Welcome to EUSARF 2012 Dear Delegate, On behalf of our board, I’d like to welcome you to the 12th International Conference of EUSARF. Glasgow, thank you for hosting us! For the third time in its history, EUSARF meets in Great Britain - we met in London in 1996 and Swansea in 2001. Now it is the turn of Scotland! This conference incorporates two other big events: the 10th International Looking After Children Conference; and European Scientific the Inaugural International Conference of the Centre for Excellence for Association on Residential & Foster Care for Children Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS). There is a lot to celebrate! and Adolscents The organisers offer you an outstanding programme, which is built around three overarching themes: ‘perspectives of children and young people’, ‘organisational change’ and ‘effective intervention’. Three of the most difficult challenges faced by child welfare professionals and policy makers today are giving voice to children and young people; managing organisations in times of economic and financial crisis; and making care effective. Nobody can cope with these challenges without the help from others! Therefore, conferences like this – where people meet face-to-face in relaxing environments - may play a pivotal role in disseminating the latest research findings and sharing expertise. You make this conference! Be keen to learn and discuss, keep your networks fresh and enjoy the social moments. It is my greatest wish that you go home with some new ideas and plans that help improve practice and policy in your country. Good luck!
Hans Grietens, President EUSARF
It is with great delight I welcome you all to Glasgow to the 12th International EUSARF Conference on behalf the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS). A particular welcome to our international visitors, who have travelled from 33 different countries and five continents of the world to be here this week. This is the first time EUSARF has come to Scotland and we are promising a very busy and interesting programme for you, focussing on All Our Children - Positive experiences, successful outcomes for looked after and other vulnerable children. With over 200 papers accepted on a huge variety of topics covering early years and early intervention, middle childhood and care settings, and adulthood and leaving care, there truly is something for everyone with an interest in looked after and vulnerable children. This EUSARF Conference incorporates the 10th International Looking After Children Conference and is also the inaugural International Conference of CELCIS. We are planning to host a biennial international conference from now on and hope you will join us in future years. We have an exciting line up of speakers who will give us a national and international perspective, sharing their thoughts, experience and research with us. We hope you find the next few days informative and enlightening and take the time to network with others from across the globe to share your practice and knowledge. EUSARF is a unique opportunity to learn from a wealth of experience, so please make the conference your own and get as much out of your time here as you can. I hope you also get the chance to see something of our beautiful city and country while you are here.
Jennifer Davidson, Director, CELCIS Contents
Contents Page No. Full Conference Programme & Session Location Key...... 3 Keynote Speaker Information • Bruce Perry...... 4 • Professor Harriet Ward CBE...... 5 • Terje Ogden...... 6 • Jennifer Davidson...... 7 • Jorge Fernández del Valle...... 8 • Andy Kendrick...... 9 Exhibitor Information...... 10 Site Visits...... 16 Glasgow Information...... 19 *Parallel Session 1 | Wednesday 5 September | 11.30 - 13.30...... 20 • Adoption • Outcomes • Family • Youth Justice & Intervention • Foster Care 1 • Residential Services for High-Resource • Needs, Community & Intervention Using Youth: Learning from Cross-National Perspectives 1 *Parallel Session 2 | Wednesday 5 September | 16.00 - 18.00...... 53 • Around the World • Planning & Participation • Education • Transitions • Health • Residential Services for High-Resource • Parents Using Youth: Learning from Cross-National Perspectives 2
*Parallel Session 3 | Thursday 6 September | 11.30 - 13.30...... 87 • Disability • Kinship Care • Family Focused • Organisational Change • Implementing the CARE Program • The Use of Sibling Designs in Understanding Model: Early Results of a 16-site Adjustment in Children In Care Evaluation • Children’s Views
*Parallel Session 4 | Thursday 6 September | 16.00 - 18.00...... 119 • Carers • Residential 1 • Involvling Young People in Research & • School Policy • Using practice-driven outcome databases in • Longitudinal Studies youth care: chances and challenges • Maltreatment 1
*Parallel Session 5 | Friday 7 September | 11.30 - 13.30...... 152 • An Ecology of Decisions: Child • Identity Maltreatment & Child Welfare Decision • Leaving Care Making • Relationships • Foster Care 2 • Residential 2 • Frameworks
*Parallel Session 6 | Friday 7 September | 14.30 - 16.30...... 186 • Maltreatment 2 • Research Informing Interventions for Youth • Mental Health Making the Transition to Adulthood from State • Outcomes & Decision Making Care • Research • Residential 3 • Youth Empowerment Glossary of Conference Speakers & Authors...... 223
*Please note that there will be no sign-up to Parallel Sessions before or during the conference. Please ensure you make your way to your preferred Sessions promptly, as they will be closed once maximun delegate numbers have been reached. EUSARF 2012 Full Conference Programme Mon 3rd September: 12.00 - 16.30 Registration open at Thistle Hotel Tues 4th September: 09.00 - 16.30 Registration open at Thistle Hotel 15.30 - 18.30 Global Conversation at Thistle Hotel 10.00 - 16.00 Bruce Perry Event at Thistle Hotel 18.00 - 19.30 Opening Ceremony at Glasgow City Chambers Wednesday 5th September Thursday 6th September Friday 7th September Early Years / Early Intervention Middle Childhood / Care Settings Adulthood / Leaving Care 08.30 - 09.30 Registration 08.30 - 09.30 Registration 08.30 - 09.30 Registration 09.30 - 10.00 Welcome from Scottish Government Minister 09.30 - 10.00 Welcome from Scottish Young People 09.30 - 10.00 Welcome from Scottish Young People for Children and Young People 10.00 - 11.00 Keynote Speaker - Bruce Perry 10.00 - 11.00 Keynote Speaker - Terje Ogden 10.00 - 11.00 Keynote Speaker - Jorge Fernández del Valle 11.00 - 11.30 Tea and Coffee Break 11.00 - 11.30 Tea and Coffee Break 11.00 - 11.30 Tea and Coffee Break 11.30 - 13.30 Parallel Sessions Location 11.30 - 13.30 Parallel Sessions Location • Disability Lo 11.30 - 13.30 Parallel Sessions Location • Adoption Sc • Family Focused Ca • An Ecology of Decisions: Child Maltreatment & Child • Family RB • Implementing the CARE Program Model: Early Results of Welfare Decision Making Sc • Foster Care 1 Lo • Foster Care 2 Lo a 16-site Evaluation RB • Needs, Community & Intervention Ca • Frameworks Be • Kinship Care Ba • Outcomes Be • Identity Cl • Youth Justice & Intervention Cl • Organisational Change Be • Leaving Care Ba • Residential Services for High Resource-Using Youth: • The Use of Sibling Designs in Understanding Adjustment • Relationships RB Learning from Cross-National Perspectives 1 Ba in Children In Care Cl • Residential 2 Ca • Children’s Views Sc 13.30 - 14.30 Lunch 13.30 - 14.30 Lunch 13.30 - 14.30 Lunch
14.30 - 15.30 Plenary Session - Harriet Ward 14.30 - 15.30 Plenary Session - Jennifer Davidson 14.30 - 16.30 Parallel Sessions Location 15.30 - 16.00 Tea and Coffee Break 15.30 - 16.30 Tea and Coffee Break • Maltreatment RB • Mental Health Ca 16.00 - 18.00 Parallel Sessions Location 16.00 - 18.00 Parallel Sessions Location • Outcomes & Decision Making Lo • Around the World Sc • Carers Cl • Research Cl • Education Cl • Involving Young People in Research & Policy Ba • Research Informing Interventions for Youth Making the • Health RB • Longitudinal Studies RB Transition from Adulthood from State Care Ba • Parents Lo • Maltreatment 1 Lo • Residential 3 Be • Planning & Participation Ca • Residential 1 Ca • Youth Empowerment Sc • Transitions Be • School Be • Residential Services for High Resource-Using Youth: • Using practice-driven outcome databases in youth care: 16.30 - 17.30 Plenary Session - Andy Kendrick Learning from Cross-National Perspectives 2 Ba chances and challenges Sc 19.00 - 00.00 Conference Dinner, Barony Hall 20.30 - 00.00 Ceilidh at the National Piping Centre with 17.30 - 18.00 Conference Conclusion Session Awards Ceremony & Live Music Optional Whisky Tasting Session Location Key • Ballroom | Ground Floor (Ba) • Bearsden Suite | 8th Floor (Be) • Clyde Suite | 8th Floor (Cl) • Scott Suite | 8th Floor (Sc) • Robert Burns Suite | Ground Floor (RB) • California Suite | 8th Floor (Ca) • Lomond Suite | 8th Floor (Lo)
BACK TO CONTENTS Bruce Perry
The Impact of Trauma and Neglect on the Developing Child
Abstract
The development of a young child is profoundly influenced by experience. Experiences – good and bad - shape the organization of the brain. The ultimate effect is to impact emotional, social, cognitive and physiological functioning. Insights into this process come from understanding brain development. Both trauma and neglect, the absence of essential developmental experiences required to express a fundamental potential of a child, are pervasive problems in our culture. Various forms of neglect are possible and include splinter neglect, total global neglect and emotional or relational neglect. Chaos, threat and abnormal patterns of emotional, social, cognitive and physical interactions with young children lead to an array of brain-related problems. This presentation will review clinical work and research that can help us better understand developmental trauma, neglect and the relational problems that arise from neglect and threat. An overview will be provided that suggests new directions for clinical practice, program development and policy.
Biography
Dr Bruce Perry is the Senior Fellow of the ChildTrauma Academy and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University School of Medicine in Chicago. Over the last ten years, Dr Perry’s clinical research has been focused on integrating concepts of developmental neuroscience and child development into clinical practices. This work has resulted in the development of innovative clinical practices and programmes working with maltreated and traumatised children. The ChildTrauma Academy creates programmes that aim to promote positive change within institutions that work with high risk children, such as child protective services, mental health, public education and juvenile justice. Dr Perry has written two books, Born For Love: Why Empathy is Essential and Endangered and The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog, and is the author of over 300 journal articles, book chapters and scientific proceedings.
4 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Professor Harriet Ward CBE
Conflicting Timeframes in Safeguarding Babies and Very Young Children from Neglect and Abuse
Abstract
Evidence concerning the impact of abuse and neglect in the early years points to the importance of taking swift and decisive action when very young children are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. The decisions made by professionals who have safeguarding responsibilities are extremely difficult and will have long-term consequences for children’s life chances. Moreover intense public interest means that those who make the decisions can be publicly vilified by the media if they are perceived both as having left children too long in dangerous situations or as having removed them unnecessarily from their families.
This presentation focuses on the factors that influence decisions made by a range of professionals both before and after referral to children’s social services in England and draws attention to the mismatch between timeframes for professional decision-making and early childhood development. Illustrations are taken from a prospective longitudinal study of the decision-making process influencing the life pathways and developmental progress of a sample of very young children who were identified as suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm before their first birthdays and have now been followed until they are five. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
Biography
Professor Harriet Ward is Director of the Centre for Child and Family Research (CCFR) at Loughborough University and co-director of the government-funded Childhood Wellbeing Research Centre. During her career, she has worked as a social work practitioner, a field researcher and an adviser to policymakers and service providers. Professor Ward led the Looking After Children project from 1993 to 2001, which had considerable influence on the development of government policy and practice concerning looked after children in the UK and abroad. This project also led to the development of the CCFR outcomes for vulnerable children research programme, which included innovative work on calculating costs of children’s services. She recently completed a major research study on infants suffering or likely to suffer significant harm and co-authored Safeguarding Children Across Services: Messages from Research on Identifying and Responding to Child Maltreatment, the overview of the UK government’s Safeguarding Children Research Initiative.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 5 Terje Ogden
Applying an implementation perspective to improve services - integrating research, policy and practice in Norway
Abstract
Following the introduction of several evidence-based programs for the treatment of conduct problems in children and youth, a strong focus on implementation has emerged in Norway. Twelve years after the introduction of US developed evidence-based programs a lot has been learned about the challenges and rewards of large scale implementation. Implementation is a combined top-down and bottom-up process distinct from the passive process of diffusion and the top-down process of dissemination. Successful implementation is a function of the evidence supporting an intervention, the context in which it is introduced and the degree of facilitation. The nationwide implementation was supported by a strong infrastructure of the new national center with a network of implementation teams providing training, supervision, support and research. The implementation initiative has been successful despite the challenges it posed to existing ways of working with conduct problems, and a certain scepticism about standardized programs developed in other countries. EBP practitioners have responded positively to the new programs and welcomed intensive feedback and coaching. Among the facilitators of sustained program implementation are a long term political commitment and funding, the credibility of those speaking for the initiative, high quality research, dedicated implementation teams, supportive leadership at the local level, competent practitioners and referral routines that work. The programs proved to work through randomised controlled trials but the interventions are of little value without proper implementation. Implementation research should be distinguished from intervention outcome research with indicators including productivity, client and staff satisfaction, and fidelity and performance monitoring.
Biography
Dr Terje Ogden is a professor at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Oslo in Norway and the research director for the Norwegian Center for Child Behavioural Development. The Center aims to integrate research and practice to increase multi-disciplinary knowledge and enhance clinical competence in the prevention and treatment of serious behaviour problems among children and young people. Since 1998, Professor Ogden has directed research into the national evaluation of empirically supported programmes in Norway, which is the focus of several retrospective articles and a study of implementation components and profiles. He is also project leader of the Behaviour Outlook Norwegian Developmental Study (BONDS), a longitudinal prospective study of the social development of children from six months to seven years of age. BONDS aims to determine the early development of externalising behaviour problems and social competence.
6 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Jennifer Davidson
Transforming ‘alternative care’ for children around the globe: Reflections on essential components for systems improvement
Abstract
The United Nations, alongside international NGOs, have led the development of the Guidelines for the Alternative Care for Children, which outline the specifics of applying children’s rights to state systems of ‘care’. In compiling the Implementation and Monitoring Handbook for the Guidelines, which highlights key policy and practice components of systems from around the globe, research now offers an emerging picture of the contextual factors needed to implement the transformation of care systems, ultimately to ensure states’ responsibilities for these children are met. This presentation will critically reflect on these key components, and explore the challenge of implementing system improvements where national priorities vary and little culturally-specific evidence yet exists.
Biography
Jennifer is the Director of the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS), which aims to improve the care experiences of all children and young people in public care. Her social work experience spans Canada, the USA and the UK, where she has held leadership positions in child and youth care, social work and professional education. She has served on national and international committees related to children’s services. Jennifer was a founding member of the US National Campaign for the Ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. She also directed the Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care (SIRCC), which contributed to a successful decade-long change programme across Scotland’s residential child care services. Jennifer’s interests lie in the relationship between children’s rights discourse and children’s lived experiences, and in the impact and relevance of international rights and standards to national and regional practice in children’s services. She is international project co-leader for the United Nations Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children Implementation and Monitoring Handbook.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 7 Jorge Fernández del Valle
Transition from care to adulthood in Spain
Abstract
One of the most concerning topics of research in the field of child care is the process of transitions from care (particularly family foster care or residential care) to adulthood. Whereas the process of being in care is under control and offers a general protection for children, when young people become adults the continuity of support is not always guaranteed and is quite different in different countries. In some of them, the lack of support makes this process really out of control and young people must survive on their own resources. As a consequence, in some cases, after many years of care and support, all this investment of protection and services can be lost in the most critical moment.
Transitions to adulthood in Spain, even for young people in general, is a long and difficult challenge due to the strong basis on the family in our welfare regime. For those who do not have family support this process of becoming adult is particularly hazardous.
This keynote address analyses that social context of transition to adulthood in Spain and presents a piece of research about the process of becoming adult from kinship care. Foster care with relatives (particularly grandparents) is the most common type of out-of-home placement in Spain, which makes this research especially relevant. Results will be compared with other data from transitions to adulthood from child residential care, showing significant differences and peculiarities.
Biography
Dr Jorge Fernández del Valle is the Director of the Child and Family Research Group (GIFI) and a professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of Oviedo in Spain. His teaching concentrates on psychological intervention in social services, particularly child care services. GIFI’s research focuses on programme evaluation in residential and foster child care and needs assessments of particular groups, such as young asylum seekers or children in residential care suffering from mental health problems. Professor del Valle is a member of the INTRAC group and is particularly interested in research on transitions to adulthood from residential and foster care. He wrote a handbook for residential care in Spain and developed several programme evaluation tools which are used by care practitioners in most regions in Spain and Portugal. He has also worked as a residential care social educator and psychologist for residential care and community family intervention programmes.
