DR ROJANAH KAHAR JPMPK, FEM.

1. DR ROJANAH KAHARJPMPK, FEM. SHS AND CLIENTS: FAMILY, CHILDREN AND YOUTH FEM3108 DR ROJANAH KAHAR

2. TOPIC TO BE COVERED • Overview and purpose of child and family services agencies • The contemporary family • Child welfare services • Social work at school • Adolescent DR ROJANAH KAHAR

3. OVERVIEW • The field of child and family services generally involves the care and provision of children who cannot be appropriately cared for by their biological parents, as well as providing assistance for those who need support and assistance in the management and provision of their families. • This practise setting is primarily concerned with children in foster care placement, but may also involve family preservation services and adoption services. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

4. CONTINUE • The clinical issues involve issues related to: • Abandonment and loss. • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD). • Cultural sensitivity. • Child development. • Parenting issues. • Substance abuse. • Anger management. • The ability to work with the broad range of life stressors and maladaptive responses that might lead to breakdown within the family. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

5. CONTEMPORARYFAMILY • The family is recognized as humanity’s basic institution – fundamental to society. • The family is the cradle for children, not only physically but psychologically. • Many experts indicate that a child’s basic personality trait have been developed by the time he/she is 2 yrs old. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

6. CONTINUE • According to NASW (2006), family refers to those constellations of two or more persons who regards their relationship as family and assume the responsibilities and obligations associated with family membership. • May be a group of unrelated people – defines as family because of emotional bonds. • Issues in contemporary families is related to changes in family: forms, functions, roles and life cycle. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

7. FAMILY FORMS • 50% of all marriage ended in divorce. • Married couples decided not to have children. • Cohabitation changes the family life – more children have unmarried parents. • In 2004, the rate of unmarried man and women: - Age 20-24: 86.4% men, 75.4% women. - Age 30-34: 32% men, 23.7% women. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

8. CONTINUE • In Malaysia: - Never been married at 20-24: • Men increased from 80.4% in 1980 to 88.3% in 2000. • Women increased from 51.3% in 1980 to 68.5% in 2000. - Never been married at 30-34: • Men increased from 14.5% in 1980 to 12.7% in 2000. • Women increased from 9.9% in 1980 to 12.7% in 2000. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

9. FAMILY STRUCTURES • Single – mostly female headed families, absent of male in the household. • Blended or reconstituted – due to marriage, divorce and remarriage, step family families. Include biological parents, biological children, step children and children born in the current marriage. • Gay and lesbian • Multigenerational – dependent elderly parents and grandparents, children return to the family of origin. • Grandparents headed family – problematic parents and grandparents took over parenting roles. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

10. FAMILY FUNCTIONS AND ROLES • Early socialization of children. • Families must fulfill their roles to ensure effective functioning of the members in the society. • According to Kadushin & Martin (1988), problems that can trigger the need to welfare services includes: • Parental roles unoccupied • Parental capacity. • Role rejection. • Inter role conflict. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

11. CONTEMPORARYFAMILY • Intra role conflict • Role transition. • Child incapacity or disability. • Deficiency of community resources DR ROJANAH KAHAR

12. FAMILY CENTERED SERVICES • Programme and services are family oriented. • Issues covered: • Domestic violence • Poverty • Addiction • The effect of alternative family structures • The effect of stress on the family • Maladaptive communication patterns • Specialised skills and knowledge needed: counselling, family system, communication processes, family function, effects of family transition. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

13. TYPES OF FAMILYSERVICES • Family services addressed the needs of families that experience stress due to life transition, inadequate performance of role and the effect of societal condition. • Range of agencies: public, private, sectarian, non-sectarian, profit and non-profit. • Services includes: • Family service or child welfare. • Employee assistance programme. • Community mental health care. • Elderly service. • Intervention: legal and social. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

14. VOLUNTARY OR BY COURT ORDER? • Family may seek the services voluntarily. • The Court or the rightful authorities may order the family to seek services/treatment/help. • Evidence is required. • Early action facilitate resolution of problems. • More intensive intervention is needed to resolve a more complex/chronic problems. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

