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Moving Forward: CAS Collaborative Practice Susan Blundon Erin Henry Bailey McNamara

Moving Forward: CAS Collaborative Practice Susan Blundon Erin Henry Bailey McNamara Meghan Simmons. Introduction.

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Moving Forward: CAS Collaborative Practice Susan Blundon Erin Henry Bailey McNamara

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  1. Moving Forward: CAS Collaborative Practice Susan Blundon Erin Henry Bailey McNamara Meghan Simmons

  2. Introduction We would like to shift the discourse of child protection from one focusing on ‘risk’ and ‘safety’ to one focused on ‘safety’ and ‘well-being’ of children. In doing this, we are attempting to broaden the focus to be more holistic—taking into account both a child’s family of origin and potential care situation.

  3. History of Child Protection in Canada Child Protection has had the tendency to swing, like a pendulum between a rhetoric of family preservation and risk management

  4. Child in Need of Protective Services TransformationAn Opportunity for a Swing towards the Middle? The Grab 1960’s to Mid 70’s Family Preservation 1980’s to 2000 ORAM 2000 to 2005 Blind Faith or Optimistically Naïve Approach Either “Trust us we are the experts” or “They are oppressed by Society, it is not their fault” & we then ignore signs of safety & enable further harm Risk Reduction, Inspectoral Approach Think Dirty, Deficit-based, Liability focused, Adversarial & Formulaic Transformation 2005 +…? Research-Based, Collaborative Best Practice Approach Outcome focused, Evidenced based, Collaborative Relationships with Clients

  5. Looking Forward Towards Collaboration Collaborative Child Welfare: “a system in which child protection agencies use casework and community development skills to engage parents and communities in the protection of children” (Dumbrill 2005, p.6) It involves the adoption of a system where workers and parents co-operate to support the best interests of children thereby reducing child abuse and neglect.

  6. Looking Forward Towards Collaboration Collaboration happens at various levels… Organization/Community Workers Parents/Caregivers Children

  7. ORGANIZATION Current Issues: System is individualizing and pathologizing – Blames the Victim Adversarial – Worker’s role is as investigator and focus is risk assessment/management— ‘When in Doubt, Take them Out’ Lack of time for Case Management—70% of time spent on paperwork, 30% spent on frontline ORAM– Does not allow for human/structural components (eg. Thorpes – domestic violence – mother blaming for failing to protect rather than holding perpetrator accountable)

  8. Inability to help families obtain affordable housing, adequate income, educational and employment opportunities, or family respite. Negative image in community Lack of permanency for foster children. Lack of diversity among staff Inadequate funding

  9. Moving Forward: Organization Collaborative Child Welfare Model: Wellbeing of the child placed in care as a focus – Collaboration between caregivers and workers. Accountability vs. Blame Further collaboration between supervisors and workers Cutback burden of paperwork, increase case management time Clear Domestic Violence policy that aims to support women in leaving and holding perpetrators accountable, rather than blame mothers for failure to protect Varied collaboration models for aboriginal communities that take into account history of colonization and community and governing structures Demystifying and unmasking power relationships

  10. Workers Current Issues: • Case loads/comprehensiveness of case management • Time is consumed by process, consultation and documentation. Use of courts also reduces a worker’s ability to provide direct client services. • Low job satisfaction for front-line staff and higher turnover rates. • Staff are overwhelmed and overworked by administrative demands. • Worker burn out • Attitudes– Assumptions, Paternalistic, Guilty until proven innocent.

  11. Moving Forward: Workers Need to step outside the role of expert, abandon paternalism and focus on collaboration. Split Roles: Child Protection Worker and Parental Advocate Parental Advocate - Provide information about rights/ supports - Two people sharing a case. - Would facilitate a plan of action (taking away fatigue) - Separate from the investigation process. A mediator in the system. - Case management. - Advocates for Supports (parenting classes, confidential counselling, anger management, domestic violence supports, immigration).

  12. Moving Forward: Workers Perhaps the most significant form of transformation required is that of the social worker’s own portfolio of biases and assumptions. Ensuring the safety of a child should never be compromised in order to develop a positive relationship with a parent. More training (anti-oppressive practice, attachment, separation and loss, gender violence, cultural competence, trauma counselling)

  13. Caregivers/Parents Issues • Mother Blaming: • Stigma and negative perceptions of CAS • Separate systems: compartmentalization of issues (domestic violence, poverty, child welfare) Moving Forward into Collaborative Practice • caregivers/parents rate more satisfaction with workers who they perceive as fair, open, respectful, punctual, reliable; who encourage and support them, are understanding and non-judgmental, clear about roles and issues, and who LISTEN to them • building partnerships: helps to decrease parents’ feelings of powerlessness and gives a sense they have input into the direction of their own lives

  14. Children and Youth Current Issues: Children and youth being taken out of homes at alarmingly high rates Problems with attachment and loss – can lead to emotional/behavioural issues – cycles continue, no intervention Disproportionate numbers of youth in care end up on the street, underemployed, undereducated, and beginning parenthood earlier relative to their peers.

