association of children’s welfare agencies developing reflective tool for engaging with socially...
TRANSCRIPT
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
Developing Reflective Tool for Engaging with Socially Isolated New Parents
Dr Wendy Foote, Deputy CEO ACWA; Adjunct Lecturer Social Work Practice UNSW
Dr Robert Urquhart, Senior Researcher ACWA; Researcher School of Social Sciences UNSW
Funded by: NSW Government Keep Them Safe (KTS) Child Protection Initiative
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
Our paper today
1. Our overall research project 2. Background3. How it was developed4. What are its uses5. Strengths and limitations6. Next steps
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
Changing Life Trajectories Project
Foote W., Urquhart, R. & Matheson, G. (2014) Changing Life
Trajectories Project. Educated, Employed but Vulnerable: Supporting Socially Isolated Mothers Through Postnatal Home
Visiting
Acknowledgments: Asra Gholami, Policy & Membership, ACWA.Partners: ACWA; The Infants’ Home Child & Family Services, Ashfield; United Way Sydney; UNSW.Other key collaborators: Inner West 4 LGA Child & Family Interagency – Working Group on Isolation; Koorana Child & Family Services, Belmore.
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
What the literature says:
• Defining the population – isolated a subset of hard-to-reach and vulnerable groups
• Engaging social isolated takes time – no one size fits all/creativity needed
• Community engagement/assertive outreach
• The characteristics of this population: why this population, with this sort of tool.
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
5
Social Relations & Social IsolationA Typology of Different Groups(Pedersen, Anderson & Curtis, 2012, p. 846)
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
How was the tool developed?
• CTL research findings - unexpected findings re isolation
• 4 LGA Child and Family Interagency – sub group
• Tools development workshop, then testing and refinement-2013
• Field Trial - Koorana, EI Disability Service 2014
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
Input from the following professionals
• Family support workers (CALD/ MRC)• Community workers (child and family)• Resources/referral services - Child and Family • Child and Family Nurses with mental illness
focus• EI Disability Social workers, educators and
family support workers
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
Koorana Field trial (EI disability family support/special education/allied
health service)
• More attention on fathers• Attach eco map and info. about beliefs about
disability
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
What worked well
• Team review and reflection • Individual review of established cased• ‘Eureka’ moment in a stuck case• Drilling down• Good for students• Right type of tool for client type – ie stigma
from disability generates isolation
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
Limitations and strengths
• Not actuarial/ or decision making
• Grounded in practice and informed by research
• To supplement and strengthen reflective practice
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
More information
• Comments and suggestions most welcome• Contact us if you want a final version
Dr Wendy Foote: [email protected]
Dr Robert Urquhart: [email protected]