Learning about Children’s Identities: Social work practice with Looked after Children

1. Learning about Children’s Identities: Social work practice with Looked after Children Jane Thomas 26th June 2008

2. Research Aim Methodology • The aim of this research is to promote a deeper theoretical understanding, from a social constructionist perspective, of how social work professionals configure children and their identities within one specific area of statutory child protection social work, the Core Assessment. • A case study approach will pursue a largely qualitative methodology. • Textual analysis of the assessment documents will be followed by interviews with practitioners and practitioner questionnaires. Parent/carers are invited to partake in interviews. A multi-method approached will be employed to ascertain the views of children. • The study will be informed conceptually by a grounded theory approach.

3. Research Sample • All core assessments completed betweenJanuary and June 2006within one local authority childcare team (28 assessments:32 children). • All practitioner/author of the assessments undertook semi-structured interviews (13 interviews). • 10 practitioners completed post-interview questionnaires (3 non-returns). • 13 semi-structured interviews with parent/carers of subject children (caring for 15 children). • 11 children agreed to partake in a multi-method approach (1 child withdrawn by carer).

4. Sample Characteristics • Assessments: 13 ‘freestyle’ narrative assessments, 8 self-titled ‘Comprehensive Assessments’ and 7 assessments using agency template. • Assessment length: range 7-86 pages (mean 27.8 pgs, mode 17 pgs). • Combined Assessments: 4 ‘comprehensive assessments’ considered sets of 2 siblings. • Subject Children: 18 boys and 14 girls. • Age range evenly spread with the exception of 15+ age group.

5. Table 1: Ages of children subject to assessment

6. Table 2: Parent/Carer Sample

7. Findings 1: The Art of Assessing Identities • Practitioner preference for informality (direct work) and flexibility • ‘Its about getting into the real environment’ Building on the mundane and intimate • “They’ve got their own different ways and that and that’s what I call their identity”

8. Findings 1: Written Accounts of Identities • Lack of explicit sources of evidence compared to other sections (i.e.. Health) • Narrative accounts: practitioners as ‘knowers’ • The use of theory: relationality and concepts

9. Example 1: Dominic’s Identity Section • Dominic presents as a caring child who is aware that he is the eldest of 3 siblings. Dominic presents as being very confused and angry about his position within his family. He seems unclear about his role as either the man of the house or a child having no male role model and the need to crave attention from his mother as a child. He understands and can name the members of his family but after witnessing a considerable amount of both physical and emotional abuse Dominic manipulates relationships with family members to get his own way. In doing this Dominic can become quite aggressive and place him and others at risk. • Dominic, age 13 years. Core Assessment 10.

10. Findings 2: Constructing Identities • Managing uncertainty • Paraphrasing practice guidelines • Identity as fluid, multi-faceted and dynamic • Identity as a separate assessment category?

11. Findings 2: Constructing Identities (cont.) • The child within the family: the importance of familial relationships • Children’s self-esteem: 9 out of 11 assessments described problems • National & cultural identities (5 assessments) • Religious & spiritual identities (2 assessments) • Influences on identities: parenting experience & social work intervention

12. Findings 3: Constructing Childhoods • Incomplete Identities? Growing & Developing • The growth of individuality • Dualities • Standardisation and Categorisation

13. Findings 4: “And I felt like screaming then, this is my child. This is what he is like!” • Partnership? Participation? Or passivity? • Focus on individuality: “She don’t know him as well as we do” • “It was too brief, it was too textbook” • The audience of the assessment

14. Conclusion & Implications for Practice • Accepting Uncertainty • The value of creativity • Parents/carers as experts • Acknowledging Individuality • Refocusing child-friendly assessments