Displaying 1 - 10 of 44
Developing consistent collaborative working relationships between foster carers and social workers are important as they impact fostering stability and thus, the outcomes of children in foster care. This paper suggests a new framework, Trauma-informed Foster Care that was developed to reflect the experience of the Irish foster care system, may be helpful to support more collaborative practices between foster carers and social workers in an Irish context. Firstly, the paper explores the relationships between foster carers and social workers drawing on relevant literature. Secondly, the Trauma-…
Abstract
The literature on alternative care focuses overwhelmingly on formal, court-ordered placements; voluntary care placements are discussed less frequently. Least attention of all has been given to informal kinship care placements, where a child is cared for by relatives but is not formally in the legal care of state authorities. In Ireland, these placements, when facilitated by state authorities in lieu of a care order or voluntary care agreement, are known by professionals as ‘private family arrangements’. This article explores evidence which shows that the use of such arrangements…
Abstract
Fostering stability is at the core of foster care as it is the pathway for children to experience enduring relationships (Vanderwill et al., 2020). However, in practice, achieving stability can be challenging as it is a multifaceted phenomenon. A unique research collaborative was set up in 2016 between Tusla, the Child and Family Agency and University College Cork (UCC) that had an overarching aim to reduce fostering instability. The research project sought to contribute to addressing the challenges of achieving fostering stability by applying the approach of…
Abstract
A subset of young people in state care will remain in care until they reach the age of majority in their country, at which point they are said to “age out” of the care system. These young people are understood to be facing additional hardships in the transition to adulthood by virtue of their potentially reduced social capital and, thus, smaller personal safety nets. This group has been the subject of some study, particularly outcomes research, to better understand this transition. However, a recurring critique of the field is the lack of theorizing about the transition out of…
Abstract
There is growing interest in the development of evidence supporting therapeutic interventions in social work. Few examples, however, exist, of the use of validated instrumentation in measuring the impact of services upon children and families. We report here on the use of a suite of validated instruments to measure the impact of services on children and their parents in receipt of services provided by an Irish Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) across their seven family centres. The NGO engaged a team of university-based researchers who provided training in the use of validated…
Abstract:
The current status of the effectiveness of trauma-informed interventions for foster carers can be described as an emergent body of knowledge. This paper examines the implications of trauma-informed care research recently carried out in Ireland. The research produced an evidenced-based trauma-informed care psychoeducational group-based program for foster carers. The introduction of this systemically developed trauma-informed care program for foster carers is a new departure within child services in Ireland. The implications of this research are discussed in the context of…
Abstract
Resulting from the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, EPIC (Empowering People in Care) decided to contact all young people’s residential centres in Ireland. Often the young people that live in residential homes are the forgotten children in care, so it was important to reach out to ensure that their issues were being heard. The survey concentrated on the needs of the young people, issues affecting staff, how work practices had changed and what extra supports were needed. The responses were positive on many levels and certainly the voices of the…
Abstract
A strong rationale for the collective participation of young people in care regarding decisions related to their care experience is evident in literature and statutory reports. However international research demonstrates challenges relating to participation in the childcare system. This includes context specific factors relating to issues in the field of child protection and welfare, along with more universal challenges such as access and diversity of representation, the imposition of adult formats and agendas and limits to the level of influence achieved. This paper reflects on…
Abstract
Background
Institutional childhood abuse (ICA) represents a chronic and severe form of childhood maltreatment and is associated with a host of adverse outcomes. However, there is some evidence to suggest that survivors can also experience positive psychological change after institutional childhood abuse and neglect.
Objective
To examine the lived experiences of posttraumatic growth (PTG) in adult survivors of institutional childhood abuse.
Participants and setting
Nine survivors of historical institutional abuse in Ireland ranging in age from 41 to 75 years (M…
This book examines how child protection law has been shaped by the transition to late modernity and how it copes with the ever-changing concept of risk.
The book traces the evolution of the contemporary child protection system through historical changes, assessing the factors that have influenced the development of legal responses to abuse over a 130-year period. It does so by focussing on the Republic of Ireland where child protection has become emblematic of wider social change. The work draws on a wide range of primary and secondary sources including legislation, case law and official…