  15. Children and Youth: Moving Forward Paradigm shift from ‘risk’ and ‘safety’ to one focused on ‘safety’ and ‘well-being’ of children Holistic approach that looks at: - safety of child in home - trauma associated with apprehension - disruption to attachment processes - losses including loss of personal/community identity apart from being a ‘child in care’ - structural barriers

  16. Children and Youth: Moving Forward Important questions to ask: - Is it in the best interest of the child and their overall safety and wellbeing to remove them from their home? - In what ways could we support or collaborate with this/these parents to improve the overall wellbeing/safety of these children? - If removal from the home is essential, what can we do to counteract negative effects of apprehension? In what ways can our interventions be holistic?

  17. Children and Youth: Moving Forward Both children and youth should receive emotional support around their previous family life and the losses they have suffered Witnessing or survivor of violence groups for children Therapy for children and youth in care to work on past trauma and losses, build self-esteem Strategies for dealing with the frequent upheavals (of workers or placements) that children and youth in care must cope with should be formulated. Perhaps, some type of community mentorship program? Engaging children and youth to be members of society through recreation, etc. Social engagement very important. Children and youth should have input into their care. Collaboration/Empowerment. Move away from paternalism and ageism.

  18. “To what extent are we, as a society, prepared to empower young people? At what ages, and in what circumstances are we prepared to put children and young people in the driving seat? Is society prepared to provide appropriate adults with a mandate to act as listeners, supporters and advisors to young people, rather than insisting that they take the role of rescuers, whatever the outcomes for young people themselves?”   (Jack 1997, p. 666)

  19. Youth: Moving Forward Youth workers who have specialized skills Collaboration and Empowerment of Youth – Youth have say in their care allowed to make mistakes – part of development Need for stability and predictability – Need to be able to maintain contact with foster parents, social workers and other significant others after leave care. Need to build stable role models Lots of supports (including financial) transitioning out of care. Financial incentives to succeed– government commitment to finance higher education for youth without permanent guardian.

  20. Conclusion: We believe that collaboration is the way forward in child protection. However, in order to make significant changes in our ability to protect children and support families, we as a society need to make it a priority. Issues affecting families do not exist in a silo; they are interactive Must be able to connect private troubles with public issues – address the structural links between practice and social context History should not repeat itself – pay attention to discourses in child protection to avoid this We need to increase social assistance funding, subsidized housing, subsidized child care and community resources.

  21. MIRACLE QUESTION: How would you know things were different?

  22. References • "The CAS Workers and Supervisors Survey Manual" (Various CAS Agencies-OACAS Disc) • Dumbrill, Gary C. (2005) "Child Welfare in Ontario: Developing a Collaborative Intervention Model" • (http://socserv.mcmaster.ca/dumbrill/pdf/Child_Welfare_in_Ontario.pdf) • Anglin, James P. (2002). "Risk, Well-Being, and Paramountcy in Child Protection: The Need for Transformation" (Child & Youth Care Forum, 31(4), August 2002 pg. 233-255) • Healey, K. "Participation and Child Protection: the Importance of Context" (British Journal of Social Work, 28, pg. 897-914, 1998) • The Children's Aid Society of Ottawa website (http://www.casott.on.ca/EN/protection-services/related-services.htm) Related Services-Family Support Program • Jack, G. (1997) Discourses of child protection and child welfare. British Journal of Social Work, 27, pp. 659-678 • “CAS Recommendations… United Way Research” (Children's Aid Society of London Middlesex- OACAS Disc)

  23. Pennell, J. & Burford, G. (2000). Family group decision making: protecting women and children. Child Welfare League of America, 79, pp. 131-158 • Tunnell, A & Edwards, S. (1999). Notes on Signs of safety : a solution and safety oriented approach to child protection casework. Pp 1-14 (OACAS Disc) • Trotter, C. (2002) Worker Skill and Client Outcome in Child Protection. Child Abuse Review Vol. 11 (38-50). • Davies, L. & Krane, J. (1996). Shaking the Legacy of Mother Blaming: No Easy Task for Child Welfare. Journal of Progressive Human Services, 7, pp. 3-27 • “Change Cycle Parents” (Diagram- OACAS Disc) • “Research-Based, Collaborative Best Practice Approach” (Diagram- OACAS Disc) • Savoury, G. & Kufeldt, K. (1997) Child Welfare Protecting Children versus Supporting Families. The Social Worker.Volume 65(3). Pp. 1-9

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