8 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Andy Kendrick
Historical Justice, Acknowledgement and Accountability: Historic Abuse in Care
Abstract
The main contexts for historical justice are framed by genocide; racial, ethnic and colonial wars; and oppression. In most of these situations, the experience of individuals is framed by an over-arching identity; be it racial, ethnic, national or political. Another context for historical justice, however, consists of situations where individuals have suffered abuse and injustice, and it is this very experience which identifies them as a group. One example is individuals who experience illness or disability because of the ill-effects of drugs; for example, the victims of thalidomide. Another such group of individuals consists of those who have experienced abuse in residential and foster care, and, in particular, those who experienced abuse as children and whose abuse has only recently come to light. These claims for historical justice reach back over many years. However, it is only recently that there has been a real acknowledgement of the issue, and steps taken to address the issues. This presentation draws on research undertaken on developments in historical justice for survivors of abuse in Scotland. It compares international responses to abuse in residential and foster care to developments in Scotland, and to the different contexts of historical justice. In this way, it aims to make a contribution to broader conceptualisation and theorisation of historical justice situations; the way in which individuals in differing circumstances are affected; and the implications for policy and practice for both adult survivors of abuse in residential and foster care, and children and young people currently in out-of-home care.
Biography
Professor Andrew Kendrick is the Head of the Glasgow School of Social Work and Head of the School of Applied Social Science at the University of Strathclyde. He gained his PhD in Social Anthropology from the London School of Economics in 1984. Professor Kendrick worked at Dundee University for 14 years where he carried out a wide range of research on children in care and has been involved in a number of government reviews related to children in care. He was appointed to the post of Professor of Residential Child Care at the University of Strathclyde in 2001. Professor Kendrick’s research focuses on residential child care and looked after children. He is currently working on a research project on historic abuse in residential and foster care. He is a member of both the EUSARF board and the Strategic Steering Group of the Centre for excellence for looked after children in Scotland (CELCIS).
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 9 Exhibitor Information
NSPCC Scotland
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) Scotland aims to bring an end to the devastating effects of child abuse. We provide preventative services which aim to identify vulnerable families earlier and intervene before abuse starts or intensifies.
Our services for children and families are based on the best models of preventing and reducing child abuse from around the world. We work in the areas where we believe we can make the greatest impact in Scotland: babies and toddlers, neglect and physical abuse in high risk families. We bring help, advice and treatment to families of children at risk or to children who have been abused. Through our work with the families and foster carers of looked after children under the age of five we want to empower courts to make more successful decisions about the permanent placement of young children.
Our ChildLine helpline and NSPCC helpline for adults provide safe, easily accessible ways for children and adults to raise their worries and concerns, so that children and families can get the support they need to keep children safe. Our ChildLine schools service works in primary schools to ensure every child has an understanding of all forms of abuse and knows how to keep safe.
By sharing our knowledge and learning and working with others we want to protect all of Scotland’s children from harm.
Find out more about our work: visit our stand at conference; our webpages www.nspcc.org.uk/scotland or, follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/nspcc_scotland
Rossie Young People’s Trust
Rossie Young People’s Trust, located on the north east coast of Scotland, set amid 150 acres of spectacular woodland, is one of the foremost providers of secure and residential care for vulnerable young people in Scotland.
Three houses of Secure Care Accommodation staffed by qualified, experienced child care professionals, create a safe and emotionally secure environment whilst the Residential Campus is tailored to young people’s needs, including Close Support and houses for semi-independent living.
Professional Services provides assessments and interventions for young people and their families, including the Trauma Recovery Programme; a collaboration with Dr Ian Barron, University of Dundee, using world- leading evidence based Children and War Foundation’s Teaching Recovery Techniques to address young people’s cumulative traumatic experiences.
Rossie School consists of a Secure Education Centre with curricular provision for eighteen young people and Open Learning Centre for fourteen young people with an Induction model commended by HMIe and Care Inspectorate as a unique example of very good practice.
Outdoor Learning and Skills for Work programmes are an integral part of Curriculum for Excellence at Rossie linking with community partners so young people realise their true potential in real working environments.
We understand young people may have experienced many negative messages before placement with us, but we know by focusing on success, and giving praise and recognition for progress and achievement, life chances can be improved.
Rossie Young People’s Trust – A supportive and stimulating environment in which young people can achieve their full potential, assessed as “Best Value secure care provider in Scotland” – (National Secure Care Tender Evaluation 2011)
Find out more at http://www.rossie.org.uk/ 10 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Exhibitor Information
Five Rivers Childcare Five Rivers Child Care is a leading independent Social Enterprise child care organisation that is dedicated to meeting psychological, emotional and behavioural needs of children who have been taken into the care of the local authority. These children and adolescents have experienced a range of trauma and developmental delay and/or due to a variety of complex issues including neglect and abuse in its various forms. Consequently, their needs are complex.
Five Rivers Philosophy of Care We believe that by addressing a young person’s needs and behaviours through a therapeutic, integrated approach to care and education within in small residential home environments and specialist schools that emotional stability will be established more effectively. Our work with each child is guided by a Child Psychologist within the framework of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention. All professionals working with the child meet regularly to discuss the progress of the child, to establish an Individual Care Management Programme. It is within this framework that the child’s progress is reviewed, monitored and evaluated.
Our residential services include: • Assessment & Therapy • Intensive Outreach Support • Crisis Intervention • Core Residential Group Care
In addition, we offer through our integrated service: • Foster Care/Family Placements – Five Rivers has a good record of successfully placing children in family settings with an excellent retention rate and few placement breakdowns. We support with long-term and short-term needs and parent/child assessments. • Education Services – Full-time education packages are provided within our DfE registered specialist schools and via ELearning and home tuition.
Find out more at http://www.five-rivers.org/
CELCIS Library and Resource Centre
CELCIS has a specialist Library of around 5,000 book titles and periodicals of interest to those working with looked after children and young people, or involved in study or research. The Library is open to residential workers, managers, undergraduate and postgraduate students, academics and others with an interest in our area of work. The Library holds general and specialised books, training materials, books and materials for use with young people in residential settings, Acts of parliament, government publications and policy documents, local authority publications, and inspection reports. We also have a well-established collection of periodicals from the UK, Europe and North America. As a national resource, we have users from all over Scotland, and operate a postal loan service. Anyone may use our facilities for reference.
The Library also maintains an in-house database of articles from our own periodicals, and a database of newspaper articles relating to looked after children and general children’s issues.
The Library responds to requests for information by telephone, email, post or in person. The Librarian will carry out literature searches and provide reading lists using major social sciences databases, e.g. ASSIA, ERIC, IBSS and Sociological Abstracts. Please visit the CELCIS Library stand for free reading lists on some of the Conference topics and to see a display of a small selection of our book stock.
CELCIS Library and Resource Centre, Floor 5, Curran Building, University of Strathclyde, 100 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0LN Tel: 0141 444 8527 Email: [email protected]
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 11 Exhibitor Information
CELCIS Partners
CELCIS is delighted that members of the CELCIS Partnership Group will be exhibiting at EUSARF 2012. CELCIS’ partners include*:
• British Association of Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) supports, advises and campaigns for better outcomes for children in care. BAAF works in areas including family-finding, publications, training, conferences, consultancy, campaigning and advice. http://www.baaf.org.uk
• Coalition of Care & Support Providers in Scotland (CCPS) aims to identify, represent, promote and safeguard the interests of third sector and not-for-profit social care and support providers in Scotland, so that they can maximise the impact they have on meeting social need. www.ccpscotland.org/
• Educating Through Care Scotland (EtCS) is the association for residential independent schools and services which provide care and education for children and young people with additional support needs. www.etcs.org.uk/
• Includem is a Scottish charity with 12 years of evidence based experience and a track record in providing a powerful one to one relationship-based service to hundreds of young people, when they are most at risk. www.includem.org/
• Langside College has been delivering courses to a wide range of students throughout the south side of Glasgow for over 60 years. http://www.langside.ac.uk/
• WithScotland, formerly Multi-Agency Resource Service / Scottish Child Care and Protection Network (MARS / SCCPN) supports child protection practice, policy and research by helping agencies, councils or organisations access relevant knowledge and expertise. www.withscotland.org
• Robert Gordon University has an outstanding graduate employment record in a wide range of fields and is the largest provider of social work training in Scotland. http://www.rgu.ac.uk/
• Scottish Throughcare & Aftercare (STAF) aims to improve support for young people leaving care by influencing the development of national policies and local support services. http://www.scottishthroughcare.org.uk/
• The Association of Directors of Social Work (ADSW) is the professional association of senior social work managers in local authorities in Scotland. ADSW exists to promote social justice and protect the interests of the people who use social work and social care services. www.adsw.org.uk/
• The Fostering Network (TFN) is the voice of foster care in the UK. TFN and its members lobby, campaign and influence policy in order to develop, improve and champion fostering. http://www.fostering.net/scotland
• Who Cares? Scotland is a voluntary organisation that works directly with Scotland’s children and young people in care by listening to what they say, supporting them and speak out on their behalf. http://www.whocaresscotland.org/
*Not all partners will be exhibiting at the conference.
12 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Exhibitor Information
The Pillars of Parenting Only 2% of children are in public care because of their socially unacceptable behaviour, yet resources are mainly directed towards problem behaviour. The Pillars of Parenting Social Enterprise® is spearheading a sector ‘mind shift’ from a problem-focused approach to one which utilises the energy generated by young people when they are helped to find their often- hidden talents and strengths to build on the emotionally healthy side of their lives The evidence-based ‘Emotional Warmth’ professional child care model is designed to empower foster parents and residential carers. Developed in the U.K. and based on well- established psychological theory and research, this model has three key components: 1) Regular group consultations with our applied psychologists (where clients are the carers but the focus of is the individual child: a. Identifying priority parenting needs (using the eight Pillars of Parenting). b. Agreeing appropriate support for the child’s emotional trauma (using our ‘adaptive emotional development ‘approach). c. Supporting each child to identify and employ their signature. strengths to find fun and satisfaction in life. 2) Continuing Professional Development: This includes formal training in the theory and practice leading to a recognised qualification: ‘Emotional Warmth in Professional Child Care’. 3) Creative Leadership: leadership effectiveness and team functioning are assessed and monitored on a regular basis. To learn how we have harnessed the power of Positive Psychology, attend our presentation - Residential One (06-09-12) or download our peer reviewed article from: www.pillarsofparenting.co.uk To learn how your team can become an accredited user of The Pillars of Parenting® call Colin Maginn: 0191 516 6634
Kibble Education and Care Centre Kibble Education and Care Centre is a leading provider of child and youth care in Scotland. Based in Renfrewshire, we provide specialist care placements to young people aged 12-24 from across Scotland who have a complex combination of social, emotional and educational problems. The majority of young people referred to Kibble have extremely challenging backgrounds and many have already endured several failed placements with extended family, foster families or other care agencies. Our commitment is to provide each young person with the care and support they need to overcome trauma and participate fully in society, community and family life. To do this, we offer an array of integrated and tailored services that include: • residential care • education • day and community based care • fostering support • secure facility Every aspect of a young person’s engagement with these services is underpinned by our Specialist Intervention Services that evaluate and support the psychological health and wellbeing of young people in our care. Another important aspect of Kibble’s remit is KibbleWorks, our collective of small social enterprises that operate in industries such as catering and mechanics. These social enterprises provide direct training and employment to young people who are leaving care or custody, preparing them for the world of work and independent living. At Kibble, we aim to provide vulnerable young people with a safe, welcoming and constructive environment in which they can form healthy relationships and prepare themselves for a purposeful and bright future. Find out more at http://www.kibble.org/
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 13 Exhibitor Information
CYC-Net CYC-Net was created with the intention of supporting child and youth care workers who often are isolated and unsupported in under-served and dispersed parts of the world. Limited access to libraries and low salary levels in these areas frequently prevents them from accessing any training whatsoever. It provides a platform for sharing expertise, best practice and support. CYC-Net’s main objectives are (primarily through the internet and electronic media) to promote and facilitate
• reading • learning • information sharing • discussion • networking • support • accountable practice amongst all who work with children, youth and families in difficulty. Every aspect of CYC-Net is free to its users and it currently provides a number of online resources to the benefit and aid of child and youth care workers worldwide:
• a growing library of full-text articles, documents and writings • publicising programmes, conferences and training opportunities • reflecting all news and developments relating to work with children and youth and their families in its various news pages • publishing its own monthly on-line journal, CYC-Online Operating from South Africa, CYC-Net (Child and Youth Care Network) is a registered non-profit and public benefit organisation running with its own constitution. Find out more at http://www.cyc-net.org/
Jessica Kingsley Publishers Jessica Kingsley Publishers is an independent, award-winning company with an international reputation for publishing theoretically rigorous yet accessible books for professionals, academics and students. Our publishing encompasses social work, mental health, counselling, autism, education, healthcare, disability and arts therapies. This year, we are celebrating 25 years of Independent Publishing 1987-2012.
Please do visit our stand to browse our extensive selection of titles. Our Senior Commissioning Editor Stephen Jones will be attending to meet anyone who has publication ideas which they would like to discuss. If you would like to arrange a meeting in advance to the conference, he can be emailed at [email protected]
We also invite you to join us on Thursday 6th September at 6.00pm in the exhibitors hall where we will be hosting a book launch for Mike Stein’s new book, ‘Young People Leaving Care: Supporting Pathways to Adulthood’.
Find out more at www.jkp.com/
14 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Exhibitor Information
Children in Scotland
Children in Scotland’s vision is to make Scotland a world leader in securing the wellbeing of every child and improving the quality of every childhood.
We want to secure better lives and life chances for all children and young people in Scotland, not only by increasing the positive impact of our members and partners, but also by strengthening the voices of children and young people in shaping their own lives and the services that support them.
Our knowledge and expertise enable us to influence Government and those responsible for child wellbeing with, and on behalf of, our members. As the unique membership body for the children’s sector in Scotland we inform about policy, research and best practice on the issues that affect children and families across the country. Our members include individuals and professionals from education, health, social care and early years working together for Scotland’s children.
Our services support the implementation of the Additional Support for Learning Act:
• ENQUIRE the Scottish advice and information service for additional support for learning. The service is for parents and carers of children and young people with additional support needs, children and young people themselves, and professionals working with them. Enquire offers advice and information through a helpline and produce a range of publications.
• RESOLVE:ASL independent mediation service is the largest mediation provider in Scotland - they assist local education authorities to meet the mediation requirements in the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004/09. www.childreninscotland.org.uk
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 15 Site Visits
We are delighted to announce that a number of Scottish organisations are opening their doors to EUSARF 2012 delegates. The site visits have been chosen to demonstrate good practice in the care of vulnerable children in Scotland. All delegates are welcome to attend but places must be booked in advance at [email protected] as spaces will be limited.
Wednesday 5th September from 14.00
Renfrewshire Council
Renfrewshire Council is the 12th largest Local Authority area in Scotland and sits on the south banks of the river Clyde. The current population stands at around 170,000, 18% of whom are children. The Achieving Step Change in Children’s Outcomes Project was introduced as part of a recognition of the increased level and complexity of demand on children’s and young people’s services coupled with the continuing poor outcomes for many of the more vulnerable in these communities. This is a genuinely multi-agency partnership approach to understanding Children’s needs and redesigning Children’s Services.
The Council carried out a large scale epidemiology, in partnership with the Social Research Unit in Dartington, in order to understand the specifics and level of need in the Council’s 0-18 population. All partnership agencies are highly committed to using information gathered to develop an outcomes driven approach to tackling the various difficulties and issues identified by the young people themselves. To date, two Evidence Based Programmes have been introduced with plans already set for more in the coming few months.
During this visit, Renfrewshire Council staff will share their experiences of this new approach as well as introducing practitioners from some of the evidence based programmes which have begun to be embedded in local practice. EUSARF 2012 delegates will have the opportunity to ask questions about the strategy and quiz practitioners on the impact of these programmes on the families they work with and their own professional practice.
