1. Reframing Leaving Care as Family Support: Implications for Practice
Prof John Pinkerton
School of Social Work
Queens University Belfast

2. Aim of presentation Five steps in reframing The problem of Silos
The Green Cheese dilemma
The central role of the workers

3. Five steps in the process of reframing
Describe basic characteristics of existing work
Locate within a view of wider child welfare system,
Evaluate consistency with family support criteria,
Plan to strengthen alignment with family support criteria
Act to implement family support

4. Conceptual aids to reframing
Whole systems
Aspects of provision
Levels of support
Care careers
Service delivery criteria
Methods

5. Whole System
– split view

6. Whole System - integrated view

7. Step 1: Describing the work
Target Client Group
Who is the central target service user group for my work ?
parents, toddlers, teenagers, children with a disability
Major Activities
What activities am I primarily involved in delivering or managing ?
home visits, play school,
youth group, parenting course, counselling sessions,
family therapy, residential care
Skills & Methods
What skills and methods am I using ?
information giving, empathy, advocacy, counselling, group work, community development
Work Force
Who is it that I work with as colleagues ?
social worker, psychologist, family centre worker, community mother, youth and community worker
Purpose
What is the purpose of my work ?
community development,
child protection, alternative care
social inclusion of marginalised youth, \promotion of child development,

8. Step 2 Locating the work in the Four Levels of Support for Families
Level One: open access support
Level Two: targeted support
Level Three: targeted intervention
Level Four: out of home care managed reintegration
community play group
family centre
respite care
family and child care team
placement
aftercare team
preparation for leaving
(adapted from Hardiker et al 1991)

9. Phases in a care career Dependence Inter- dependence
Pre Care
After Care
Care Placement
Foster Care
Home in Care
Residential Care
Preparation for
Leaving Care
Dependence
Inter-
dependence
In-Care
Position ? Need ? Support ?

10. Care Career and Levels of Support
Level One: Pre-Care After-Care
Level Two: Pre-Care After-Care
Level Three:
Level Four:
In-Care
Leaving Care
Preparation for leaving

11. Step 3: Evaluating Service Delivery
CRITERIA
DESCRIPTORS
Criterion 1
planned, managed,
flexible process
Criterion 2
explicit methods, techniques and skills
Criterion 3
draws on expertise of other service providers
Criterion 4
draws on the contribution of relatives, friends, neighbours
Pinkerton et al 2000 Family Support – Linking Project Evaluation to Policy Analysis Aldershot:Ashgate

12. Step 3: Evaluation criteria (cont)
Criterion 5
responsive to children/young people and parents/carers opinions, wishes and feelings
Criterion 6
understanding and respect of race and culture
Criterion 7
incorporates child protection
Criterion 8
minimises effect of disabilities

13. Step 3: Meeting the criteria on Check List 2 ?
ACHIEVED
YES / NO
Criterion 1
process
YES
Criterion 2
methods, NO
Criterion 3
other services
Criterion 4
informal networks

14. Step 3: Meeting the criteria ? (cont)
Criterion 5
responsive
YES
Criterion 6
race and culture NO
Criterion 7
child protection
Criterion 8
disabilities

15. PLANNED STRENGHTHENING
Step 4: Planning to strengthen the allignment of practice to criteria
CRITERIA
ACHIEVED
YES / NO
PLANNED STRENGHTHENING
Criterion 1
process
YES
Closer attention to opportunities within agency policy and procedure
Criterion 2
methods, NO
Develop and run group work programme
Criterion 3
other services
Involve other agencies in developing, running and contributing to the programme
Criterion 4
informal networks
Involve members of the young people’s informal networks in contributing to the programme

16. Planned strengthening (cont)
Criterion 5
responsive
YES
Involve young people and their families in planning the programme
Criterion 6
race and culture NO
Criterion 7
child protection
Include risk as an underlying theme for the programme
Criterion 8
disabilities
Identify those young people with special needs and plan accordingly

17. I think …. shared approach to family support practice
integrated four level service system
clear family support practice criteria
five step reframing

18. I am sure …
the answers lie
in what the front line
worker does