1 Reflections on the possibilities and challenges offered by a social model of protecting children
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Brid Featherstone
Abstract
This chapter explores the thinking behind the social model of protecting children and its key themes. It interrogates the challenges that this model poses to the current dominant individually focused, professionally led child protection project drawing on lessons from the authors’ work in the UK. It draws on research and knowledge transfer projects conducted by the authors on poverty-aware practice and domestic abuse to explore key issues in relation to implementation. It asks whether reform is possible within the current system and explores what we can learn from the discussions on abolition evident in countries such as the US. Finally, the themes attached to ‘sense and sensibility’ are noted as aligning directly with the authors’ concerns to bring robust research evidence on structural inequalities, derived from a variety of means including co-production, into active dialogue with everyday professional practices.
Abstract
This chapter explores the thinking behind the social model of protecting children and its key themes. It interrogates the challenges that this model poses to the current dominant individually focused, professionally led child protection project drawing on lessons from the authors’ work in the UK. It draws on research and knowledge transfer projects conducted by the authors on poverty-aware practice and domestic abuse to explore key issues in relation to implementation. It asks whether reform is possible within the current system and explores what we can learn from the discussions on abolition evident in countries such as the US. Finally, the themes attached to ‘sense and sensibility’ are noted as aligning directly with the authors’ concerns to bring robust research evidence on structural inequalities, derived from a variety of means including co-production, into active dialogue with everyday professional practices.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents ix
- List of figures and tables xi
- Notes on contributors xii
- Introduction 1
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Sense and Sensibility as epistemology for social work
- Reflections on the possibilities and challenges offered by a social model of protecting children 19
- The virtuous cycle of using supportive measures to reduce red tape and meet families’ needs 35
- The potential of practice research to advance a framework for protective support and supportive protection (PS-SP) with children, young people and families 51
- Rethinking the concept of institutionalisation in child protection 69
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Sense and Sensibility as practice
- Towards a collaborative and innovative practice improvement paradigm in child protection? 93
- Participative and Transformative Evaluation: children, families and practitioners as co-researchers through ‘reflective thinking’ processes 114
- Community mapping as a participative tool to enhance informal social support: possible pathways for practitioners 134
- The training of trainers as a way to share sense and sensibility in the P.I.P.P.I. programme 156
- Care leavers in the Italian child protection system: from action research to advocacy of more inclusive policies and relationships 174
- A mind for learning and innovation 191
- Communication as the backbone of intervention with group programmes in the child protection system: exploring challenges and tools 214
- Epilogue 231
- Index 234
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents ix
- List of figures and tables xi
- Notes on contributors xii
- Introduction 1
-
Sense and Sensibility as epistemology for social work
- Reflections on the possibilities and challenges offered by a social model of protecting children 19
- The virtuous cycle of using supportive measures to reduce red tape and meet families’ needs 35
- The potential of practice research to advance a framework for protective support and supportive protection (PS-SP) with children, young people and families 51
- Rethinking the concept of institutionalisation in child protection 69
-
Sense and Sensibility as practice
- Towards a collaborative and innovative practice improvement paradigm in child protection? 93
- Participative and Transformative Evaluation: children, families and practitioners as co-researchers through ‘reflective thinking’ processes 114
- Community mapping as a participative tool to enhance informal social support: possible pathways for practitioners 134
- The training of trainers as a way to share sense and sensibility in the P.I.P.P.I. programme 156
- Care leavers in the Italian child protection system: from action research to advocacy of more inclusive policies and relationships 174
- A mind for learning and innovation 191
- Communication as the backbone of intervention with group programmes in the child protection system: exploring challenges and tools 214
- Epilogue 231
- Index 234