16 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Site Visits
Thursday 6th September from 13.30
Kibble Education and Care Centre
Kibble Education and Care Centre is a leading provider of child and youth care in Scotland and offers specialist care placements to young people aged 12-24 from across Scotland who have a complex combination of social, emotional and educational problems. The majority of young people referred to Kibble have extremely challenging backgrounds and many have already endured several failed placements with extended family, foster families or other care agencies.
Kibble provides residential care; day and community based care; secure facility; education; and fostering support. Every aspect of a young person’s engagement with these services is underpinned by our Specialist Intervention Services that evaluate and support the psychological health and wellbeing of young people in their care.
Another important aspect of Kibble’s remit is KibbleWorks, a collective of small social enterprises that operate in industries such as catering and mechanics. These social enterprises provide direct training and employment to young people who are leaving care or custody, preparing them for the world of work and independent living.
This site visit will include a buffet lunch, campus tour and short presentations from the Specialist Intervention Service, Intensive Fostering Services and KibbleWorks.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 17 Site Visits
Friday 7th September from 11.00
Place2Be
Place2Be is a leading UK provider of school-based emotional and mental health services. Founded in 1994 (and operational in Scotland since 2001), Place2Be has school-based teams, comprising of over 150 paid clinicians and 730 counsellors who volunteer their time in over 170 schools, supporting 58,000 children. It offers a flexible menu of services that extend its reach to a further 369 schools. Place2Be seeks to improve the prospects of children aged 4-14 years, by tackling the complex social, psychological and emotional challenges that result in educational disadvantage.
Place2Be works in schools providing early intervention tier 1 and tier 2 mental health support, without stigmatising children, young people, families or schools and at a point when they need it most. It effectively removes the emotional barriers to learning and prevents the downward spiral that can lead to low aspirations, poor educational achievement, truancy and exclusion from school and subsequent social and health problems. By helping improve children’s classroom learning and academic progress and building their resilience, Place2Be provides children with brighter prospects and hopeful futures.
The partnership in Glasgow (funded through NHS Greater Glasgow and Glasgow Council) has now completed its second academic year enabling Place2Be to provide a universal and targeted school- based programme, delivered by 2 school based teams of counsellors (10 in total) to over 700 children in the Easterhouse area (an area of significant multiple deprivation) of the city.
This study visit will aim to provide:
• An understanding of how a school based emotional health service operates – the different aspects of the service and the ability to work with an early intervention approach; • An understanding of the evaluation techniques used to record the impact of the service; • An opportunity to understand the specific needs of children in an area of significant multiple deprivation with regard to emotional/mental health; • An understanding of the ability of an integrated emotional health service to impact on the capacity of teaching and wider school staff to support children’s mental health; • An understanding of the particular psychological approaches used by the service.
18 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Glasgow Information
About Glasgow 4
Glasgow is one of Europe’s most exciting destinations and combines the energy and 1 sophistication of a great international city with some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery. It was named one of the world’s top ten must-see cities by Lonely Planet in 2009.
The city is home to more than 20 world class museums and art galleries. Its impressive portfolio includees the iconic new Riverside Museum, the 3 internationally renowned Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum and the Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed House for an Art Lover. 2
Ancient castles, quaint distilleries, tranquil lochs, outstanding golf courses and miles of unspoilt coastline are all just a short journey from Glasgow’s city centre.
Key Conference Locations
1. Thistle Hotel, Cambridge Street, Glasgow, 2. Glasgow City Chambers, George Square, Glasgow 3. Barony Hall, McLeod Street, Glasgow 4. National Piping Centre, McPhater Street, Glasgow Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Adoption
Adoption of children at risk by Foster Families: Lessons Learned from the implementation of the Model in Israel Speakers & Authors: Yoa Sorek and Fida Nijim-Ektelat, Engelberg Center for Children and Youth at the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, Israel
There is widespread agreement that adoption is a preferred response for children unable to grow up in their own families. Adoption of at-risk children by their foster families (fost-adoption) expands adoption opportunities, limits the number of placements prior to adoption, reduces disruption and provides more stability. Yet, until recently, it was rarely considered for at-risk children in Israel. This practice has become more prevalent in the past ten years and was mostly done without cooperation between foster-care and adoption services. Consequently, children who were most likely to be considered for permanent placements were being placed in foster families who were not necessarily willing or suited to fost-adopt. This paper describes the fost-adoption model and identifies recommended ways for implementation.
The study included 11 case studies about fost-adopted children. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with fost-adopt parents, adoptees and the social workers who accompanied the families during foster care and in transition to adoption (50 interviews).
We found that children were fost-adopted by families who would not have been considered suitable as adopting families by the adoption services. Families were not supported in the transition from foster-care to adoption, which sometimes affected their understanding of the differences between fostering and adoption and the extent to which the child was integrated into the family.
We conclude that cooperation between foster-care and adoption services is crucial. It is recommended that these services cooperate in the recruitment of fost-adopt families and that the possibility of fost-adoption be transparent throughout the process.
Speaker Information
Yoa Sorek has M.A. and B.A. qualifications in Education Studies from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She has worked as a researcher in the Engleberg Center for Children and Youth at Risk in the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute since 1999. She has conducted researches on a variety of topics in the field of children and youth at risk, such as evaluation of programs for Ethiopian and Kavkazi children, evaluations of programs for children of divorce, children in foster-care and children who suffer from neglect and abuse.
20 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Adoption
Growing up adopted: psychological, social and family functioning of young adult domestic adoptees in the Netherlands Speakers & Authors: Dr. Marielle Dekker, Dr. Anneke J.G. Vinke and Prof. Dr. Femmie Juffer Adoption Triad Research Centre / Leiden University Netherlands
About 17.000 children in the Netherlands have been domestically adopted since the Dutch adoption law came into force in 1956. This figure is about a third of the total adoption population. In recent years, domestic adoption has declined to about 20 babies each year whilst about 600-700 children are adopted internationally.
Research has primarily focused on intercountry adoptions. In the past few years, longitudinal studies have shown how young adult intercountry adoptees fare but have not shown how the domestic adopted children make the transition to adulthood (for intercountry adoptions see Jaffari-Bimmel, 2005; Tieman, 2006; Storsbergen, 2004). Little is known about how domestic adoptees experience themselves, their psychological wellbeing, and their social, partner and family relationships.
In this project we focused on these three topics and randomly selected 253 families that adopted a Dutch child from a total of 567 domestic adoptive families between 1980 and 1989. The families were recruited through the Department of Safety and Justice and a total of 97 adoptive parent couples and 79 young adult adoptees participated in the interviews and questionnaire survey. The data was compared to intercountry adoptees and to large study findings concerning the general population (Nemesis-2, Graaf et. al, 2010; and Kinship Panel study, Dijkstra et al. 2007).
This presentation will present and discuss the main findings of this research project as well as its possible practical implications.
Speaker Information
Dr. Anneke J.G. Vinke holds a PhD in intercountry adoptions. She chairs the Adoption Triad Research Centre at Leiden University where she teaches and researches. She is a licenced Child Psychologist / General Health Psychologist. She works in private practice in Bilthoven, Netherlands where she focuses on psychodiagnostics and treatment of adopted children, adopted adolescents and their families. For more information please see www.adoptionresearch.nl or www.adoptiepraktijk.nl
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 21 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Adoption
Adoption: Parenting and well-being of children. Findings of a Swiss study
Speakers & Authors: Prof. Dr. Thomas Gabriel: Head of Research and Samuel Keller, M.A.: Research Fellow at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, School of Social Work
Like many Western countries, most Swiss adoptions are from abroad. International research literature shows contradictions when discussing factors that affect adoptees’ well-being. This is why this study undertook a closer look at children, their families and the complex interactions. The research analysed outcomes of adoption procedures as a combination of protective and risk factors from different perspectives.
Questions included ‘Which protective factors contribute to the well-being of the adoptees?’; ‘How do the protective factors and the risk factors interact?’; and ‘Where is there scope for improvement in adoption procedures?’
The study used a general census by means of questionnaires (Child Behaviour Checklist: n=116), which provides an overall view of the current behaviour of all adopted children (since 2003) in the Canton of Zurich. It also used narrative interviews with controlled selected families (n=23) to record their actual individual experiences and analysis of the questions and concepts in the official documents.
The study showed the behaviour of the adoptees is in a good standardized average with several children being considerably above average. The study also worked out six implicit parental models of dealing with the challenges of adoption making it possible to show effects of the adoption procedures on those parental models and discuss important processes and sensitive phases.
Speaker Information
Prof. Dr. Thomas Gabriel is Head of Research and Development at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), School of Social Work and Professor (ZFH) for childhood, youth and family. He was Head of Social-Pedagogical Research at the University of Zurich from 2002 to 2009. His national and international research projects focus on child care, child protection and well-being.
Samuel Keller, M.A., is a Research Fellow at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), School of Social Work. After his degree in Social Pedagogy, he developed his methodological examination of researching families, childhood, growing up and care. His PhD thesis will discuss measuring children’s well-being by using visual data and reflecting their methodical significance.
22 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Adoption
Granting Legal Custody to Foster Parents for Children in Permanent Foster Care--How Does It Effect Life Outcomes? Speakers & Authors: Simon Dadds, Susan Milligan, Supervisors of children in care teams, Nathalie Fouquette is their Director of Client Services, Kawartha-Halibuton Children’s Aid Society, located in Ontario, Canada
Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Aid Society (KHCAS) is pursuing legal custody orders to achieve permanency for Crown wards, who are children that KHCAS has permanently removed from their parents due to abuse and neglect. So far, KHCAS has ended Crown wardship orders for nearly 20 children with most of these children’s new guardians being their prior foster parents. Our five year longitudinal study will examine these children’s life outcomes and compare them to the outcomes for children who remain Crown wards. The life outcomes measures being created in this study may be useful to evaluate other child welfare services. This study will provide insight into whether our legal custody program helps to achieve better life outcomes for children than long-term foster care.
Speaker Information
Simon Dadds, Susan Milligan and Nathalie Fouquette all live in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada and have completed social work degrees in Canada. Their agency serves a geographic area which has a mix of small urban centres, rural farms, First Nations communities and ‘cottage country’ (large forest areas surroundings many lakes and river). Previously, Nathalie and Simon both worked in child protection in northern communities, which has resources based industries (e.g. fishing, wood products and mining) and so they were both exposed to rich First Nations cultures. Susan was an adult mental health counsellor prior to moving to a career in child protection. They all enjoy the outdoors and are avid kayakers.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 23 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Family
An outcome evaluation of intervention with children out-of-home and their families in Veneto Region (Italy) Speakers & Authors: Marco Ius*, Paola Milani**, Sara Serbati* - *Post-doc researcher, **Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Pedagogy and Applied Psychology - FISPPA, University of Padua, Italy
This presentation will show the results of a research-training-intervention program on assessing, planning, monitoring and evaluating intervention with vulnerable families whose children are out- of-home or at risk of placement. The program aimed to measure and evaluate outcomes obtained by children and families and to enable professionals to evaluate by themselves. There is little data about care processes and outcomes lack within the Veneto Region mainly because of the absence of a common way to assess and plan intervention. Analysis of care practices shows that professionals do not adequately help families to understand their problems and plan intervention.
The research was conducted using RPMonline (Assessment, Planning and Monitoring) which is an Italian adaptation of Assessment Framework and contains a number of tools to assist professionals in decision making and in measuring changes occurring during intervention. RPMonline was co- built by an interdisciplinary group of researchers (University of Padua) and a group of policy makers (11) and social practitioners (54) belonging to 8 local child protection services of the Veneto Region in Italy.
The tool was used three times: at the intake (December 2010), at T1 after 6 months (25 cases) and at T2 after 12 months (19 cases). During the program, professionals received training and tutorials in order to promote families’ participation in care planning and decision making processes. The results of the three data collections, care plan qualitative analysis and main challenges faced will be presented and discussed.
Speaker Information
Marco Ius is post doctorate researcher at University of Padua (Italy) and co-author of several publications on child care and protection and on resilience.
Paola Milani is Professor of Social Work at the University of Padua (Italy) and author and co-author of several books and articles on child care and protection.
Sara Serbati is post doctorate researcher at University of Padua (Italy) and co-author of several articles on child care and protection.
24 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Family
Effects of an early family intervention program for at-risk Portuguese families
Speakers & Authors: João Graça, Manuela Calheiros, Joana Patrício, Centre for Psychological Research and Social Intervention; ISCTE - Lisbon University Institute, Portugal
One fifth of all children in Portugal live in poverty (Santos & Mercurio, 2004) and the proportion of children aged zero to five who are exposed to considerable risk factors has increased in recent years (CPCJR, 2009). Therefore, it is essential to increase the quality of social services provided to at-risk families, particularly early family and child intervention programs.
This study aims to evaluate how an early family intervention program for at-risk Portuguese families affects children and parent outcomes. In this study, a sample of 40 families were randomly assigned to either attend a nine month intervention program (intervention group, n=20) or remained in usual practice conditions (control group, n=20). The intervention involved group dynamics work with children in kindergarten and individual work sessions with parents and children at home. A repeated measures design was used to test the program effects on parenting practices; life conditions; and children’s mental and socio-behavioral development. Parents were also questioned about their satisfaction with the program functional and structural support in order to evaluate the program implementation.
Results revealed that the program had a positive impact mostly on parenting practices and life conditions as well as measures of mental and socio behavioral development. Parents were satisfied with the functional and structural program support and evaluated them as being significantly better than other services commonly used. Recommendations are given for program development and future research.
Speaker Information
João Graça is a doctoral candidate at the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL). For the last few years he has been a member of a research team at CIS-IUL developing evaluation, research and intervention activities in the areas of child protection, residential care and education. He has participated in the design and evaluation of several services such as an independent living program for adolescents leaving care, an emergency shelter and temporary care for children in danger, and a family-support program for preventing the institutionalization of children at risk.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 25 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Family
Improving family-care services: recherche-formation with practitioners and vulnerable families Speakers & Authors: Alessia Vitale, Milano Bicocca-University and “La Grande Casa” Cooperative
‘What are the reciprocal representations that are generated and interchanged between practitioners and vulnerable families in educational family-care services?’ is an important question because of the connection between the ideas/images and actions of both practitioners and families (Fruggeri, 1998). Therefore, the representations-actions chain is fundamental in the success of effective interventions. The presentation will focus on research which involves families and practitioners from two different services and aims to answer the question above.
Within this research, the term “representation” is used in its sensitive dimension (Varela et al., 1994, 2001) and focuses on the way senses build ideas and knowledge. The work used empirical qualitative model and ecological paradigm (Bateson, 1979; Maturana, Varela, 1985, 1987); recherche-formation (Josso, 2000) and the “Spiral of Knowledge” method (Heron, 1992; Reason, 1993; Formenti, 2009). This was followed by analysis of the aesthetic materials produced during the meetings between researchers and participants. This method assumes that the researcher is a subject in the educational process and his/her role is to build a methodological model that is able to generate transformations (Mezirow, 1991).
The research identified two lines of reflection: i) the subjects described the services as “liquid places” (Bauman, 2000); ii) the implicative and reflexive (Schön, 1983) methodological construction can improve the services and put the basis for a participative evaluation.
Speaker Information
Alessia Vitale is a Postdoctoral fellow at University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy). Since 2005, her research has focused on pedagogy of family with particular interest in practitioners’ family representations. She recently carried out a recherche-formation on participative evaluation in family-care services in collaboration with “La Grande Casa” social services.
26 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Family
Relevance and usefulness of clinical tools for working with parents of neglected children Speakers & Authors: Danielle Lessard, Université de Montréal, Guylaine Fafard, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and Claire Chamberland, Université de Montréal
Between 2008 and 2010, 36 practitioners from youth protection and social prevention centres in Canada experimented with an intervention practice to improve collaboration between parents and practitioners concerned with the safety and well-being of children aged nine years and under who are the victims of negligence. The practitioners used a participatory approach to complete a needs analysis workbook with the parents of each of the 99 children recruited (Chamberland et al., 2012). The analysis workbook, which was developed in England and adapted to the context of Québec, helped parents to explore their children’s developmental needs; how they respond to these needs; and the family and environmental factors that influence these responses. The participative approach encourages the creation of spaces conducive to allowing rich dialogue about their children. The aim is to involve parents at all stages of intervention and to promote actions that are meaningful to them. During the experiment, support was provided to the practitioners in the form of 28 meetings which lasted approximately two hours each. The meetings were recorded and analyzed. The experiences of the practitioners will be related through the following three topics: involving less collaborative parents, managing differences of opinion, and deepening understanding of the children’s needs. Discussion will centre on the relevance of practical clinical tools to develop best practices in social work for a more adequate response to vulnerable children and their families.
