Families and young people have spoken out about their encounters with social work and child protection services in a report published by the Children's Commissioner for England today (15 June).
Voicing experiences ranging from suspicion and anxiety to relief and support, families and young people recount the impact of having social workers enter their lives.
The study sought to find out why families resist social work intervention and find more effective ways of engaging them. Through interviews and focus groups it became clear that families are likely to feel powerless and fear the stigma attached to being involved in child protection services.
Develop understanding
The responses reveal that being labelled as "reluctant" or "resistant" to social work frustrates children and families and requires a more open and flexible approach.
In her preface to the study, children's commissioner Maggie Atkinson says in cases where mistrust is likely to play a significant role a system that understands what it is like to be on the receiving end of child protection is needed.
"While there are many negative reflections here, it is also clear that family members appreciated the help of social workers who were open, involved them in unravelling the problems and demonstrated understanding," she says.
Karen Harvey, director of safeguarding at Action for Children, said the report demonstrates how vital it is that the voices of children and families are heard within the social care system. But added: "While families clearly understand the pressures that social workers face, the report also highlights that we need to improve their perception of the profession. This would help to develop trusting relationships between both parties and ensure the best possible outcomes."
Read the Family Perspectives on Safeguarding report.
Lessons to learn: Jenny Clifton, principal policy adviser for safeguarding, Office of the Children's Commissioner for England
Some of the messages taken from the views of young people and families with experience of the child protection system will make difficult reading for social workers but others are supportive of good practice.
The families and young people we spoke to had several suggestions about ways to overcome the barriers to using help. Lack of knowledge about their rights led to frustration, undermined the development of trust and reinforced suspicion and fear.
Strong relationships
It is challenging but essential to sustain open communication given the heightened tension of work where children may be at risk.
The evidence from this study is that both family members and social workers want to build relationships that would enable people to use the help available.
For social workers, the difficulty lies in judging when parents deliberately mislead. They cannot be naively optimistic and must be able to assess when a parent is deliberately hiding abuse.
The message from these families is that resistance is a complex matter. Some resistance can be overcome by good social work practice. The family members represented did not intend their comments to undermine social workers. They clearly valued those who had understood their needs, however difficult the context, and they wanted to contribute to a better understanding of ways to engage people with complex needs. Their messages are well worth reading with this in mind.
VIEWS FROM THE STUDY
- "When I first had contact, I thought, they're professionals, they'll help me. It was a shock. They've become a social police force. They make you feel very small"
- "She sighed when she answered the phone to me - she didn't want to hear from me, said she was busy, and then didn't phone me back"
- "There should have been someone there for my mum. I don't think she got a lot of support. I know my social worker was there but she was there to act more like a professional. I would like somebody there who was a friend of the family to support the family"
- "You just do not know what you are going to face - no-one wants to see you, no-one is grateful for your services, and many are angry that you are there"
- "It works best for me when someone respects you, encourages you and has faith in you. My social worker did and it really helped"
- "I had this social worker who came to my house. She asked me if there was anything she needed to do to make me feel comfortable? Like take her shoes off. She even asked me if it was convenient for her to come"