15. CHILD WELFARE • Encompasses services that deal with all aspects of children well being. Includes: • Protecting and promoting their physical and social-psychological development. • Strengthening families. • Address adverse social conditions that interfere with children’s healthy development. • Provisions for children in their own homes, in substitute family homes and in many institutions. SA’ODAH BINTI AHMAD, JPMPK, FEM DR ROJANAH KAHAR

16. CONVENTION ONTHE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD • The 1st legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights – civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights • 54 articles and 2 Optional Protocols: • Every child has the right to survival and development– states shall ensure to the maximum child survival and development. • Every child shall not be separated from their parents except by competent authorities for their well-being. • Parents have the primary responsibility for a child’s upbringing – state provide assistance and develop child-care institutions. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

17. CONTINUE • States shall protect children from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation. • Every child has the right to participate fully in family, cultural and social life – disable children shall have the right to special treatment, education and care. • Primary education shall be free and compulsory. • Education should prepare the child for life in a spirit of understanding, peace and tolerance. • Children shall have time for rest and play and opportunities for cultural and artistic activities. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

18. CORE PRINCIPLESOF CRC 1989 Non-discrimination. Devotion to the best interests of the child. The right to life, survival and development. Respect for the views of the child. Every rights spelled out in the CRC is inherent to the human dignity and harmonious development of every child. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

19. CONTINUE • The principal legislation governing child welfare has a built-in capacity to accord children and young peoples’ rights. However, these have been protective rather than participatory rights. Illustrated in Boyland & Boyland, (1998). • According to UNICEF (2000), child welfare has been minimally resourced and dominated by ‘best interests’ perspectives based on the assumption that adult define children’s welfare needs and how those needs should be addressed. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

20. CHILD MALTREATMENT • WHO (1999): All forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or other exploitations resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of relationship of responsibility, trust or power. • Neglect: the failure of responsible adult to adequately provide for various needs including physical, emotional or educational – Pardeck (1989), Haskett and Kistner (1991); National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect 2005. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

21. CHILD MALTREATMENT • Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, US: Child maltreatment refers to any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. • Most occurs in privacy, in a child's home. • Different jurisdictions have different definitions of what constitutes child abuse – for the purpose of removing a child from the abuser and criminal prosecution. • Under-reported, is a widespread problem and exist in almost all societies. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

22. CONTINUE • If the child is of tender age or is an unwilling witness – no way to determine whether the bruises, burns or other injuries are deliberately inflicted. • Others are rarely come forward to give evidence against the abusing party. • Most people treat child abuse casually or as family affairs. • Most people believe that parents have the rights to punish their children for ‘their own good’. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

23. CONTINUE • Detection and reporting of child maltreatment and neglect are also conditioned by the level of public awareness, willingness and efficiency of law enforcement agencies. • The maltreatment of children by primary parental caretakers falls into the categories of: • Physical abuse, • Emotional abuse, • Physical neglect and • Emotional neglect DR ROJANAH KAHAR

24. MALAYSIA • The Ministry of Women, Family and Social Development, Department of Social Welfare. • Section 17, Child Act 2001 – meaning of child in need of care and protection. • Section 17(2) – definition of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. • Other relevant laws pertaining to children: Akta Taman AsuhanKanak-Kanak 1964, AktaPusatJagaan 1993, Islamic Family Law Act/Enactment, Guardianship of Infant Act 1961, Adoption Act 1952 (Revised 1981), Registration of Adoption Act 1952 (revised 1981), DR ROJANAH KAHAR

25. PHYSICAL ABUSE • A willful or non-accidental injury from harmful action of a parent/caretaker • Punishing, beating, shaking, kicking, burning or biting • Indicators of parental physical abuse: • Story about the injury that does not fit the face, • Delays in seeking treatment • Evidence of multiple injuries in various stages of healing DR ROJANAH KAHAR