Speaker Information
Danielle Lessard studied in anthropology and community health. She is a professional researcher at the School of Social Work at the University of Montreal. Since 2004, she coordinates the implementation and evaluation of the project Initiative AIDES, an adaptation of the Framework of Assessment for Children in Need and their Tools in Québec, Canada. She trains practitioners and supports practice settings that implement this social innovation.
Claire Chamberland holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and is a Full Professor at the École de service social de l’Université de Montréal and a Canada Senior Research Chair on children victimization. Her research interests include child development, family violence, polyvictimization, partnership approaches and social innovation in the area of response to children with complex needs and their family. She is the Principal Investigator of the AIDES (Action intersectorielle pour le développement des enfants et de leur sécurité), which is a Quebec adaptation of the framework and tools of assessment for Children in need and their families.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 27 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Family
Turning around troubled families? Health-related work in intensive family support in England Speakers & Authors: Janet Boddy, University of Sussex*, Katie Hollingworth, Institute of Education, University of London*, Ian Warwick, Institute of Education, University of London and June Statham, Institute of Education, University of London *Presenting speakers
This presentation examines health related work in intensive family support services – Family Intervention Projects (FIPs) – in England. Carried out in the context of a strong policy emphasis on developing work with ‘troubled families’, this in-depth qualitative study analysed process and progress in work with families, examining professional and family perspectives. The study involved over 100 interviews with stakeholders, including: national advisers; FIP project managers and support workers; stakeholders in health agencies; and 20 families - parents and young people - in four case study areas. The children and young people interviewed ranged in age from four to 17 years (mean 11.6 years). Parents and young people were interviewed soon after completing the intervention, and again seven months later.
Families had significant but diverse health needs, including low levels of basic health and significant chronic physical and mental health problems. Underlying health problems were often a key influence on wider difficulties, for example in relation to anti-social behaviour or parenting problems. However, health problems were often unidentified, unmet or poorly managed at the time of referral, and sometimes emerged only through the development of relational work and trust over time. All groups of stakeholders – parents, young people and professionals – saw health (broadly defined) as central to the task of intensive family support, to understanding and intervening with families. The findings raise critical questions about the necessary expertise for intervention, and about how we understand successful outcomes, for families whose ‘troubles’ are entwined with chronic health problems.
Speaker Information
Janet Boddy is a Reader in Childhood, Youth and Family Studies at the University of Sussex. Her research in the UK and across Europe involves studies of parents and families and of mainstream and targeted services for children and families. Her current projects include a four-country study of work with families of children placed away from home; UK studies of safeguarding and school exclusion; and a study within the ESRC National Centre for Research Methods Node, NOVELLA (Narratives of Varied Everyday Lives and Linked Approaches) applying narrative methods to the study of everyday family life in India and the UK.
Katie Hollingworth is a Research Officer at the Institute of Education in London. Her UKand European research is focused on services for parents, children and young people. Her work on parenting and family support includes evaluations of family support services for UK government and local authorities and community based initiatives. She also has a particular interest in services for young people in care and leaving care, with studies including research on support for young parents from public care backgrounds, and a key role in the EU funded YIPPEE project, studying pathways to education and employment for care leavers.
28 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Foster Care 1
A specific Foster child Foster parent Intervention (FFI): why is it necessary and what can we expect from it. Speakers & Authors: H.W.H. (Hans) van Andel, Dimence, Mental Health, Deventer, the Netherlands
Loss of a primary caregiver at a young age, such as through out-of-home placement, is a stressful experience and may negatively influence of the development of the child, both at behavioral and a biological levels. Young children in foster care often adapt to their new foster family with avoidant behaviour, although they are also stressed which can be seen in their salivary cortisol diurnal rhythm. Stress poses a risk for the development of the child. Various research also points to an increased risk of premature termination of placement because of the occurrence of behavioral and relational problems.
We developed the Foster parent-Foster child Intervention (FFI) to help foster parents recognize and cope with the stress of young (up to 4 years of age) foster children. The FFI aims to improve the interaction between foster parents and foster children by optimizing the emotional availability, parental skills, and confidence of the foster parents so that the child feels more secure. The effectiveness of the FFI is tested in a randomized control design with an intervention group and a care as usual group (CAU). Preliminary results (n=50) support the hypothesis that placing young children in foster care causes them stress at both behavioral and biological levels. They also suggest an increased risk of relational problems between foster child and foster parents. Finally, the results show that the FFI increases foster parents’ sensitivity and helps create better quality relationships than care as usual.
Speaker Information
Hans Van Andel has worked as a child psychiatrist since 1991 and specialises in working with the very young (Infant Mental Health). His experience in residential therapeutic work with children convinced him that residential care has many disadvantages for the child. This has led to his interest in the field of family foster care and its possibilities, which he started researching in 2008. The University of Groningen (Professor dr. E.J. Knorth and Professor dr. H.W.E. Grietens) and the University Radboud Nijmegen (Professor dr. R.J. van der Gaag) support this research.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 29 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Foster Care 1
Criteria for system quality in foster care and child protection in Germany
Speakers & Authors: Heinz Kindler, German Youth Institute
Data on system quality is needed to monitor and support practice development and create learning systems. However, administrative data is often uninformative or misleading in this respect. This presentation will show and compare criteria and data in Germany with already established criteria systems in other countries.
It will discuss criteria for system quality in foster care and child protection and outline empirical studies which have been completed to establish local baselines. For instance, a study of foster care in a sample of four counties found that 50% of children in permanent foster care who had clinical CBCL scores did not receive mental health services and 70% of families who were the subject of a child protection report received support services in the year after the report.
Speaker Information
Heinz Kindler, PhD, is a psychologist and senior researcher at the German Youth Institute. His research interests include the development of father-child attachment relationships; the prognostic validity of a German child protection risk assessment tool; the handling of cases of institutional abuse in schools and residential care facilities in Germany; and quality criteria for foster care and child protection in Germany.
30 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Foster Care 1
Exploring foster care placement considerations in Flanders and the Netherlands
Speakers & Authors: Prof. dr. J. Vanderfaeillie, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Clinical and Lifespan Psychology (speaker), Drs. H. Damen, Praktikon, Dr. P. van den Bergh, Department of Orthopedagogics, University of Leiden, Dr. H. Pijnenburg, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Praktikon and Radboud University Nijmegen, Drs. F. Van Holen, Director Opvang vzw Foster care placement decision-making has a weak scientific foundation. The identification of groups of foster children can help improve decision quality. Earlier research identified two such clusters: (1) young children placed because of neglect and abuse (‘protected’ children), and (2) older children with behavioural problems (‘disaffected’ children). The present study investigated if a sample of Dutch and Flemish foster children could be clustered accordingly, why they were placed and what was the role of placement history.
Data concerning reason for placement (parenting problems, child-related problems and familial problems), placement history, age and gender was collected for 226 foster children (62 Flemish and 164 Dutch children). Parenting problems (81%) and familial problems (70%) were the most reported reasons for placement. Dutch foster children were more likely to be placed because of child-related (behavioural, emotional and cognitive) problems. Two clusters were found: (1) young children placed because of parental incapacity and familial problems, and (2) older children with child-related problems. These results support the argument for implementation of a dynamic placement decision process, founding placement decisions by appraising if a foster placement is an appropriate solution (temporarily), whilst incorporating an assessment of (1) if and how the birth family can be supported towards an intended a reunification with the child, or if not (2) if and how a long term foster care placement is the best for the child.
Speaker Information
Johan Vanderfaeillie is assistant professor at the Department of Clinical and Lifespan Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Most of his research focuses on Youth Care and he has a special interest in foster care which resulted in numerous publications in this field.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 31 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Foster Care 1
Therapeutic foster care in Australia: Evaluation of The Circle program
Speakers & Authors: Patricia McNamara PhD (speaker), Margarita Frederico, Maureen Long, Lynne McPherson - Department of Social Work, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Many children requiring out of home care have experienced severe abuse and or neglect along with early attachment disruption. They often manifest the effects of developmental trauma in their ability to form relationships, capacity to learn and to participate in community activities. The Circle therapeutic foster care program was developed in Victoria, Australia to address these challenges. The program aims to build a trauma informed and enduring ‘circle of support’ around the child.
This presentation shows findings of a recent evaluation of The Circle program which took place some four years after implementation. Quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection were employed with foster carers and professionals with the aim of exploring the effectiveness of the program. The evaluation’s focus was on outcomes for children and young people, for birth families and for Circle foster carers. Findings overall highlight the positive experience of a ‘team around the child’ and a trend toward higher levels of reunification with biological parents. A key finding in relation to foster carers was their commitment to remain as carers. Carer retention within the Circle program seemingly derives from enhanced recognition and status, along with the experience of consistent advice and support. The findings of the evaluation are discussed along with recommendations for program improvement and implications for future research.
Speaker Information
Patricia McNamara PhD is an Australian social worker and family therapist with many years clinical and research experience in child and family welfare and mental health. She currently teaches and conducts research in the Department of Social Work and Social Policy at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Victoria. Dr McNamara has current research interests in therapeutic foster care and residential services, child and adolescent mental health, special needs education and the wellbeing of children and families in remote rural areas.
32 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Foster Care 1
Effective intervention when promoting foster care globally: discovering the value of the Looking after Children principles and practice tools for training in developing countries. Speakers & Authors: Dr. Kathleen Kufeldt, University of New Brunswick & International Foster Care Organization, Professor Myrna McNitt, Dominican University Graduate School of Social Work & International Foster Care Organization
This presentation will introduce participants to the training and development work of the International Foster Care Organization (IFCO). Its central focus is on the needs of children and their right to be raised in family based care. In developing nations children without parental care are marginalized and socially excluded. In many Eastern European counties, and also many Asiatic countries surrounding the Pacific Rim, children continue to be institutionalized. These facts raise challenges as we strive to promote the universal rights of children outlined and promoted by the United Nations.
IFCO is the key organization currently addressing these issues. We will describe how this overseas development work requires diligent search for best practice, and evidence based methods. IFCO has identified the application of the Looking after Children Assessment and Action records to foster care practice as an approach with the potential to meet these goals. It addresses the universal developmental needs of children and thus transcends cultural differences and encourages cooperative engagement of all those involved in serving the children. The presentation will discuss the why and how of its conclusions and engage participants in discussion of the issues presented.
Speaker Information
Professor Myrna McNitt teaches social work at Dominican University in Illinois. Practice experience includes Child Protection, Foster Care, and Juvenile Justice in Michigan. She has worked in Kenya with HIV affected children and severely disabled children and has been the clinical team leader for multidimensional treatment foster care in England. Research interests are Child Welfare, Mental Health and Social Policy with an International focus. Professor McNitt is the author of a chapter in Child Welfare: Connecting Research, Policy, and Practice, 2nd Edition. She serves on the International Foster Care Organization’s Board of Trustees as chair of its Training and Development Committee.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 33 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Needs, Community & Intervention
Do the right youth access youth care? The relationship between parental reports of problems and youth care use. Speakers & Authors: Sander Bot, The Netherlands Institute for Social Research, Lynne McPherson - Department of Social Work, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Quite a number of studies focus on the background characteristics and problems of users of youth care facilities. Studies comparing the background characteristics of the general (youth) population with those of youth care users are also done on a regular basis. However, few studies measure problems in the general youth population and relate this to youth care use.
In 2010, the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (together with Statistics Netherlands) executed a survey amongst 25,000 parents of 0 to 18 year old youth to assess youth and parent characteristics, problems and youth care use. This presentation will explain the problems reported, show how these reported problems relate to youth care use and give possible explanations of mismatches between parents’ reports of problems and youth care use.
Speaker Information
Sander Bot was educated as a social and organisational psychologist at Leiden University. He wrote his doctoral dissertation on social influence on young people’s alcohol consumption at the Radboud University Nijmegen. He then worked at Utrecht University and studied upbringing, youth alcohol consumption and (quitting) smoking. In 2010, he started working at the Netherlands Institute for Social Research, where his main focus is on studying determinants of youth care use.
34 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Needs, Community & Intervention
‘Emotion Talks’ for Vulnerable Children
Speakers & Authors: Claire Murray, City of Edinburgh Council
This presentation will explore what is required for children to develop an ‘emotional voice’ so that they may participate in meaningful consultation about their experiences of care. It will provide an overview of the ‘Emotion Talks’ resource as both a learning and consultation tool.
Over the past five years, this educational development has explored and identified the key factors that are necessary for children to develop emotional vocabulary, emotional understanding and an ability to use language to express their views on emotional events and experiences. The resulting ‘Emotion Talks’ resource is made up of a set of differentiated communication tools to support children at different levels of development to learn and talk about their emotions. This resource is linked to the Curriculum areas of Emotional Wellbeing and Literacy and has attracted much interest from educational colleagues who work with children with a variety of support needs.
Feedback from outreach teachers working with LAAC pupils has indicated how useful the resource can be in helping vulnerable children acquire the knowledge and skills needed to articulate their feelings about issues that affect them. A selection of case studies from the piloting phase of the development will be shared at this presentation along with information on next steps for supporting communication and consultation with children in care. Your views on this new application will be most welcome.
Speaker Information
Claire Murray is an experienced teacher and education support officer. Her first degree is in Psychology and she has postgraduate qualifications in teaching and special/inclusive education. Claire is the creator of the Emotion Talks resource and is currently exploring partnerships with organisations interested in training, dissemination and evaluation of the approach for different groups of children and young people who experience difficulties in relation to emotional learning and wellbeing. Claire is also a member of the recently formed NME (Neurosequential Model of Education) advisory group for the ChildTrauma Academy.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 35 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Needs, Community & Intervention
Looked after children and young people and their communities
Speakers & Authors: Leslie Hicks, University of Lincoln
This presentation aims to raise questions and stimulate discussion about the role of ‘community’ in the lives of looked after children and young people (LACYP). The research set out to establish what is known currently about these areas. The project forms part of the ‘Connected Communities’ research programme funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). There were two main aspects to the research, namely a scoping study and consultation workshops with young people aged over 12 years.
The study focuses on the dynamic relationships between LACYP and their communities, the contribution which LACYP make, the positive value which LACYP place on being ‘in care’, the role of resilience and the influence of transitions. Friendship networks and relationships with communities are important parts of the lives of LACYP and meaningful participation is an important factor in developing stability in relationships. Concepts of participation and empowerment form part of an ecological framework which locates the community context as central to building resilience for LACYP.
In bringing to the fore perspectives of looked after young people, our project highlights some of the important tensions involved in building wider relationships. These have implications for what constitutes community connectedness for LACYP, requiring a fine balance between the interests of protection and participation. The presentation considers some of the main gaps in knowledge which merit further attention. A key challenge remains that of identifying how stable community relationships for LACYP may be strengthened and supported to mutual benefit.
Speaker Information
Leslie has longstanding research and teaching interests in the areas of services for children and young people, social inclusion and safeguarding. She has a special research interest in residential child care. Much of Leslie’s work is underpinned by a focus on organisational dynamics. Leslie has worked extensively with many organisations to assist them in carrying out their own research and devising dissemination and utilisation programmes. Leslie teaches at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, mainly in the areas of research methods and research-informed practice, child and adolescent well-being, and leadership and management.
