Social Workers: Influence of the Ecological Approach on Social Practice

Social workers would assess the safety of other young people and carers around Khalid. Milner and O'Byrne (2002) provides a basic structure for social work assessments to be used in such circumstances, the structure is based on preparation, data collection, weighing the data, analysing the data and

There are many procedures, policies, legislations and statutory guidance to support the safety and welfare of children and young people. They have been developed over many years to recognise the rights of children and young people, protect vulnerable children and young people and after independent inquiries of fatal abuse cases, to recognise the failures of multi agencies and support services.

Children Act 2006 – Is an Act that defines the new duties imposed on the Local Authorities in respect to improving the Every Child Matters outcomes for pre-school children. The Act also defines new rules in relation to childcare for working parents as well as parental information services. It is aimed at improving the well-being of young children. It emphasises the importance of safeguarding children and young people within an educational setting. If a child discloses neglect or abuse; an establishment should have instructions to help the child. This could be referral to an outside organisation or internally.

Children Act 1989 – Determines the duty of early year’s practitioners to identify and meet the separate and distinctive needs of children and to keep them safe. It initiated the belief that the child ought to be at the centre of planning and that a child’s well-being and safety are vital when judgements are made concerning them. This act also recognises the accountabilities of parents in keeping their offspring safe. In this act there are two particular segments that relate to the duty of local authority with concern to child protection, these are-

The children act 1989 has influenced some settings by bringing together several sets of guidance and provided the foundation for many of the standards practitioners sustain and maintain when working with children. The act requires that settings work together in the best interests of the child and form partnerships with parents or carers. It requires settings to have appropriate adult to child ratios and policies and procedures on child protection. This act has had an influence in all areas of practice from planning a curriculum and record keeping. The every child matters framework has

This assignment will discuss “Amie’s case study” and will explore some of the risks that she is exposed too and how they can have effect on her welfare. I will start by defining what is child safeguarding centred on the legislation framework of the Children Act 2004. I will also look on what is abuse and naming types of abuse, and establish the knowledge and understanding of Assessment Framework in Amie’s case. I will also look at multi-professional strategies that can provide help and protect Amie and her siblings according to legal legislation.

In recent times safeguarding of children has once again come under spotlight with cases such as Madline McKan and the horrific murders of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells. Prior to this the Children’s act of 1984 and updated 2004 version highlighted that all professionals have an obligation to report suspected abuse. There was a public inquiry in 2000 to address the failure of the law which was not upholding the protection of vulnerable children. There was changes to the legislation and the government set up The Every Child Maters (ECM) initiative. This works in line with current legislation Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 Act. This Act authorised guidance on how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in accordance with the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004. All organisations must have the succeeding policies and procedures:

Assess strategies and methods used to minimise the harm to children, young people and their families where abuse is confirmed (M3). Justify responses where child maltreatment or abuse id suspected or confirmed, referring to current legislation and policies (D2)

Hospital social work is time limited and the focus could easily be more directed at problems rather than solutions. Patients enter the hospital with a physical problem and desire to leave with answers. In this type of environment the focus can be on the physical ailment rather than additional factors that may be contributing to physical distress. Environmental factors can promote well-being or become a barrier to wellness. An ecological perspective provides a lens to view patient systems in a broader context.

Protecting children from maltreatment also preventing impairment of children’s health or development. This ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care. Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.

* Analysing the child’s and families need’s and the level of risk or harm the child may be suffering

within this assignment I will be talking about the factors which could lead to suspicion of child maltreatment or abuse, different strategies and methods that are used in order to minimise the harm to children, young people and their families where and when the abuse is confirmed. I will also be talking about the responses where child maltreatment or abuse is suspected or confirmed relating to current legislations and policies.

Working together to safeguard children 2006 sets out how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in accordance with the Children’s Act 1989 and the Children’s Act 2004. It is important that all practitioners within settings and environments looking and caring after children and young people must know their responsibilities and duties in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people, following their legislations, policies and procedures.

This case study will draw on a practice case from a statutory Children and Families Intervention Team. The work focused on a family, whose four children had been removed from their home, and an assessment of parenting skills. The main areas of work include the first initial visit to the family home, the outcomes of the Child Protection Conference, and observing contact supervision. The themes running throughout the essay and its composition are; power, empowerment, professional/personal conflicts, removal of children, impact of neglect, gender violence and attachment theory.

The ecological perspective is a good way for a social worker to approach these cases. By applying the ecological perspective, it allows the social worker to determine the areas of a client’s life that are of great concern and need to be addressed. In Frank’s case, the social worker would talk to him about how moving in with his mother took away any independence that he had. It also caused him to lose all social support. In the case of Alice, a social worker would see that working a stressful job or having a poor diet could cause her to have a setback and end up in the hospital. By having Alice make a change in these areas of her life, it could heal her life a healthier lifestyle.