1. The University of Edinburgh
Talking and Listening to Children
Findings from Research
Social Work Seminar, 23rd November 2016
Professor Viv Cree
Dr Fiona Morrison
The University of Edinburgh

2. Background to the research
Repeated evidence from Inquiry reports and Serious Case Reviews that children are not seen and heard sufficiently
Yet everyone agrees that communication with children is critically important!
So why isn’t this happening, and what can we do to improve the situation for children, their parents and social workers?
Some research already, but it tends to be focused on what social workers say, not what they do
Some evidence too about skills/training gaps
Hence the TLC project was devised…
Background to the research

3. What are social workers observed to do when they communicate with children & young people in a range of settings and with a range of aims?
How do practitioners experience and understand their communication with a child or young person?
How do children & young people experience and understand their relationship with social workers?
What factors best facilitate communication between social work practitioners and children & young people?
Research questions

4. The research project ESRC funded, 4 countries of the UK
Qualitative, ‘practice-near’ methodology using ethnographic & innovative video-based methods
3 phases:
Phase 1: participant observation in 8 team rooms (6-8 weeks each) across the UK and observation of 82 visits with children & young people
Phase 2: Video-stimulated recall interviews with 10 pairs of children and their social workers in 3 settings
Phase 3: Development of training materials for practitioners – we are sharing some of these today
Phase 4 – an impact accelerator project
The research project

5. Three kinds of evidence emerging
About the profession – how social workers feel about their work
About the context in which social work is practised across the UK
About communication with children & young people – what works and what gets in the way of good communication
Three kinds of evidence emerging

6. High value placed on communication and direct work with children
‘Well I think that how often you see the children should depend on what the children’s needs are. So these children need frequent, regular contact in order to keep them in relationship and keep them topped up, so therefore I see them once a week.’
‘I think, I think the child is your client, they have to be centre of what you do and if you’re going to protect them effectively you have to have a relationship with them...’
(Social Worker, Site B, Phase 2)
About the profession

7. About the profession ‘High value’ is echoed by children
‘Positive is we’re always, we’re always having a laugh - we always get on along with each other, we always, I like to think I’m a wee bit, we like some of the same stuff and we just start talking about it and stuff like that so.’
 ***
‘Just having a good laugh with him, having a joke yeah and beating him at Snap.’
***
‘Probably like try and have a little joke with them and sort of like try and get them, try and get them to know you a little bit more better….’
(Child, Phase 2, Site B)
About the profession

8. About the context Political, social and economic context
- Poverty, poor housing, stigma, discrimination
I see her take her badge off. She says that she often takes off her badge, especially in places like this... She says she is aware that she doesn’t want people to know she is a social worker for the families’ sake really... She says, that the people she is visiting need to know who she is and the rest of the world doesn’t.
(Site C, Observation 6, edited field notes)
About the context

9. About the context Institutional and organisational context Hot desking
Lockers
Turnover
Recording – case notes – absence of nuanced communication and direct work with children
Working from home
Computers
KPIs
Supervision
About the context

10. Complex, nuanced & dynamic
The yp says, ‘I dinnae want to be there. Nothing happens.’ The yp starts to fiddle with her folder. The SW has open body language and is looking at the yp. The yp doesn’t make eye contact and looks straight ahead. Her body is turned away from the SW. The SW asks the yp why she doesn’t want to go. The yp says, ‘my mum gets away with not going, so I’m not going.’
(Observation 1, Phase 2, Site B)
About communication

11. Communication (and social work) has a purpose
The SW asks her why she feels like this about the review meeting […] She tells the yp that she is trying really hard to understand why she doesn’t want to go to the meeting.
The yp says, ‘I don’t want to go, so I am not going.’ Throughout the conversation the yp looks away from the SW. The SW keeps looking at the yp. She has her arms open and her hands flat on the table. She is leaning forward.
About communication

12. Emotions permeate About communication
The yp says, ‘It’s not me that makes decisions. It’s you, the foster carers [uses names] and the care system make decisions – the bairn doesn’t matter.’ The SW says that people are just worried about her; they care about her and want what’s best for her. The yp says, ‘I hate people worrying about me. I am fine.’ The SW says, ‘I care about you. I can’t switch that off.’
About communication
I was struck by how hard it is to have a positive relationship with a child when the role you have really embodies everything that the child is angry about – e.g. being accommodated, having to have a SW approve where you go at weekends etc. The SW was aware of the child’s frustrations – and appreciated them but that didn’t change that her job was to be the child’s SW – not purely the child’s advocate. This all made me think about what positive communication /relationships are in a SW context. I think that this SW tried to give the child as much power as she could (e.g. making meeting short, talking with the chair). The child wasn’t happy in the end but the SW was behaving in an empowering way. She challenged the child – in a supportive way (e.g. split decision at the panel – they did listen to child’s views). The SW helped the child make connections between her feelings and her behaviour. Something about good communication doesn’t solve all problems / take pain away – but hopefully makes it better than it could be – I am not sure if the child would have agreed with this though. Her focus was on actions / outcomes not the process. ‘I just dinnae like social work. I’ll come and be civil and talk to her but I dinnae like social workers.’ ‘Life without social workers would be easier. Everything takes so much longer.’ (this relates to how long it takes for decisions to be made, and the level of involvement that SW have in everyday life) Part of the SW role is to be a buffer / sponge to soak up for the yp’s anger and frustration about their situation.

13. Communication between children, young people and their social workers is framed by the complex context in which it takes place
Social workers need to use their skills sensitively and creatively to make spaces for communication with children and young people
The relationship between children, young people and their social workers is more important than communication itself; a good relationship will forgive a poor communicative encounter
Key messages

14. An Ecological Model for Social Workers’ Communication with Children
Context
An Ecological Model for Social Workers’ Communication with Children
Case
Child

15. Using findings and data from the TLC research
Grounded in practice experience –social workers and other practitioners talking about their practice
Highlight and signpost to relevant theory, research and resources
CPD Materials for Social Workers

16. Resources framed around a home visit or an encounter with a child or young person

17. Winter, K. , Cree, V. E. , Ruch, G. , Hallett, S. , Hadfield, M
Winter, K., Cree, V.E., Ruch, G., Hallett, S., Hadfield, M., Morrison, F., ‘Effective communication between social workers and children and young people’, British Journal of Social Work, First published online: July 15, 2016, doi: /bjsw/bcw083
Ruch, G., Winter, K., Cree, V.E., Hallett, S., Hadfield, M., Morrison, F., ‘Making meaningful connections: insights from social pedagogy for statutory social work practice’, Child & Family Social Work (accepted 18 August 2016)
Briefing paper 1: Effective communication between social workers and children and young people
Briefing paper 2: Making meaningful connections: insights from social pedagogy for statutory social work practice
Website & blog:
Publications so far

18. With thanks to all of you - local authority social work managers and practitioners who supported this project and gave us access to yourselves and your work
Thanks to all the families and children who let us into their homes and lives
Thanks to our funder (ESRC) and universities
And thank you for your attention!
Thanks