36 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Needs, Community & Intervention
Promoting resilience through free play and nurturing in natural environments: Nature Nurture Speakers & Authors: Terri Harrison, Nature Nurture Project
“Nature Nurture” is an approach to preventative and early intervention that provides programmes that promote the development of resilience in vulnerable children and young people. In this presentation the characteristics of resilience will be explored in terms of seven developmental domains and resilience will be considered as part of a continuum beginning with vulnerability. The Nature Nurture project has developed a model of assessment and evaluation, known as the ‘Seven Building Blocks of Resilience’, which allows practitioners to measure an individual’s growth along this continuum towards a state of sustainable resilience. In this presentation I will show how this tool works and how the seven domains of resilience can be developed through carefully crafted services that provide attuned relational work, opportunities for experiences in natural environments and play that is child initiated and led. The presentation will comprise two case studies, video and photographic examples of free play and nurturing in natural environments, and data mapping out the development of resilience during Nature Nurture programmes. The presentation will conclude by exploring the long term sustainability of the resilience promoted by Nature Nurture and future areas for further study and research in Nature Nurture approaches.
Speaker Information
Terri has worked in Camphill for 30 years, providing care, education and therapeutic interventions for children and young people. Terri studied at University of Aberdeen, has a BA in Social Pedagogy and is a qualified teacher. In 2009 Terri, Kahren Ehlen and Daniel Harrison began Nature Nurture, a registered charity providing early intervention programmes. In 2011, she collaborated with Dr Karen McArdle on a paper currently being considered for JAOEL. She is designing a PG certificate in Nature Nurture, delivering training and CPD courses throughout the UK, and leading Nature Nurture programmes in Aberdeen. Terri is a Coordinator and director of Camphill School Aberdeen.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 37 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Needs, Community & Intervention
Youth inspection teams in youth care: the case of Spirit
Speakers & Authors: Marjolijn van Rooijen, staff member Spirit Youthcare
The international standards for quality in youth care (Q4C) have been developed from the perspective of clients of youth care. The Alexander Foundation in Holland investigates the possibilities of using Q4C in youth care. This research consists of qualitative and participative tests. This presentation will focus on an example of the participative test: the youth-inspection teams of Spirit Youthcare in Amsterdam.
Young people researched topics that were important to them and asked other clients to comment on their care. The Q4C quality standards help them to focus on relevant topics. Five girls, aged 16-18, living in residential care where trained to make questionnaires based on Q4C and their own interests. After being trained in interviewing techniques, they each interviewed three other clients, examined the results and presented the conclusions to the Spirit staff. They also talked about their own experiences and gave advice based on their own history whilst presenting the results with some distance from their own history. This made a big impression on the Spirit-staff.
The method required a lot of time and energy from both young people and staff but led to effective results for the organization. Committing clients ensures the results are really important for clients. The process of drawing conclusions made sure that they were interpreted in a way that appealed to young people. Therefore, it is a valuable method to make the clients’ perspective visible.
Speaker Information
Marjolijn van Rooijen studied Educational Sciences at the University of Amsterdam. She is a social worker and manager at a crisis intervention centre for youth in Amsterdam. She works for quality and client perspective at Spirit Youthcare in Amsterdam.
38 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Outcomes
A client centered approach: Using sequence outcomes to assess effective interventions
Speakers & Authors: Mark Ezell, Ph.D., Department of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Robin Spath, Ph.D., School of Social Work, University of Conneticut
There are numerous shortcomings with the traditional use of logic models and client outcomes that raise questions about their utility in day-to-day agency practice. This presentation proposes an alternative approach that is client-centered and helps direct service practitioners effectively serve clients. The suggested approach also easily contributes to program improvement efforts.
Speaker Information
Mark Ezell is a Professor of Social Work and Interim Chair of the Department of Social Work at UNC- Charlotte. His successful academic career started at the University of Washington; he also served on the faculty at the University of Kansas before arriving at UNCC. He has published numerous articles, chapters, and wrote the book, “Advocacy in the Human Services.”
Robin Spath is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Women and Children in Families Substantive Area at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work. Her teaching and scholarly work are focused on child welfare, social policy, human services administration and social work macro practice. She has extensive practice experience and has given numerous presentations and authored and co-authored a number of publications.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 39 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Outcomes
Implementing an Integrated Outcomes Framework within a Model of Intervention: The Includem Experience. Speakers & Authors: Abstract written by Pamela Barnes – Research & Communications Manager, Includem, Presented by David Ferrier – Partnership Development Manager, Includem
This presentation highlights the challenges and benefits of implementing an integrated outcomes framework within an overall model of intervention. It outlines Includem’s integrated Outcomes Framework within A Better Life, a dynamic series of practitioner modules. The difficulties encountered and how these were overcome is discussed. Benefits are illustrated using case studies. The conclusion critically reflects on this development and highlights ways Includem are strengthening the framework.
Includem is a charity that provides community-based support for young people, mostly adolescents, ‘looked after at home’ and during their transition in adulthood as well as providing support for young people during the transition out of residential care. In 2010 Includem developed and implemented an Integrated Outcomes Framework within practice tools with the dual purpose of providing outcome measurements for service evaluations and for staff to use with individual young people as part of the support planning process.
A critical appraisal of the implementation process highlights key points: Integrating the outcome measures within practice tools helps staff take ownership of the process but it takes time to change working cultures. Real staff involvement during development stages and quality training is vital. Young people benefit from closer involvement in reviewing progress against desired outcomes. There is a joint value in measuring both soft and hard outcomes, where soft outcomes capture ‘added value’ of the intervention and hard outcomes track achievement of intervention objectives. Lastly internal tracking of outcomes is not enough on its own; the need for customer feedback and independent evaluation remains paramount.
Speaker Information
David Ferrier joined Includem eight years ago, having previously worked in a residential school for boys. He commenced his career with Includem as an Assistant Project Worker and was promoted to Project Worker within a few years. In December 2011, David took up the role of Partnership Development Manager due to his understanding of the Includem Model and his ability to help other see the benefits this Model of Intervention can have for Scotland’s most vulnerable and chaotic young people.
40 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Outcomes
Returning maltreated children home: Making the right decisions for reunification or long- term care Speakers & Authors: Jim Wade, Senior Research Fellow, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York, UK
Separating maltreated children from their parents and either returning them home or providing them with long-term alternative care are amongst the most serious interventions made by children’s social care services. The decisions associated with separation and return are very difficult to take and have long-term consequences for the children and families concerned. This presentation is concerned with what happens to children as a result of these decisions and will share important new findings that have emerged from a study that formed part of the UK Government’s safeguarding children research initiative.
The study investigated the care pathways of maltreated children in 7 English local authorities and, in particular, compared the progress and outcomes of 149 children, some of whom went back home while others remained looked after. By knowing more about how things turn out for children who do or do not go home, about when and in what circumstances the prospects for reunification appear good and about the planning and support that is needed to give families the best chance of success, it should be possible to improve decision-making, interventions and outcomes for this particularly vulnerable group of children. Alongside this, our study also has much to say about the strengths and limitations of substitute care for children who have previously been abused and neglected by their families.
Speaker Information
Jim Wade has a background in community work and social work with teenagers. He is a Senior Research Fellow in the Social Policy Research Unit, University of York. Over the past 20 years he has researched and published widely in the area of social work and related services for vulnerable groups of children and young people, including looked after children, care leavers, young runaways and asylum-seeking and refugee children. Jim’s recent publications include (with Nina Biehal, Nicola Farrelly and Ian Sinclair): Caring for Abused and Neglected Children: Making the Right Decisions for Reunification or Long-Term Care (2011), Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 41 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Outcomes
The “Zooming Approach”: A new way for assessing needs and outcomes
Speakers & Authors: Tiziano Vecchiato, director Fondazione Emanuela Zancan, Padova, Italy (PRESENTER), Cinzia Canali, researcher, Fondazione Emanuela Zancan, Padova, Italy (PRESENTER)
The presentation will describe investments in new ways for understanding and practising experimental outcome research. Recently completed multi-site research in 6 regions in Italy answered the research question: Are our interventions effective to children in need in order to avoid out-of-home placements?
The research design was organised to evaluate and measure the support provided to vulnerable children and families and involved more than 100 social workers and other professionals. The ability to build profiles of need and outcome simultaneously allowed professionals to work in a different way in the personalised plan, as a framework for decisions and actions that generates the expected results, through professional and non-professional resources.
The presenters also collected sufficient information to recognise the basic elements of innovative features using the “zoom evaluation” approach, where the word “zoom” stands for “zooming on outcome and output measures”. The capability of “zooming” into different stages of need, during the care time, will facilitate professionals in comparing, measuring and understanding differences: those observed before and after interventions, emerging from professional and non-professional collaboration. It is a promising tool for outcome based practices to identifying what professional can do and what people in need can offer, as a necessary added value, for better outcomes and, primarily, to make it stable and fruitful.
Speaker Information
Tiziano Vecchiato is director of the Fondazione Zancan since 1992 (a centre for research on social, health and educational services). As President of one section of the Italian National Health Council in Rome (1997-2002), he has been engaged in issues of planning and evaluating human services. He coordinates the Italian reports on social exclusion in collaboration with Italian Caritas. At European level, he collaborates with the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) Section “Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship”. He is member of EUSARF and president of the International Association for Outcome-based Evaluation and Research on Family and Children’s Services. Cinzia Canali is senior researcher at the Fondazione Emanuela Zancan, Padua (Italy). She is mainly involved in projects related to evaluative research and evaluation of services, with particular attention to children and families services. She just completed the two-year multi-site research about children at-risk of out-of-home placement. Also she collaborated with Italian Caritas for the National report on poverty and social exclusion. She is a Board member of the International Association for Outcome-based Evaluation and Research on Family and Children’s Services and she is involved in the coordination of its activities. 42 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Outcomes
Development procedure of a feasible taxonomy of care for youth: towards the understanding of (un)successful outcomes in child and youth care Speakers & Authors: K.E. Evenboer, MSc (presentation speaker), Research Associate, Department of Special Needs Education and Youth Care, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
Systematically collected information on (potentially) effective components of care is of increasing interest. A taxonomy that is capable of classifying the most salient aspects of the care process will help to empirically connect outcomes and treatment characteristics (Lee & Barth, 2011). By developing such an instrument we strive to increase our understanding of more or less successful outcomes for children and young people in child and youth care.
This presentation will show an empirically developed taxonomy of care which is feasible for use in daily practice, including an explanation of the developmental process itself. The development procedure of the taxonomy of care consisted of several stages, viz. literature review, experts’ interviews, analysis of intervention descriptions, analysis of care records, meetings of experts, standardization, and the pilot testing of a beta version.
The various stages during the development procedure resulted in six domains, namely (1) contents of the intervention (including the setting in which the care took place), (2) judicial context of the intervention, (3) duration and (4) intensity of the intervention, (5) recipients of the intervention and (6) the expertise of the professional. The terminologies used to describe treatment programs and the levels of classification were standardized for each organization participating in the study. This increased the feasibility and manageability of the taxonomic system in daily practice.
Speaker Information
K.E. Evenboer has worked as a research associate at the Department of Special Needs Education and Youth Care of the University of Groningen since February 2010. C4Youth was set up in early 2010 and is a partnership that includes university research departments, care organizations and local authorities in the northern part of the Netherlands. One of the aims of the C4Youth study is to develop, test and apply a Taxonomy of Care for Youth (TOCFY) and explore the association of client needs, the care offered and the outcomes for a large number of children and adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 43 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Residential Services 1
A step too far: Residential services in Australia
Speakers & Authors: Dr Frank Ainsworth, Senior Principal Research Fellow (Adjunct), James Cook University, School of Social Work and Community Welfare, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
Australia has fewer children in residential placement than almost any other country. Some applaud this fact. This presentation maps the decline in the use of residential placements for children in Australia. It also reports on urgent attempts to recreate a number of small therapeutic group care programs, which are being developed against widespread ignorance of how to design, manage and staff non-abusive programs for an adolescent population that displays significant behavioural and mental health issues.
Speaker Information
Dr Frank Ainsworth has held academic positions in both Scotland and Australia. He has authored or co-authored 4 books about group care for children and over 100 articles in national and international referred journals.
44 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Residential Services 1
Residential Services in Ireland: Exploring Opportunities with the Introduction of the New Child and Family Support Agency Speakers & Authors: Professor Colette McAuley School of Applied Social Science, University College Dublin and Michele Clarke, Irish Government
The new Coalition government in Ireland has introduced a comprehensive change programme to improve the quality and consistency of child welfare and protection services. This follows the appointment of the first Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. A national Child and Family Support Agency with responsibility for statutory child and family support services is scheduled to come into operation early in 2013. The Agency is at the heart of the Government’s reform programme. For the first time a dedicated budget for children and family services will be allocated and the intention is that clear lines of accountability and transparency will be created.
Over 6000 children are currently in State care in Ireland i.e. 53.6 per 10000 children. Residential care is part of a continuum of care, providing about 8% total care provision. The majority of children in care are living with foster carers or kin (relative) carers. Residential care is now a highly specialised service. Residential centres generally are small group homes caring for up to six children. These are provided by the statutory agency (Health Service Executive) and private providers. Time-limited therapeutic interventions take place in the High Support units. There are also three Secure Care units.
The establishment of the new national Agency provides the opportunity to reflect on how residential services can best contribute to meeting the needs of young people in the care system. The aim of this presentation will be to explore the issues under debate and stimulate discussion with our international colleagues.
Speaker Information
Colette McAuley is the Chair of Social Work at UCD. Her research interests centre on child well-being and improving outcomes for children and families. She is a founding member of the International Association for Outcome-Based Evaluation and Research for Family and Childrens Services (IaOBERfcs). Recent publications include (with Pecora and Rose, 2006) Enhancing the Well-Being of Children and Families: International Evidence for Practice (Jessica Kingsley); (with Pecora and Whittaker 2009) High Risk Youth: Evidence on Characteristics, Needs and Promising Interventions (Special Issue Child and Family Social Work); (with Rose 2010) Child Well-being: Understanding Children’s Lives (Jessica Kingsley). Michele Clarke has been a qualified Social Worker for over 30 years. She was appointed to the first Social Work and Child Care Specialist management post in the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in June 2010. Michele’s experience includes child protection work and child mental health, family therapy, specialist residential treatment work, academic teaching and independent consultation.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 45 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Residential Services 1
The place of children’s homes for children in alternative care in the light of UNICEF’s ‘de-institutionalisation’ policy – a global perspective Speakers & Authors: June Thoburn, University of East Anglia, Frank Ainsworth, James Cook University
The presentation locates the UN General Assembly Resolution on children in alternative care and the subsequent UNICEF drive towards ‘de-institutionalisation’ in the context of current usage of group care in different jurisdictions. There can be little dispute about the importance of seeking to prevent very young children (at least under the age of three and arguably well into middle childhood) from living for anything more than an emergency period in a group care setting.
The presenters differentiate between ‘institutions’ and good quality ‘children’s homes’ and therapeutic group care. Drawing on an analysis of administrative data and policy documents from rich countries and transition economies, they provide data on the differential use of group care and comment on how ‘de-institutionalisation’ is being interpreted in different contexts.
The presentation concludes that there continues to be a place for a range of good quality group care short and longer term placements. The questions are posed (to be taken up by other contributors to the symposium and in discussion): is there a ‘right size’ for the group care option in any particular jurisdiction, and how do policy makers reach decisions about this? For which children in which contexts is the group care option appropriate? And, in the quest to secure a sense of permanence and family membership for all children who need and can benefit from an alternative care placement, how can group care work collaboratively with services aimed at reunification with birth parents or kin, foster care, adoption and transition to adult life?
Speaker Information
June Thoburn is an Emeritus Professor at the University of East Anglia. She worked in child and family social work in the UK and Canada before taking up her UEA appointment. Her teaching and research have encompassed support and protection for children and families in the community and services for children in foster family and group care. This presentation is informed by a study of children in out-of-home care in advanced industrial societies; her role as a Trustee of Break Charity (an English NGO providing long term care group care) and consultancy work with SOS Children’s Villages.
46 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Residential Services 1
Vulnerable young people in Israel: Their stories about transition to adulthood
Speakers & Authors: Anat Zeira, School of Social Work and Social Welfare, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Studies on transition to adulthood in Israel had identified a group of vulnerable young people. While not all of them grew in out-of-home facilities, they come from the social and geographical periphery of Israel, families of immigrants or families with chronically ill parents. The purpose of this qualitative study is to increase understanding about needs and outcomes of this group. Using a semi-structured interview, their trajectories from mid-adolescence through emerging adulthood were captured.
