Critical Reflection and Child Protection Practice

1. Critical Reflection and Child Protection Practice Critical Reflection Forum Robyn Miller Principal Practitioner Children, Youth and Families Division 2nd October 2009

2. The importance of Critical Reflection in Child Protection • The benefits of critical reflection opportunities for both clients and practitioners are well documented . . . . (Fook, Gibbs) • Judith Gibbs notes the importance of an organisational culture which legitimises and normalises ‘feelings of anxiety, uncertainty and ambivalence’. (Gibbs 2009)

3. The experience of Child Protection culture • ‘low in emotional capital and high on task completion and compliance’ (Gibbs 2009) • ‘I dealt with it myself – I suppose I’ve always seen it and I still do to some degree that if you’re not coping it’s a sign of weakness. That’s how I feel and I also didn’t feel supported by my normal supervisor at the time and I wouldn’t let her know or see that’. (CP worker quoted in Gibbs 2009)

4. Victoria

5. The Victorian Context every child every chance reforms grew out of a system wide process of critical reflection Why the reform?

6. Key data supporting the change • It was clear (in 2001-02) that we faced a number of challenges in Victoria: • Growing demand – in particular through child protection renotifications, running at 62% and rising • Notifications from professionals were increasing, especially schools and police (doubling every 4 years) • Compelling evidence of increasing client complexity (Drug and Alcohol/Family Violence in particular) • Projections based on unchanged policy settings indicated continued growth in front-end demand… • Even ‘IF’ notifications stabilised, still looking at 19% of Victorian children notified to child protection during their childhood

7. Expert Analysis • It is not the people working in child protection who are at fault; it is the policy framework in which they operate that is fatally flawed. Rarely is this examined. Instead, more money is poured into bigger child protection systems and more inappropriate referrals flood in. Professor Dorothy Scott The Australian Wednesday, 14 November 2007

8. Unsinkable?

9. Policy and practice changes continue to evolve

10. To guide a paradigm change • Families, communities, professionals and Government share responsibility for improving the outcomes of vulnerable children • A Public Health Approach • Inclusion of vulnerable children and youth in universal early childhood, health and education services • Improved access to more intensive family support • Promoting a whole of family focus in specialist adult services

11. And a more therapeutic focus for child protection interventions • Engaging families in decision-making • Broader focus on child development, stability and long term impacts of cumulative harm • Whilst remaining forensically astute

12. Child Protection Program • Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 • Best Interests Principles • The best interests of the child must always be paramount • Child Protection decisions must protect the child from harm, protect his/her rights and promote his/her development

13. Family services/Child Protection interface - now?

14. Child Protection- Child FIRST interface - in the future

15. Manifestations of Trust and Reciprocity • At the policy and planning /governance level:

16. Child FIRST Service Model • 25 sub-regional or LGA Child FIRST teams (predominantly based on existing PCP catchments) • Providing a consolidated intake capacity on behalf of all family services in the local area • Getting the right support to vulnerable families earlier before more serious problems arise • Build on learning from existing centralised family services intakes

17. Major research findings • Significant positive changes to child protection system activity • Better case finding for hard to reach clients • Improved co-operation between agencies working with “at risk” children and families Professor Shane Thomas Faculty of Medicine Monash University

18. Notifications/Reports 2001/02 – 2006/07 • Abuse and neglect notifications increase nationally by 56% • Victoria increase of only 2.8%

19. Positive changes in Victorian child protection system activity • From 2001/02 to 2006/07 Victorian substantiations activity trended slightly downwards with a decrease of 6.3% compared to a national increase of 45%. (Source: AIHW child protection systems activity data) Professor Shane Thomas Faculty of Medicine Monash University

20. Refocussing Child Protection • Child Protection will continue to be a specialist service, intervening where children are at risk of significant harm • Shift from an episodic focus on immediate safety and ‘minimal intervention into family life’ to a broader focus on: • Child development • Cumulative harm • Children’s stability • Keeping Aboriginal children connected to their community and culture • New functions and processes: • Reports on unborn children • Reports on children 10-14 exhibiting sexually abusive behaviour

21. Child’s Best Interests

22. Relationship Based Practice

23. The pull to polarise

24. Embedding the Reform • An Example NWMR – THINK CHILD • 140 Practitioners and Operational Managers came together for half a day to begin to inform and develop a local agreement • Their shared visions: • Key partners working together • Men’s and women’s and children’s services around the table. • Police, therapists, housing, child protection, courts – a co-ordinated approach

25. Key Components of the Leadership Development Strategy Framework • Statewide 360 Degree Feedback for all Child Protection frontline and middle managers over 3 years • ‘Leading Practice’ Resource Guide • ‘Leading Practice’ Learning Lab series • Professional Coaching • Workplace Mentoring • E-Learning – Web based/Self Directed Learning

26. Key Components of the Leadership Development Strategy Framework • Graduate Certificate in Child and Family Practice (30 places per year) • Graduate Diploma in Child and Family Leadership (30 places per year)

27. Child Protection Operating Model Demonstration Project - Eastern Metropolitan Region • The Demonstration Project tests the integrated elements of a new Child Protection Operating Model in the Eastern Metropolitan Region • Through reform to roles, practice, structure and multidisciplinary approaches, we want to have a positive impact on: • attracting and retaining Child Protection practitioners • enhancing and sustaining outcomes for children and families • working in partnership across agencies and in multi disciplinary teams to benefit children and families

28. Trial activities to enhance the staff experience

29. The challenge of demand

30. Holding our nerve • About 12% in the two years after CYFA was introduced, but most growth was in the first year. Currently reports are increasing at about 5% per year. • Still a lot lower than other Australian jurisdictions

31. Best Interests Case Practice Model – accepted across sectors in Victoria

32. Principal Practitioner role Reports to Executive Director Children Youth and Families Division of DHS Initial Brief: Build a culture of reflective practice Bridge policy, research and practice Conduct reviews of practice for Minister, Executive, Ombudsman, Regional mngs Strengthen partnerships with external stakeholders Develop innovative practice

33. Critical Reflection System wide focus on developing leadership capabilities and critical reflection in supervision Most offices/teams across the state – monthly session in addition to ongoing supervision Case presentations

34. Cont’d Themes: • engaging children • Strength based approaches • Integrating research on trauma, sexual abuse • Engaging men with a history of violence

35. Process of Critical Reflection Establishing a “Learning Culture”: creating a supportive safe space Prior planning of case presentation Facilitator overts need to manage time and process; seeks permission to interrupt; valuing intuitive knowledge, practice wisdom and the theory and research Commitment to overting the presence/impact of vicarious trauma

36. Process of Critical Reflection Practitioner prepares history, geneogram, ecogram Clarifies particular expectations, purposes Facilitator: “If this session was really useful to you what would you want to walk away with?” OR

37. Process of Critical Reflection • “If this ended up being a really unhelpful, negative experience for you, what would we as a group have done?” • Facilitator asks each group member to listen through the eyes, ears and hearts of each child, parent, significant others, practitioner

38. Process of Critical Reflection Case presentation 10 mins Clarifying questions 10 mins Presenters sit back and listen Group then responds to facilitator’s questions about their role eg “What’s it like for you being James in this family?” “What do you need now?”

39. Process of Critical Reflection Through the lens of trauma theory Through the lens of research on family violence (opportunity for teaching) Presenter gives feedback on the reflections

40. Process of Critical Reflection • Facilitator asks each group member to comment on aspects of the practice they have valued. Notice the strengths • Where to from here? Case planning • Check in how each member is feeling before leaving