26. EMOTIONAL ABUSE • Parental or caregiver that consciously intends to harm children emotionally • Hardest to identify. • Behaviours include: rejecting, name-calling, ridicule, degradation, destruction of personal belongings, torture, terrorizing, scape-goating, ignoring, isolating, corrupting, destruction of pet, excessive criticism, inappropriate or excessive demands, withholding communication, routine labeling or humiliation. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

27. SEXUAL ABUSE • Often silenced by the adult offender’s intimidating threats and exertion of power over the child. • Includes asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities (regardless of the outcome), indecent exposure of genitals to a child, displaying pornography to a child, actual sexual contact, using a child to produce child pornography. • In the USA, approx. 15%-29% of women and 5%-15% of men were sexually abused when they were children (Whealin, 2007). DR ROJANAH KAHAR

28. FACTORS OF CHILD MALTREATMENT • Parent’s characteristics • Low self-esteem, limited tolerance for frustration, • Loneliness or isolation, in appropriate and often rigid expectations for children’s behaviour • Beliefs with respect to punishment • Lack of empathy for children • Inadequate knowledge about children’s development levels DR ROJANAH KAHAR

29. CONTINUE • Other factors: • Alcohol and drugs abuse • Weak social support and kinship network • Conflict on changing role expectations • Stress unemployment, marital problems, social isolation and family history of violence • Macro level influence: • Quality of communities and neighbourhood (i.e. high crime rate, deprived area) • Police departments • Criminal justice systems • Agencies in the social delivery services DR ROJANAH KAHAR

30. PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT • Based on the literature, abused children more likely to experience: • Difficulty in regulating and describing their emotions; avoid intimacy through withdrawal. • Avoiding eye contact & hyperactive or inappropriate behaviour. • Behave aggressively or provocatively • Disturbance in attachment and difficulties in learning • Negative self-concept: • Negative perception as learners • Low self-esteem • Low levels of motivation for school achievement DR ROJANAH KAHAR

31. CONTINUE • The effects of early maltreatment on a child’s development are profound and long lasting. It is the impact of maltreatment on a child’s developing brain that causes effects seen in a wide variety domains including social psychological and cognitive development. • Early maltreatment causes deficits in the development of specific region of the brain- the toxic effects of stress hormones on the developing brain. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

32. CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM • A network of public and private organisation influenced by federal and state child laws. • Direct services: counselling, day care, adoption service, foster family service, family life education, teen parent programme. • Primary prevention efforts: • Strengthens families competencies • Promotes positive child-rearing • Developing community resources • These efforts will lead to: • Preventing family breakdown & child maltreatment • Sustaining healthy family functioning DR ROJANAH KAHAR

33. FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES • Main purpose is to strengthen families and to prevent child abuse. • Family support services are proactive, community-based services designed to reduce stress and help parents care for their children before crisis occur. • Involves – health education to development screening to other program assist child-rearing SA’ODAH BINTI AHMAD, JPMPK, FEM DR ROJANAH KAHAR

34. FAMILY PRESERVATIONSERVICES • Family preservation services are time-limited, family centered, home-based services that help families cope with crises or problems that interfere with parents’ abilities to deal with their children effectively. • Aim to prevent out-of-home placement of children by ensuring the safety of children within their own families. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

35. OTHER TYPES OF CHILD WELFARE SERVICE • Day care • Protective (to provide care for children who have been abused or neglected). • Non-protective (to provide care for children of working parents or as a respite from parenting responsibilities) DR ROJANAH KAHAR

36. CONTINUE • Foster care • Placement of children in foster home and other types of out-of-home care • Temporary substitute care – when children cannot safely remain with own families • Types: • Foster care placement • Formal kinship care DR ROJANAH KAHAR

37. CONTINUE • Residential Group Homes and Institutional Care • Alternatives to family foster care • Main reason is to accommodate the needs of children who require specialized care offered only through out-oh-home services. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