Twenty vulnerable young adults (age range 19-25) were recruited in ‘Youth Centers.’ Half spent their adolescence in residential care, twelve were Israeli born, eleven currently live with their parents, and one is a (single-mother) parent. Their stories portray a complex picture. Firstly, participants who remained at home said that their families sometimes could not contain and support them. Compared to the coercive removal, youth with voluntary removal could best benefit from the opportunities offered by the residential services. Secondly, all participants indicated that the mandatory military service was a turning point in their life, even if they did not complete service. Thirdly, their current use of services is inefficient because of the inadequacy of services or because they are not aware of their availability. Lastly, all describe financial pressures as a major problem but many indicated that they find lack of emotional support and guidance even more troubling. The findings stress the importance of developing national policy, guidelines and services not only to support care leavers but all vulnerable young people in Israel.
Speaker Information
Anat Zeira is an associate professor at the School of Social Work and Social Welfare at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where she had served as the head of the BSW program from 2004-2008. Currently she serves as Head of Research and Evaluation at the Haruv Institute. She is a member of the National Registration Committee at the Israeli Ministry of Welfare and Social Services. From 2004 - 2010, she was a member of the Israeli National Council of Social Work. She is also a founding member of the International Association of Outcome-Based Evaluation and Research on Family and Children’s Services (iaOBER).
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 47 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Youth Justice & Intervention
Responding to vulnerable children and youth: Findings from research on Children’s Courts in New South Wales, Australia Speakers & Authors: Elizabeth Fernandez, School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales
This presentation will discuss findings from a research study on Children’s Courts with a particular focus on Care and Protection and Crime Jurisdictions within the New South Wales (NSW) Children’s Court in Australia. The research uses a multi informant qualitative design to examine the contemporary status and challenges faced by Children’s Courts in relation to both their child welfare and criminal jurisdictions.
The research explored judicial officers’ and other stakeholders’ perceptions of the operation of Children’s Courts and their views about proposed reforms through 45 in-depth interviews and 10 focus groups. Respondents in the study included specialist magistrates, solicitors and caseworkers from statutory and non-statutory organisations. Themes emerging from the research findings include concerns around the nexus of care and crime; the impact of legislation; policy and resources on case processing; the complexity of interactions between judicial officers; statutory caseworkers and other stakeholders; and the vulnerability of parents, children and young people in decision making processes.
The presentation will discuss respondents’ recommendations for increased specialisation and training of judicial officers and professionals involved in Children’s Court decision making; and proposals for alternative response models to the issues emerging from the interface between disadvantage, care and protection and crime, especially in vulnerable populations including Indigenous communities.
Speaker Information
Dr Elizabeth Fernandez is Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences and International Studies, University of New South Wales, Australia. Her research focuses on child protection, court intervention, foster care, the impact of family based interventions, and the reunification of separated children. Her most recent publications is How Does Foster Care Work? International Evidence on Outcomes. (Fernandez and Barth, eds, 2010). She is a Board Member of the International Society for Child Indicators and Founding Member of the International Association for Outcome Based Evaluation and Research on Family and Children’s Services.
48 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Youth Justice & Intervention
Juvenile delinquency in dependent youths coming from residential care: A comparative analysis between dependent and non dependent youths Speakers & Authors: Xavier Oriol1 (speaker), Josefina Sala2 (speaker), Gemma Filella1, Anna Soldevila1, Antoni Peregrino2, Laura Arnau2, Mercè Jariot2, Montserrat Rodriguez1, Andreu Villaba3, Maite Marzo3, Esther Secanillas2, Nair Zarate2, Adrià Pagés2 1Universitat de Lleida 2Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 3Escoles Universitàries i Fundació Pere Tarres
The aim of the study is to analyze the profile of dependent youths coming from residential care and non-dependent youths in the juvenile justice system. A documental analysis of the Department of Justice’s database was completed and all the files and reports on youths in juvenile detention centers in Catalonia were revised and data were collected. There were 255 subjects in juvenile detention centers, of which 247 were male and only 8 female. Descriptive texts, comparison of averages and the observation of contingency were used for the analysis.
The results corroborate with previous studies that there is a high population of dependent youths (34.5%) in juvenile detention centers and that more than half of them are of immigrant origin (69.2%). Dependent youths present differences when compared with non-dependent youths in terms of background, delinquency profile and the consumption of toxic substances. Immigrant dependent youths mainly come from North Africa (67% of the dependent youths), while non- dependent ones come from Latin America (26.3% of the non-dependent). Dependent youths begin to commit offences (on average) a year later than non dependent youths and commit more offences, mostly without interpersonal confrontation. Dependent youths committed more offences than non-dependent youths (M=4.1 vs 3.1). Specifically, they commit more robberies with and without violence, commit crimes against authorities and commit fewer murders. There are no significant differences in the consumption of toxic substances between dependent and non-dependent youths. However, dependent youths consume more dissolvent and less hashish and alcohol.
Speaker Information
Xavier Oriol Granado is a PhD. Student at Psychology and Pedagogy Department at University of Lleida. His main areas of research are emotional regulation in different contexts and the study of children and adolescents in residential care. Currently, he participates in a research project of the Autonomous University of Barcelona about residential care in Catalonia. In this project, he is developing a doctoral thesis about criminal profile, emotional skills and attachment bond in adolescents of residential care and youths coming from residential care in the juvenile justice system.
Josefina Sala is professor at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. She teaches in Social Educators degree and in the Education Research Master. She is a member of the IARS group (research group in Child and Adolescent Social Risc). IARS group develops different researches focussed in foster care; some have been published and others are in process of publication.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 49 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Youth Justice & Intervention
Treatment Integrity in Juvenile Intervention Research: Analysis of the Construct
Speakers & Authors: Pauline Goense, LL.M. MSc. , Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
Many meta-analysis and reviews on outcome studies of juvenile intervention programs refer to high treatment integrity when studies incorporate methods to establish intervention integrity, like providing a manual and training (see Dane & Schneider, 1998; Lipsey, 2009; Tennyson, 2009; Weisz et al., 2005). These methods differ from those used to measure and report treatment integrity (Perepletchikova et al., 2007; Schoenwald et al., 2010). These meta-analysis and reviews are cited by authors when discussing the relationship between treatment integrity and intervention outcomes. This presentation will argue that without adequate integrity measurements, the actual delivery of the intervention remains unknown and no statements can be made about the relationship between treatment integrity and outcomes. This presentation will discuss a review that is currently taking place on the use of integrity measurements and the evaluation and reporting of these in primary juvenile intervention outcome studies focusing on behavioral problems. This review aims to establish an overview of the operationalisations of treatment integrity in terms of definition, assessment, evaluation and reporting. The first results of the review will be discussed and the presentation aims to draw attention to the fact that there is a great distinction in the operationalisation of treatment integrity in outcome research, which should be taken into account when making statements about the relationship.
Speaker Information
Pauline Goense started working as a researcher at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences on the topic ‘Implementation in Youth Care’ in 2012. She is also a lecturer at the University and is involved in the development of the curriculum for future youth care professionals. Currently she is working on a research project named ‘Helping professionals helping clients’. This research project focuses on the effects of support systems for youth care professionals on treatment integrity and work satisfaction. This project is part of a larger PhD research project in which Pauline is involved.
50 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Youth Justice & Intervention
Looked after children and offending: reducing risk and promoting resilience
Speakers & Authors: Gillian Schofield, Professor of Child and Family Social Work, Co- Director of the Centre for Research on the Child and Family, University of East Anglia, UK
The presentation will outline the concerns in the UK about young people who are looked after in state care and have committed criminal offences. The relationship between the care system and offending is complex, since there are shared risk factors, especially abuse and neglect. However, the majority of looked after children are not offenders and so it is necessary to identify the individual, family, community and systemic factors which reduce risk but also promote resilience.
A multi-method study will be outlined. The study is funded by the Big Lottery and a partnership with The Adolescent and Children’s Trust (TACT). It includes a national survey of care and youth offending services, multi-agency focus groups, file searches, interviews and psychological measures, such as social cognition, with a total sample of 100 young people (14-19). The young people were made up of three sub-samples: looked after children who had offended; looked after children who had not offended; and children who had offended but were not looked after.
This presentation of the study’s findings will focus on the characteristics and pathways of looked after children in relation to offending and explore current practice issues, such as the use of restorative justice. It will emphasise five protective secure base dimensions: availability of relationships that promote trust; sensitive care that helps young people to manage their feelings and behaviour; constructive activity that builds self-esteem; co-operative care that promotes self- efficacy; placements that provide a sense of belonging. How care, youth offending, health and education systems can work together to promote these dimensions will be discussed.
Speaker Information
Gillian Schofield is Professor of Child and Family Social Work and Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Children and Families, University of East Anglia. She is an experienced social worker and teaches child development and social work practice. Her research and writing interests are in the development of children placed in foster care, residential care and adoption. She has a special interest in permanence in foster care; the application of theories of attachment and resilience to family placement and social work practice (www.uea.ac.uk/providingasecurebase); care planning; and youth offending and looked after children. She has published widely in these fields.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 51 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Youth Justice & Intervention
MultifunC: A Residential Treatment Model for Delinquent Adolescents
Speakers & Authors: Tore Andreassen, Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs
MultifunC is short for Multifunctional Intervention in Institution and Community. The treatment model is developed in Norway and Sweden based on a review of several important assets in residential care of delinquent adolescents. The model is implemented in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. So far more than 220 juveniles in Norway have been treated within this model and evaluation with control group of the results is ongoing in all countries. This presentation will show the model and a preliminary follow up of the juveniles.
MultifunC integrates treatment in residential and community settings. The model targets medium to high-risk offenders. The targets of the interventions are known dynamic risk factors for change, implying an assessment of the criminogenic needs both within the individual and in their environment. Cognitive behavioral methods for changing the behavior and helping them to develop control of aggression, social skills, and moral development are applied.
In MultifunC, Aggression Replacement Training is a promising model applied in the institutional setting, which focuses on individual differences. The treatment climate seeks to balance between autonomy/support and control for the staff and the adolescents. The staff aim to prevent and manage violent behavior constructively and competently. The treatment also focuses on changing dynamic risk factors within the family, the peer relations and function at school. The family work is based on principles from Multisystemic Therapy (MST) and an intensive aftercare is integrated into the treatment process.
Speaker Information
Tore Andreassen is a psychologist. He has a lot of experience working with children and youth. He completed a comprehensive review of residential treatment of youth with behaviour problems, which led him to develop a treatment program called “MultifunC.” He has also led the implementation of this model in five Norwegian units. Andreassen is also the co-author of a Campbell and Cochrane review: “Cognitive-behavioral treatment for antisocial behavior in youth in residential treatment.”
52 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Around the World
A multidimensional approach for assessing the wellbeing of Maori the indigenous people of New Zealand Speakers & Authors: Cinzia Canali, researcher, Fondazione Emanuela Zancan, Padova, Italy (PRESENTER), Joanne Rosandich, National Cultural Advisor Open Home Foundation, New Zealand, Frank Rosandich, Regional Advisor High Complex Needs Unit, MSD New Zealand, Tiziano Vecchiato, director Fondazione Emanuela Zancan, Padova, Italy
The presentation will describe the joint work of Fondazione Zancan and Ngā Kaihiki Trust. Zancan aimed to build a global instrument for assessing the wellbeing of people whilst Ngā Kaihiki wanted to internationally validate their “Te Whare Io solution focused Māori assessment checklist.” This led to the two organisations working together to share an innovative model of evaluation with Zancan providing the methodology and S-P software for Ngā Kaihiki to validate their checklist.
The global aims of the Whakapono Project are to increase understanding of different factors that affect’s a person’s mauri ora / wellbeing, quality of life, and ability to assess their needs; develop an outcome-oriented methodology that considers the spiritual dimension in a comprehensive care process; measures effectiveness; and validate a Māori assessment tool.
“Te Whare Io solution focused assessment checklist” was developed in 2011 and considers four Whenua / Domains: Wairua (spiritual); Hinengaro (cognitive); Tinana (physical); and Whänau (family / social). These four dimensions give a holistic snapshot of an individual’s wellbeing whilst monitoring changes over time. Māori professionals are testing the checklist in different geographical areas in New Zealand (currently 48 people have been involved in writing intervention plans developed with results from the use of the checklist at T0). This collaboration is certainly a unique experience for both organizations.
Speaker Information
Cinzia Canali is senior researcher at the Fondazione Emanuela Zancan, Padua (Italy). She is mainly involved in projects related to evaluative research and evaluation of services, with particular attention to children and families services. She has just completed the two-year multi-site research about children at-risk of out-of-home placement. Also, she has collaborated with Italian Caritas for the National report on poverty and social exclusion. She is a board member of the International Association for Outcome-based Evaluation and Research on Family and Children’s Services and she is involved in the coordination of its activities.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 53 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Around the World
Interpersonal Childhood Trauma - Attachment Gone Wrong: Strategies to Support Recovery Speakers & Authors: Mr Richard Cross - Head of Residential and Clinical Practice, Five Rivers Child Care Ltd
The presentation will explore an integrated therapeutic care approach for a group of children and young people who have experienced chronic and enduring interpersonal trauma. It emphasises the need to routinely assess for that which could have been relationally traumatic, as this is the context in which many looked after children and young people’s developmental experiences occur. It will provide an overview of the initial analysis of information gained from a unique assessment process.
In particular, the presentation will explore the need to have trauma informed assessments, clinically effective interventions based on this knowledge, ensure a therapeutically enabling environment and organisational functioning is maintained to improve outcomes. It builds on the work on trauma systems theory (Bloom, 2011) within the organisation context, and a holistic completely integrated (therapy/ assessment, care, education) residential child care treatment process (Cross, 2011).
Speaker Information
Richard Cross is a registered psychotherapist with 23 years’ experience of working with children and young people who have complex needs in Scotland, England and New Zealand. Richard is Head of Residential and Clinical Practice for Five Rivers Child Care Ltd, a leading social enterprise dedicated to improving the emotional wellbeing of children through the delivery of assessment and therapy, education, residential and foster care, and crisis services. He specialises in assessment, psychotherapy and consultancy to improve outcomes particularly in areas related to abuse (physical, sexual, emotional and neglect) and attachment. For further information on Five Rivers, please visit www.five-rivers.org or contact Richard direct at [email protected].
54 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Around the World
Vulnerable Diseases Affecting Child Mortality in Sierra Leone: Emerging Health Issue
Speakers & Authors: Dr. A. Sathiya Susuman, University of the Western Cape
Child mortality in Sierra Leone is the highest ranked in the world. Government officials and researchers have tried to understand how and why this has become such a big phenomenon in Sierra Leone. Researchers have come up with three main causes for child mortality in Sierra Leone: maternal factors, environmental factors and health factors. The majority of research has been carried out on maternal, as well as environmental factors. However, minimal research has been carried out on health factors in Sierra Leone.
Therefore, the objective of this study is to see how maternal and environmental factors have an effect on health factors, which in turn causes child mortality. The data used was from the 2008 Sierra Leone Demographic and Household Survey (SLDHS). Logistic regression model were adopted. The study findings showed that child mortality had four statistically significant factors associated with it: place of residence, birth number, religion and type of toilet facility. Furthermore, when it came to diseases affecting children, the SLDHS did not give much information so the research only looked at the effects it had on children. The results suggested that ARI, Diarrhoea and Measles each had one variable that was statistically significant to it and there were no variables associated with children contracting Pneumonia.
Speaker Information
Dr. A. Sathiya Susuman has a MA., M Phil in Population Studies and PhD in Demography. He has specialised in the social science research area of Demographic Analysis and Reproductive Health for 12 years. His specific research area is fertility, mortality and public health. He worked as a Researcher in the in-depth Analysis of 2000 and 2005 Demographic and Health Survey Data. This study was financed by the UNFPA through the Ethiopian Society of Population Studies. He has published several articles in reputed journals. He currently works as Senior Lecturer in Demography, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 55 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Around the World
Housing, partnership and collaboration with families with complex needs.
Speakers & Authors: TILLARD B. University of Lille1, RURKA A. University of Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, VALLERIE B., University of Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, MARTINS E. University of Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense
This presentation will describe a study, funded by the ONED, which defines “families with complex needs” as those that require the simultaneous action of several agencies to give appropriate answer to their members’ basic needs. The research concentrated on 15 cases in three geographical areas and focused on the collaboration between these families and the agencies and the partnership between agencies working around multi-problem families. It looked at the background of collaboration; joint actions are undertaken; and how intervention invested and experienced by the families.
