be overlooked. Objective: The objective of the current study is to identify the challenges police officers perceive in dealing with children in the context of DV occurrences. Participants, setting & methods: Interviews with police officers (n = 15) in Ontario, Canada were used to explore police officers' experiences addressing the needs of families experiencing DV. A dual deductive/inductive approach to a thematic analysis at the semantic level was undertaken (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to explore themes. Results: The major themes from the interviews centered on: (a) challenges relating to knowledge, skills, and resources; (b) challenges from discrepancies in required procedures; and (c) challenges associated to police relations with families. These challenges all impact the police response to children in DV occurrences. Conclusions: Police recognize the challenges they face in addressing children in DV occurrences. The implications for improved practice are discussed and include the need for increased collaboration, awareness, and training. (Edited publisher abstract)
Implementation evaluation of the scale-up of Graded Care Profile 2
- Authors:
- SMITH Emma, JOHNSON Robyn, ANDERSSON Tove
- Publisher:
- NSPCC
- Publication year:
- 2018
- Pagination:
- 28
- Place of publication:
- London
Findings of an implementation evaluation to identify how well the scale-up of the Graded Care Profile 2 (GCP2) worked in practice. The GCP2 is a reliable and validated assessment tool, designed to help practitioners identify when a child is at risk of neglect. As part of the NSPCC strategy (2016–2021), the GCP2 has been scaled up so that other organisations are supported to effectively use the tool. The evaluation was mixed-methods, involving surveys and interviews at two time-points: straight after training and ten months later (post-implementation). There were 46 interviews and 446 surveys in total, involving a range of professionals involved in the roll-out. Key findings include: feedback on both the training and the tool was positive – only 48 per cent reported using the GCP2 in the post-implementation (PI) survey but 92 per cent said they planned to use the tool within the next six months; participants who had received post-training support from the NSPCC felt that this had been helpful; when the tool was well embedded, practitioners felt it improved their practice and that families had benefited from their involvement in the assessment when the GCP2 was used; factors that seemed to facilitate the GCP2 roll-out included sites following a clear implementation plan, having specific GCP2- related roles, champions, management buy-in and commitment, and appropriate support systems, such as refresher training; fidelity to the model was largely seen as important and core principles appeared to be followed by sites that were continuing to roll-out GCP2; participants illustrated high levels of commitment to continuing the GCP2 roll-out and there were strong indications that this would be sustained. (Edited publisher abstract)
A minority report for social work? The Predictive Risk Model (PRM) and the Tuituia Assessment Framework in addressing the needs of New Zealand's vulnerable children
- Author:
- OAK Eileen
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 46(5), 2016, pp.1208-1223.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This article examines the viability of the Risk Predictor Model (RPM) and its counterpart the actuarial risk assessment (ARA) tool in the form of the Tuituia Assessment Framework to address child vulnerability in New Zealand. In doing so, it suggests that these types of risk-assessment tools fail to address issues of contingency and complexity at the heart of the relationship-based nature of social work practice. Such developments have considerable implications for the capacity to enhance critical reflexive practice skills, whilst the introduction of these risk tools is occurring at a time when the reflexive space is being eroded as a result of the increased regulation of practice and supervision. It is further asserted that the primary aim of such instruments is not so much to detect risk, but rather to foster professional conformity with these managerialist risk-management systems so prevalent in contemporary Western societies. (Publisher abstract)
Violence in the home
- Author:
- STEPHENSON Jo
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Now, February 2011, pp.10-11.
- Publisher:
- Haymarket
The issues social workers need to be aware of when working with families who are experiencing domestic violence are discussed. These include assessment of the risk posed to children living in an environment where there is domestic violence, the importance of multi-agency risk assessments, and need to engage with male perpetrators of violence. The role of independent domestic violence advisers who work with high-risk victims suffering ongoing domestic violence is also described.
Blackpool illuminates victims of violence
- Author:
- GARBODEN Molly
- Journal article citation:
- Community Care, 6.5.10, 2010, pp.20-21.
- Publisher:
- Reed Business Information
The introduction of children's independent domestic violence advisors and multi-agency risk assessment conferences (maracs) has improved the care of child victims of domestic violence in Blackpool. This article discuss the impact of the marac process.
The 'best interests of the child' thesis: some thoughts from Australia
- Authors:
- HANSEN Patricia, AINSWORTH Frank
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Social Welfare, 18(4), October 2009, pp.431-439.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
In the 36 years since the 1973 publication of 'Beyond the Best Interests of the Child' by Goldstein, Freud and Solnit, the phase 'the best interests of the child' has achieved biblical standing and is now embedded in childcare and protection legislation worldwide. In 1996, Goldstein, Solnit and Goldstein, with Freud, indicated a preference for the phrase 'least detrimental alternative' rather than 'the best interests of the child'. For this reason, and because the world in 2009 is a far different place from that which existed 36 years ago, the authors re-examine the phrase both in terms of its underlying thesis and how it is used in present-day childcare and protection proceedings and practice.
Time to leave substantiation behind: findings from a national probability study
- Authors:
- KOHL Patricia, JONSON-REID Melissa, DRAKE Brett
- Journal article citation:
- Child Maltreatment, 14(1), February 2009, pp.17-26.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being in the US, a national probability study of children and families investigated for child maltreatment, were analyzed to answer the question: do substantiated and unsubstantiated cases differ in rates of recidivism over 36 months? Recidivism was classified as (a) any re-reports, (b) substantiated re-reports and (c) subsequent foster care placements. Bivariate (survivor functions estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method) and multivariate (Cox regression modelling) analyses were conducted. The results revealed that risk of recidivism was similar regardless of substantiation status of the index investigation. It is suggested that the substantiation label be removed from field use. Instead, it is suggested that agencies record service needs in the families they serve, and also record whether or not the family meets criteria for referral to the family court. These would be far more practical and meaningful ways to measure child welfare services.
Perception of risk among child protection workers
- Authors:
- SULLIVAN Catherine, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 30(7), July 2008, pp.699-704.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Differences in ratings of the severity of risk for children involved in the child welfare system among less experienced and more experienced social workers are examined. Sixty-three social workers from a south western Ontario CAS participated: twenty-seven with less than three years of experience and thirty-six with more than three years of experience. Social workers read two scenarios and were asked to determine the extent of risk present to the child and indicate if that child should be taken into care. The findings indicate that social workers with different levels of experience do not differ in their perceptions of risk and in their decisions with regards to managing risk in the community. Increases in the number of children taken into care is not attributable to differential decision making based on experience.
Danger signals
- Author:
- HOPKINS Graham
- Journal article citation:
- Community Care, 18.05.06, 2006, pp.40-41.
- Publisher:
- Reed Business Information
The impact upon children of domestic violence is increasingly recognised. This article reports on a risk assessment model in Northern Ireland which is helping staff measure the dangers and plan effectively.