38. CONTINUE • Adoption • Children eligible for adoption when their biological parents, for whatever reason relinquish their rights or when court terminate their parental rights • Adoption is normally regulated by federal and state laws. • Protocols varied from agency to agency DR ROJANAH KAHAR

39. SOCIAL WORK & HUMAN SERVICES INSCHOOL • Working in collaboration with teachers and support staff. • School social workers: • Provide supportive services for children and families in the context of school settings. • Provide vital linkage among schools, homes and communities. • Promote partnerships between schools, families and communities with School social workers as collaborative partners DR ROJANAH KAHAR

40. ISSUES RELATING TO SHS IN SCHOOL • Children with difficulties in life transitions. • Delinquency, neglected or abused children. • Educational issues (i.e. low performance, nonattendance, burnout). • Factors in children’s social context that affect school performance (i.e. poverty, youth gang violence etc.). DR ROJANAH KAHAR

41. WORKS THAT INVOLVES SCHOOL SHS WORKER • Early developmental screening • Preschool screening in well-baby clinics and maternal child health centres. • Early detection of childhood disease, mental retardation, behavioral disorder or developmental delays. • Social workers work with parents: • Deal with the results of screening • Linking parents resources for special education, support group DR ROJANAH KAHAR

42. CONTINUE • Developmental transitions • Focus on the impact of developmental transitions on children’s well being and academic performance. • Transition stages. • Girl’s timing of puberty in relation to educational transition, difference in educational expectations, opportunities. • Boy’s timing of puberty is related to low self-esteem and underachievement. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

43. SPECIALISED SERVICES FOR YOUTH • “Youth loss of hope for future. They turn to peers for attention; they turn to guns for protection, security and status: and they turn to sex and drugs for comfort and relief of boredom. The gang too often becomes their ‘family’ – the only where they receive attention and approval” (Stephens, 1997, p.1). • Resiliency and competencies are important sources of protection and resources for ensuring opportunities for positive life choices. • Profile of resiliency includes • Youth’s personal characteristics • Social environments – families, schools and communities DR ROJANAH KAHAR

44. PERSONALCHARACTERISTICS • Social competence • Abilities to relate and communicate with others effectively • Responsiveness, flexibility, empathy, a sense of humour, caring, communication skills • Problem solving skills • Abilities to solve social and cognitive problems by thinking abstractly, reflectively and flexibly. • Autonomy • Youths’ sense of identity and an ability to act independently and exert control other their environment DR ROJANAH KAHAR

45. FAMILY & SCHOOLCHARACTERISTICS • Climate of caring and support • Family members communicate high expectations for youth’s behaviour and achievement • Encourage youth’s participation in and contribution in family life. • Teacher demonstrate caring and support for students • Communicate high expectations fro student achievements • Emphasis youth participation and involvement – provide opportunities to participate in & responsible for school environment DR ROJANAH KAHAR

46. COMMUNITYCHARACTERISTICS • Competent communities parallel with those competent families and schools. • Manifest caring and support for community members • Contain social networks to promote and sustain social cohesion. • Available and accessible resources. • Responsive social network for youths • High expectations for youth – value youth as a resource as opposed to problems. • Create opportunities for youths to participate in the life of the community. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

47. MODEL PROGRAMMES FOR YOUTH • Aims at developing resiliency and promote competence for youths and social environment. • Positive reinforcement. • Parent education – parenting skills. • Healthy start programme ) address mother-infant relationship). • Mentoring programmes – role models. • Community-scho0l partnership. DR ROJANAH KAHAR

48. COMMON CLINICALISSUE S • Teen pregnancy • For teen parents, prevention efforts • Adolescent Suicide • Youths want about indicators of suicide • Problem solving skills, effective communication skills • Runaway youths • Due to family difficulties (abuse & parental substance abuse) • Eating disorder • Anorexia nervosa & Bulimia DR ROJANAH KAHAR

49. OTHER SPECIALISEDSERVICES FOR YOUTH • Depression and anxiety • Self-injury • Rebellion – conduct disorder • Schizophrenia • Attention deficit DR ROJANAH KAHAR