This presentation will concentrate on one part of the results: the topic of housing. Families with insufficient income cannot access private rental flats. The difficulty of finding a council flat/house large enough for a family was noted in two geographical areas. Two families moved a high number of times (4 or 3 in one year); two other families moved in other accommodation just before the beginning of the study. Agencies are concentrated in one geographical area so when families move there is disruption of collaborations between families and professionals. The consequences on collaboration are important but contrasted.
This presentation will draw professionals’ attention to the role of the people with whom the parents develop an affinity. When families move, these elective links may move from one professional to another. It recommends that these changes be assessed to adapt the interventions to rely on the person who is in the best position to accompany the parents.
Speaker Information
Bernadette Tillard has been professor of sociology at the Sociological and Economic Research Centre (CLERSE - UMR 8019) at University of Lille since September 2011. She began her academic career in the University of Paris Ouest. She collaborated with this team for this study. Her research is focused on relationships between families and medical, social or educational institutions.
56 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Around the World
Identifying costs in child welfare services: Adapting the Cost Calculator for the United States Speakers & Authors: John Landsverk (Child & Adolescent Services Research Center, United States), Lisa Holmes & Harriet Ward (Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University, England), Jennifer Rolls Reutz (Child & Adolescent Services Research Center, United States), Lisa Saldana & Patti Chamberlain (Center for Research to Practice, Oregon Social Learning Center, United States)
The Cost Calculator, developed in England to calculate unit costs of eight core case work processes, is being adapted for use in the child welfare system in the United States. The Cost Calculator is an agency-specific interactive computer system that generates standard unit costs for each activity within the processes, with cost related to local differences, child factors and placement types, and allows child welfare administrators to adjust system factors and determine the impact on costs of service changes. In England, the Cost Calculator has been used to estimate costs associated with the use of the Multi-Dimensional Treatment Foster Cared model, an evidence-based intervention developed in the United States
This presentation will describe Cost Calculator adaptation research in early pilot work in Oregon, and to test changes in service delivery to decrease use of long term foster care in four public child welfare agencies in California. The presentation will contrast Cost Calculator and workload approaches for use as an organizational change tool in assessment of the impact of system-level innovations and the implementation of evidence-based practices addressing improvement in long- term foster care outcomes.
Speaker Information
John Landsverk, Ph.D. directs the Child and Adolescent Services Research Center at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego (CASRC - www.casrc.org) and has published widely about the intersection of child welfare and children’s mental health, including studies based on the landmark longitudinal child welfare study of services and child outcomes in the United States, the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. John directs the Implementation Methods Research Group, an NIMH funded advanced center to develop innovative methods for conducting implementation research, including the adaptation of the Cost Calculator developed in England for use in US child welfare systems.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 57 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Education
Education at university level for children in fostercare - how do they succeed?
Speakers & Authors: Dag Skilbred, Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare - Uni Health, Bente Moldestad, Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare - Uni Health
Doing well at school and thriving at school are both good for children’s long term development. They improve a children’s chances of higher education and independent adult life. However, studies in Norway and other countries indicate that children in foster care achieve less at school and begin adult life with less education than their peers. Compound reasons such as the children themselves, their difficult situation before placement, the support regime and the school’s lack of effort have been emphasized by researchers.
The purpose of the study was to find out what criteria could bring success at school for children in foster care and what criteria young people themselves think contribute to children in foster care going to university. The study is based on qualitative interviews with 16 Norwegian youths with on-going or completed university studies. The interview guide followed the timeline from primary school to university and dealt with the youths themselves, the foster homes, the school and spare time activities. All interviews were transcribed and subsequently analysed.
The youths said that their own drive, motivation and support from foster parents were the main contributions towards succeeding with higher education. Wishing for better lives than their biological parents, wanting economic independence and being interested in learning had a great impact when combined with their own abilities. Also, foster parents who looked upon education as important and provided order and structure in their lives helped a lot towards performing well at school.
Speaker Information
Dag Skilbred is a child welfare worker and researcher at Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare - Uni Health. His main interests are children in care; foster care and education; interactive competence; and inter-agency work, and he has published in these areas.
Bente Moldestad is a clinical social worker and a researcher at Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare. She has published a range of articles on parents of children in foster care and kinship care.
58 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Education
From Care to Harvard
Speakers & Authors: Dr Graham Connelly, CELCIS, University of Strathclyde and Ms Pauline Boyce, Who Cares? Scotland
Who Cares? Scotland provides individual advocacy services to children in residential and foster care placements, campaigns more generally for the rights of children in care and collaborates with stakeholders to improve the circumstances of looked after children in Scotland. In 2010 the charity set up a scholarship programme to support young people to attend the Harvard University Secondary Summer School. The scholarship programme aims to be a high-profile demonstration of academic aspirations for children in care and to provide a special opportunity for individual young people progressing to college or university. This presentation will show a case study of the programme and outline findings from interviews with scholarship recipients. It will also discuss the young people’s experiences in relation to the wider context of academic achievement of looked after children in Scotland and the wider international literature about progression to college and university from care.
Speaker Information
Graham Connelly is a manager at CELCIS and a senior lecturer in the Glasgow School of Social Work. A chartered psychologist, Graham began his professional career as a geography teacher. He has researched and published on the education of looked after children, recently completing a two- year study of care leavers in further education for the Scottish Funding Council. Graham is a trustee of Who Cares? Scotland and a member of the education advisory committee of Kibble Education and Care Centre. He is co-facilitator, with Iain Matheson, of the Linkedin group ‘Education of Children in Care Network’.
Pauline Boyce is Depute Chief Executive of Who Cares? Scotland. After spending eight years with the charity as National Advocacy Manager (Training & Consultancy), Pauline spent a year on secondment as Assistant Director (Operations) at the Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care before returning to take up her present post. Pauline has particular responsibility for Who Cares’ high-profile ‘Give Me A Chance’ anti-stigma campaign which uses the media and advertising to press for a better public image for looked after children and young people.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 59 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Education
Social support of Croatian students with in-care experiences
Speakers & Authors: Branka Sladovic Franz, Phd, Associate professor, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law, Department of Social Work
Since there is a high likelihood students with in-care experiences having to overcome their pre- care and care experiences, risk of poverty and social exclusion, they should be a focus for the social work and educational professional community. The presentation will describe Croatia’s child welfare system and youth perspectives’ of leaving care experiences.
Online research was completed with 30 students who were approached by e-mail through donor organizations, former alternative care settings and personal contacts. The purpose was to find out how alone they felt, the sufficiency and kind of social support available and their needs for further assistance. One quarter of students were found to be quite lonely and only had a few friends from former alternative care, whilst two thirds of students hid their in-care experiences from everyone. Although most participants had at least one parent alive, the research showed that parents, social workers and caretakers do not have any role in their current lives. Social support was found to be higher for those who kept in contact with other family members. Correlations proved that loneliness is rising and social support significantly lowers as students get older.
All these factors can highly diminish their chances of doing well in their degree and receiving help and support when needed. Most students showed interest in enrolling in a professor’s mentorship program instead of peer mentorship or online counselling. The presentation will also discuss types of mentoring programs and the need for an available adult who can give concrete help and emotional support.
Speaker Information
Branka Sladovic Franz is associate professor at Department of Social Work, University of Zagreb, where she teaches courses on Interpersonal Communication, Child welfare, Conflict Resolution and Social Work with Children for graduate students, as well as In-care children and Mediation and Social Work at postgraduate level. She is the head of postgraduate studies on Family Mediation and has published 27 papers, 9 chapters and 2 books. Her main research and practical interests are in child care, family assessment and the justice system. She teaches and provides consultation on child protection cases to social workers and other child welfare professionals.
60 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Education
The YiPPEE Study: Supporting young people in care into post-compulsory education
Speakers & Authors: Hanan Hauari, Research Officer, Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute Of Education, University of London
The educational pathways of young people from a public care background are often characterised by delays and fragmentation resulting in fewer young people with a public care background participating in formal post compulsory education. This presentation uses data from a recent study investigating the educational experiences of young care leavers and educational participation facilitators and barriers. It focuses on the factors that can enable more young people from care backgrounds to continue in post compulsory education.
It draws on the views and experiences of a group of young care leavers currently in post compulsory education and social work professionals. It identifies the types of support that can be provided to help young people in care overcome the challenges that can obstruct their educational progression. Interviews with leaving care managers provide examples of emerging good practice within social work that supports young people in care with their education beyond compulsory schooling. Whilst young people’s narratives highlighted an overriding lack of support for their education, some did report significant sources of support and encouragement that had made pursuing their educational ambitions possible.
The Yippee project was an international study involving five European countries. This presentation draws on data from the English study which involved interviews with managers of leaving care services in 38 local authorities, 74 screening interviews with young people in care/ care leavers and 32 in depth interviews with young people at two time points a year apart.
Speaker Information
Hanan Hauari is a qualitative researcher with interests in children and young people, parenting, and services and support for the vulnerable and marginalised. Research experience includes conducting policy relevant research in the fields of education, social care and parenting. Recent projects include an international study on the education pathways of young care leavers; a study on fathers and fatherhood; and research synthesis in the field of parenting support. Current research is being conducted through the Childhood Wellbeing Research Centre, which is an independent research centre funded by the Department for Education to provide high quality research, analysis and expert advice.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 61 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Education
Typology of youth in Distress
Speakers & Authors: Dr. Dafna Etzion, Bar-Ilan University, Israel and Prof. Shlomo Romi, Bar-Ilan University, Israel
The absence of an accepted definition and classification for youth in distress, has ledto heterogeneous therapeutic grouping, often preventing appropriate intervention. The proposed typology, based on research conducted in Israel, is an attempt to classify these adolescents into relatively homogenous groups according to a complete set of personality and behavioral variables. The research tool was a questionnaire administered to 282 youths in distress and a comparison group of 217 normative youths. The statistical analysis indicated that a limited number of variables can correctly predict the group ascription of 88.5% of the subjects in each group. Cluster analysis that was used to construct the typology for the youths in distress, revealed four clusters:
• The Suspended – relatively high scores in all positive adjustment measures, fewer than average deviant behaviors, but higher-than average rate of suspension from school; • The Sociablists –relatively low positive adjustment measures (except for their relatively high social adjustment), negative adjustment measures (deviant behaviors and suspension from school) markedly higher than average; • The Alienated – significantly low positive adjustment measures, especially personal adjustment, with higher-than-average negative adjustment measures; • The Loners – low positive adjustment measures and an especially low social adjustment, lower-than- average negative adjustment measures (few deviant behaviors or school suspensions).
The derived typology can be used to create interventions that are personality based, and thus geared to personality and behavior rather than to external characteristics (e.g., socio-economic status, ethnic group). A discussion of proposed intervention will be presented with examples of specialized programs for the four groups.
Speaker Information
Dr. Dafna Etzion completed her course of studies in the PhD program at the School of Education in Bar-Ilan University in 2011. Her undergraduate studies included Psychology, Biology, and Computer Science, in the Brain Sciences Track which she graduated with Honors. Her graduate studies (also Cum Laude) were in the School of Education. During her university years, Dafna specialized in research methods and since 2006 has been a Lecturer at Bar-Ilan University, teaching Statistics and Research Methods. Dafna has also taught courses on qualitative research and her main area of interest youth at risk. Prof. Shlomo Romi is the Head of the School of Education and Director of the Institute for Education and community research at Bar-Ilan University, Israel. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Child and Youth Care at the University of Victoria, B.C. Canada and member of the EUSARF board. Prof. Romi’s fields of research include non-formal education and characteristics of at-risk adolescents. He also studies topics in educational psychology, such as classroom management and the integration of children and adolescents with special needs into normative educational settings.
62 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Health
Addressing the health needs of looked-after-children in Australia: divergent visions and their effect on principles and processes of intervention. Speakers & Authors: Susan M Webster, General Practice & Primary Health Care Academic Centre, The University of Melbourne (speaker) and Assoc Prof Meredith Temple-Smith, General Practice & Primary Health Care Academic Centre, University of Melbourne (co- author)
Measurement and judgement about the effectiveness of social and health care interventions rest firstly on what we understand to be the purpose of intervention. Purpose is inextricably linked with vision. This presentation explores the visions of Australian governments and health professionals about the purpose of activities to address the health needs of looked-after-children. In common with other countries, looked-after-children in Australia experience relatively high levels of chronic and complex health difficulties. The corporate parenting of looked-after children is a legislative responsibility for seven different Australian state and territory governments.
Australia has a complex, blended system of public and private health service delivery. This presentation examines the subtlety of divergent visions across sectors and how this influences intervention processes. It draws on a broader PhD study examining factors that enhance or inhibit health professionals’ efforts to manage the health needs of looked-after-children in Australia. This health services research study has used an embedded, organisational case-study design. Themes have been developed from qualitative interviews, policy analysis, and review of procedural documents, professional standards, evaluations and implementation tools. In the formative stage of the study, a national symposium was initiated which brought together health professionals and policy advisors to discuss current research and issues in everyday practice in addressing health for looked-after-children. This presentation argues that there is a need for stronger, congruent visions as a platform for effective intervention in this challenging area.
Speaker Information
Susan Webster is a PhD Candidate at the University of Melbourne. After an extensive career in government and NGOs in the fields of health, justice and disability, she returned to postgraduate study and completed a Master of Primary Health Care Research in 2009. Her research interests are focussed on systems of health care for children and young people who have experienced abuse or neglect. Her previous research examined factors influencing general practitioner involvement in comprehensive health assessments for the vulnerable, out-of-home care population. The PhD study is supervised by Associate Professor Meredith Temple-Smith, Associate Professor Lena Sanci, Professor Cathy Humphreys and Anne Smith.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 63 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Health
Fostering Potential: The lives and perspectives of British Columbia youth with government care experience. Speakers & Authors: Annie Smith, McCreary Centre Society and Stephanie Martin, McCreary Centre Society
The presentation will share a model for engaging looked after youth in an empirical study that identifies protective factors and informs policy and practice. This youth-centred project is based on Fostering Potential: The lives of British Columbia youth with government care experience, which is a 2011 report from the Canada based non-profit McCreary Centre Society. The report uses data from the 2008 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey and examines the health picture of nearly 1,000 BC students aged 12-19 who had been in government care (in foster care, group homes, or on Youth Agreements).
Results showed that youth who are looked after through the BC care system face a number of challenges in their lives but with support from peers and adults they can experience better health outcomes. The study emphasised the role of supportive relationships, housing stability and other protective factors associated with improved health outcomes and reduced health risk behaviours for looked after youth. The production of the report was guided by looked after youth and includes their suggestions for improving the experience of children and youth who enter the system.
Following the publication of the report, the results were returned to looked after youth who produced resources which have been shared with other vulnerable children and youth, as well as senior government personnel and the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth. These have led to changes in policy and funding for looked after children. The presentation will include examples of the multimedia messaging produced by looked after youth.
Speaker Information
Annie Smith has been the Executive Director of McCreary Centre Society since June 2006. She began her career as a psychiatric nurse in England before becoming had of a not-for-profit organisation, which assisted homeless and inadequately housed youth in the deprived former mining communities of South Yorkshire. A move to Boston Massachusetts and a Harvard master’s degree followed, alongside five years working as a Director of Programs for people with developmental disabilities across the Greater Boston area. Annie is a co-author of the Fostering Potential report.
Since 2007, Stephanie Martin has led youth participation initiatives at the McCreary Centre Society. She ensures youth’s voices are included in all aspects of the Society’s research and bridges research and action through youth-led projects. Stephanie has facilitated a range of workshops and focus groups with youth who have experience with the government care system in British Columbia. She has incorporated arts-based activities, including film-making, spoken word and graphic arts, to gather feedback on research findings and to hear youth’s recommendations for improving youth health policy in British Columbia.
