1. How to talk to parents about substance use? Reflections on child protection conversations Donald Forrester Professor of Social Work Research The Tilda Goldberg Centre for Social Work and Social Care University of Bedfordshire

2. What IS Good Practice? How do social workers help people? How should they help people?

3. Social work and helping people

4. The client’s comment:The worker’s response: A 23 year old father telephones you to say: "I'm not going to be able to keep my appointment at the child protection conference tomorrow ; we just learned that my Dad has cancer" A 32 year old woman says: Last night Joe came home drunk again, and kicked in the TV set while the kids were still watching it, and then he knocked me down. He scared us all half to death.

5. The client’s comment:The worker’s response: A 23 year old father telephones you to say: "I'm not going to be able to keep my appointment at the child protection conference tomorrow; we just learned that my Dad has cancer" The conference is important for you to attend. Unfortunately we can’t postpone it. If you can make it to the conference it would be greatly appreciated. I hope things work out for your father A 32 year old woman says: Last night Joe came home drunk again, and kicked in the TV set while the kids were still watching it, and then he knocked me down. He scared us all half to death. What did you do with the children? Did you call the police?

6. You are on duty. A referral is received of a mother who often picks up her 8 year old child when she seems drunk. You visit, and explain the nature of the referral to the mother. If the mother said, "That's not true. I am on anti-depressants and they make me appear drunk" what do you think you would say next? “This is contradictory to what the school is saying; the school feel you have presented drunk and this is why we've got the referral and we're concerned. If you're saying it's the anti- depressants, you need to go back to your GP & adjust the dose as it's clearly a problem”. “Can I see the bottle of anti-depressants? Where does it say that on the label?”

7. Case scenario Jeanette: – Serious concerns about child – police involved when mum v drunk; doing poorly at school; mum drinking very heavily – Child protection plan – definite improvement, for instance child attended school every day and only late once in last 2 weeks – Jeanette just went once to alcohol service and this is part of child protection plan Here is a fairly typical start to an interview... What is this worker doing? What “method” is this worker using...?

8. Resistance: what is it and how to create it Child protection work is bound to create resistance But some workers (and agencies) seem to create a lot – others very little

9. Case scenario Jeanette: – Serious concerns about child – police involved when mum v drunk; doing poorly at school; mum drinking very heavily – Child protection plan – definite improvement, for instance child attended school every day and only late once in last 2 weeks – Jeanette just went once to alcohol service and this is part of child protection plan Here is a start to an interview... What is this worker doing? What “method” is this worker using...?

10. Crucial point Credible interventions share key elements: – Caring – building alliance – Recognising positives – Creating hope – Focussing on current situation – Structuring conversation But they share more than elements...

11. How to master any skill?