64 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Health
Looked after children and care leavers’ experiences of talking to carers and service providers about sexual health and relationships Speakers & Authors: Miss Catherine Nixon, MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit**, Dr. Marion Henderson, MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Prof. Lawrie Elliott, Edinburgh Napier University, Prof. Daniel Wight, MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
Looked after children (LAC) are some of the most vulnerable young people in society, with evidence showing that being looked after is associated with deprivation, greater risk of exclusion from education and poorer health outcomes. Evidence from sexual health studies highlights that outcomes such as pre-16 sexual experiences, poor contraception use and teenage-parenthood are also patterned by deprivation and disengagement from education, thus it stands to reason that LAC may be at increased risk of experiencing poor sexual health outcomes.
This paper begins by using quantitative data collected from young people (mean age 15.5 years) as part of the sexual health demonstration project Healthy Respect 2 to compare LAC’s levels of pre-16 sexual behaviours, contraceptive use and knowledge of sexual health with those seen in the general youth population. Results from a qualitative study conducted with 33 LAC and care leavers aged 14-23 will then be discussed, including young people’s experiences of talking to their carers and other service providers about sexual health and relationships, and what young people see as the barriers and facilitators to seeking help. In particular, the paper will highlight the importance of trust in facilitating conversations about sexual health, and the negative impact that fear of rejection and being judged can have upon young people’s willingness to talk to service providers and carers. Concerns about confidentiality, and young people’s embarrassment about approaching staff and care givers will also be explored. The paper will conclude by considering the implications of the findings for corporate parenting policy.
Speaker Information
Catherine Nixon is a pre-doctoral fellow at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Science Unit and is currently completing a PhD at the University of Glasgow. Her PhD research is funded by the Chief Scientists Office for Scotland and focuses on how looked after young people and care leavers learn about sexual health and relationships, and engage with sexual health services and education. It also explores how looked after young people, care leavers and corporate parents communicate with each other about sexual health, and what are the perceived barriers and facilitators to having such discussions within the care setting.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 65 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Health
The development and evaluation of a tailored behaviour change intervention for looked after young people Speakers & Authors: Hannah Dale, NHS Fife Department of Psychology (speaker) and Lorna Watson, Public Health Department, NHS Fife
The presentation will discuss the development and evaluation of a health behaviour change service for looked after young people, which targets sexual health, activity, health-eating, smoking, alcohol and drugs. The intervention draws on a range of behaviour change techniques which are both motivational and volitional, and was also informed by a needs assessment. Evaluation of the effect of the intervention was undertaken before and after its delivery using behaviour questions. Session content was evaluated using a behaviour change taxonomy. Data reveals positive behaviour change in most areas targeted, including condom use, sexual health service access, smoking, and exercise. Some of the most frequently used behaviour techniques included providing information on the consequences of behaviour to the individual, motivational interviewing, action and coping planning and planning social support. Finally, the presentation will discuss other future potential developments to help widen the impact of health improvement work.
Speaker Information
Hannah Dale is a Health Psychologist working for the NHS Fife Department of Psychology. Hannah has specialised in researching and working with looked after young people (LAYP) around behaviour change (particularly sexual health) and has published on these topics, including papers in the Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, and the Journal of Public Health. She has developed a health behaviour change service for LAYP in Fife, which offers one-to-one work to LAYP and consultancy to their workers/carers. Hannah also teaches in the University of St. Andrews Medical School and supervises Health Psychology Trainees.
66 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Health
Treat Us Like We Matter: The Role of Youth in Measuring and Telling their Stories about Health and Well-being Speakers & Authors: Michelle Wong, Office of the Representative for Children and Youth, British Columbia, Canada, Annie Smith, McCreary Centre Society, Canada
Measuring child health and well-being is important in understanding how well children and youth are doing in our communities. But are we measuring the right things? And what do the measures really say about a child’s personal experience? Involving young people in the measurement and reporting process can enrich our understanding. However, meaningful youth participation is a challenge (especially in bureaucratic processes) even though young people’s experiences and perspectives can validate and enhance the research evidence.
In British Columbia in Canada, the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth (RCY) oversees the provincial government’s delivery of services to children and their families. The Provincial Health Officer (PHO) is responsible for reporting on the health of all children in the province. Together, the RCY and PHO published a report on the health and well-being of children and youth in the province in order to provide an accurate and measurable picture of child and youth health and well-being and stimulate dialogue and action. The report was influenced by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, making the inclusion of youth perspectives fundamental.
Speaker Information
Michelle Wong is the Director of Evaluation and Strategic Directions with the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth’s (RCY) Monitoring, Research, Evaluation and Audit Team in British Columbia in Canada. The Monitoring team evaluates government-funded programs and services and performs related research in an effort to improve services and the lives of vulnerable children and youth. Before joining the RCY, Michelle was a management consultant to government developing governance and policy frameworks in human service areas such as health and child welfare. She also worked in information technology. Michelle has a Master’s degree in Public Administration.
Annie Smith has been the Executive Director of McCreary Centre Society since June 2006. She began her career as a psychiatric nurse in England before becoming had of a not-for-profit organisation, which assisted homeless and inadequately housed youth in the deprived former mining communities of South Yorkshire. A move to Boston Massachusetts and a Harvard master’s degree followed, alongside five years working as a Director of Programs for people with developmental disabilities across the Greater Boston area.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 67 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Parents
Abusive mothers in a work disadvantage context: the need for organizational changes for promoting mothers’ perceptions of control about their work situation Speakers & Authors: Carla Sofia Silva (presentation speaker) Centre for Social Research and Intervention (CIS), ISCTE, Lisbon University Institute, Portugal, Maria Manuela Calheiros - Centre for Social Research and Intervention (CIS), ISCTE, Lisbon University Institute, Portugal
In the current global context of instability and financial constraints, parents are experiencing growing pressures in their professional life, making it increasingly difficult for them to balance both work and family demands. Accordingly, parents, especially in families at risk, are more likely to develop a lower sense of control about their work situation and experience higher levels of psychological stress. Consequently, they may become less available to their children, putting them at greater developmental risk.
This study analyses the moderation effect of mothers’ attributions on the relationship between work hours and status and abusive maternal practices. 102 maltreating and negligent mothers were selected to take part in the study through a questionnaire evaluating maltreatment and neglect. Work hours and status, and attributions were assessed in a semi-structured interview. Results indicate that neglect is more associated with unemployment when mothers perceive having low control of their professional situation, and with excessive working hours when they attribute their work problems to personal factors, such as professional skills or personal investment. In contrast, time dedicated to work seems to improve parenting when mothers attribute those problems to external factors, such as work conditions, work support, task difficulty). The results do not show any interaction effects between the variables in explaining maltreatment.
Based on these findings, we highlight the importance of workplaces making organizational changes in order to help parents to gain a higher sense of control about their work situation and help them balance their work-family relationship. Such adjustments can increase parents’ availability to their children, thus helping them improve their parenting practices.
Speaker Information
Carla Sofia Silva is a PhD student of Psychology at ISCTE-IUL. Her scientific and professional interests include child victimization and psychosocial functioning of adolescents in the context of maltreatment. Her professional practice includes the assessment and intervention with families and youths at risk. As a PhD student she is developing the project “Cognitive and Emotional Factors in the Relationship between Family Conflicts and Children’s Self-representations”.
Maria Manuela Calheiros is the coordinator of the ISCTE-IUL Masters in Community Psychology and Child Protection, and President of the Portuguese Association of Psychology. Strongly focused on social intervention, she has developed several research-based projects on instruments and programs that have been applied in different private and public institutions. She has a strong link to the community and has been working with the government (national level and Council of Europe) to provide technical information to support the creation of regulations and guidelines, such as preventing violence towards children, and implement changes in institutions and facilitate the national implementation of European politics.
68 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Parents
Biological fathers’ impact on behavioral problems of children in foster care
Speakers & Authors: Femke Vanschoonlandt, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Johan Vanderfaeillie, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Frank Van Holen, Opvang vzw Skrällan De Maeyer, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Caroline Andries, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Several factors of different systems, such as foster child, foster parents, biological parents, are hypothesized to influence the foster children’s behavioral problems. The influence of factors from biological parents, such as maltreatment history, is mostly retrospectively investigated. However, data about biological mothers suggests that their current attitude towards the placement, relationship with the foster parents and visiting frequency may also have an impact on foster children’s behavioral problems. Since the perspective of biological fathers is often neglected, their involvement in the foster care placement and their impact on foster children’s well-being remains unclear.
Foster care workers registered biological fathers’ attitudes towards placements, relationships with foster parents and visiting frequency with their children for 186 new foster placements. Foster children’s behavioral problems were measured with a CBCL filled out by the foster parents. 60% of the biological fathers had a positive attitude towards the foster placement, 58% had a good relationship with the foster parents and 57% had contact with their child. Foster children had less internalizing problems if their biological fathers accepted their placements, had better relationships with their foster parents and visited them more frequently. An ANCOVA showed that the quality of the relationship with foster parents was the most important factor in explaining internalizing problems. No associations with externalizing problems were found with the studied variables. This evidence of possibly protective impact of biological fathers on foster children’s behavioral problems is new and calls for specific (preventive) actions.
Speaker Information
Femke Vanschoonlandt is a doctoral student at the Department of Clinical and Lifespan Psychology in the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Her research involves the development, implementation and evaluation of a training program for foster parents of foster children with externalizing behavioral problems.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 69 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Parents
Developing Intercultural Competences in Child and Family Welfare Services
Speakers & Authors: Silvio Premoli, Research and Training Centre at “La Grande Casa” social cooperative, Sesto S.Giovanni (Mi), and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Milena Santerini, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan.
Child and Family Welfare services are required to adopt an intercultural approach because of the multicultural connotation of western societies. The “Intercultural Expertise” research PRIN-MIUR, undertaken by the Catholic University in Milan, aimed to analyse the intercultural capabilities that social workers use on a daily basis and define a training model. This study is a practice-based research which uses narrative inquiry.
The intercultural approach refers to subjective and dynamic cultural aspects and relates to “citizenship” in terms of the theory of belonging to a social context that aims to build social cohesion instead of highlighting differences. This perspective requires the social worker not merely to understand cultural differences but also to develop a cultural competence.
Three complex intercultural competences where pinpointed in the research study. These include recognising and appreciating differences; reducing prejudices; and building shared objectives. The effects on training are particularly important. The research draws attention to the need to increase awareness of the role played by educators’ ‘eurocentrism’ whilst developing the ability to find an equilibrium between children’s rights and other values. National and international laws (in particular the CRC) must be kept in mind since child abuse has social, cultural and historic connotations and an excess in relativism may put children at risk. It is also important that the caring model of the origins of the family and that of the CFW service with which the family has dealings.
Speaker Information
Silvio Premoli has a Ph.D. in Education and is Head of Research and Training Centre at “La Grande Casa” Social Cooperative, Sesto S.Giovanni (Mi). He is a researcher at the Research Centre on the Intercultural Relationships at Catholic University of Milan and Adult Education Contract Professor at University of Verona.
Milena Santerini had a Ph.D. in Education, Social and Intercultural Pedagogy and is a Full Professor at Catholic University of Milan. She is Scientific Director of the annual Master “Intercultural Formation. Competences for Integration and Social Inclusion”; Director of the Research Centre on the Intercultural Relationships (CRRI); and a board member of the Association Internationale pour la Recherche Interculturelle (ARIC).
70 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Parents
The ‘rediscovery’ of the ‘problem family’: lessons for policy and practice from a process evaluation of a ‘Think Family’ pathfinder Speakers & Authors: Professor June Thoburn, University of East Anglia, Neil Cooper, University of East Anglia, Natasha Bishopp, Westminster City Council Children’s Services Department, Marian Brandon, University of East Anglia, Sara Connolly, University of East Anglia
The Westminster Family Recovery Project (FRP) is part of the English government’s ‘Think Family’ initiative which provided matched funding to 15 ‘pathfinders’ using intensive multi-disciplinary approaches with families who have a risk of children being significantly harmed or needing out-of- home care. This presentation will provide a brief overview of earlier approaches to working with families with complex problems in the UK and other advanced welfare systems. An independent process and outcome evaluation of the Family Recovery Project will be described and located in the context of findings from a series of national evaluations of family intervention projects that have used similar approaches, but targeted at slightly different populations. It will also discuss emerging themes including the characteristics of families whose children are ‘on the edge of care’; the essential elements of effective practice with families with complex problems; the relationship between multi-disciplinary team members and networks of locality-based and specialist professionals formed around particular families; the respective impact on (interim) outcomes of relationship-based flexible support and of specific interventions, methods or programmes; where intensive work fits with a longer term approach to helping troubled parents and children; ‘main- streaming’ aspects of the service that appear effective. The presentation will conclude with a consideration of the impact that ‘initiativitis’ – the funding and evaluation of a series of short term ‘experimental’ initiatives - can have on the resourcing, development and evaluation of existing service approaches.
Speaker Information
June Thoburn is an Emeritus Professor of Social Work at the University of East Anglia. She worked in child and family social work in UK and Canada before taking up her UEA appointment. She has a particular interest in finding innovative ways of helping social workers to use knowledge from a range of sources in their practice. Her teaching and research have encompassed family support and child protection services for children and families in the community and services for children in care. She has a particular interest in the comparative study of child welfare services across national boundaries.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 71 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Parents
The unintended consequences of documentation practices in child protection – the parents’ viewpoint Speakers & Authors: Tarja Vierula, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Tampere, Finland
This presentation is based on thematic analysis of the Finnish child protection clients’ (parents’) thematic interviews and focuses on the unintended consequences of documentation in these interviews. Although there is plenty of research about case recording and documentation in social work, the documents and the documentation have usually been approached from the institutional viewpoint. This means that the client’s perspectives and experiences of documentation have remained secondary. It can be challenging for clients to read, interpret and use personal information written in the institutional context of child protection.
The analysis demonstrates that the relations between the clients and the documents are diverse and that the documents have different and varying meanings to the clients. Sometimes the documents also have unintended consequences and fail to meet the interview’s aims. This presentation argues that studying parents’ experiences of documentation practices in detail provides valuable lessons about client-participation in social work.
Speaker Information
Tarja Vierula, M.Soc.Sc. is a PhD student in social work at the University of Tampere in Finland. Her research interests include documents and documentation practices in child protection from the view of parents as clients.
72 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Planning & Participation
Family Group Conferences: Shifting the balance of power with family-led and child- centred decision making Speakers & Authors: Alison Todd, Children and Family Services Director, CHILDREN 1ST
As the pioneer of family-led decision making in Scotland, CHILDREN 1ST can offer unrivalled expertise and knowledge on how family group conferences (FGC) can provide an inclusive way of working with families where a child is at risk of being accommodated or there are other issues related to or resulting in family breakdown, such as contact / residence, well-being, substance misuse and high risk behaviour.
Family Group Conferences offer an inclusive way of working with families and shift the balance of power so that child-centred decisions about the care of a child are reached by families. They provide an asset-based model which empowers families to protect and safeguard the welfare of their children, with professionals and services working in partnership with them. In particular, they are an excellent example of early intervention practice which can lead to more sustainable and permanent care arrangements for children and young people and reduce the need for high tariff statutory intervention in the future.
The presentation will aim to share the principles of FGC with the audience, highlight key findings from CHILDREN 1ST own practice evaluations as well as published research on FGC. It will also explore how delegates might initiate family-led decision making in their work as an early intervention tool. In particular, the presentation will show how FGC can contribute to a Getting It Right For Every Child approach in practice; the effective delivery of national and local outcomes for vulnerable children; and also result in greater permanence in children’s lives.
Speaker Information
Alison Todd is the Director of Children and Family Services, Policy and Practice, at CHILDREN 1ST. Alison is responsible for leading and managing the organisation’s National services. She leads on developing new projects, improving practice and delivering public policy activity to influence Scottish, UK and EU legislation. She began her career as a residential child care officer before working in community development. She joined ChildLine in in 2001 and became the Assistant Director of ChildLine/NSPCC in the north of England. She has a BSc (Hons) in Social Sciences and has been a Children’s Panel member, Homestart volunteer and involved with Girl Guide movement outside of work.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 73 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Planning & Participation
Fathers’ participation in assessment of their children’s needs: the perspective of service providers Speakers & Authors: Carl Lacharité, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada
Fathers are frequently excluded from social care programs for children in need. Over the last decade, policy makers and service providers began to be aware of this exclusion and sought to adapt existing programs to make them more “father friendly”. Various aspects of programs were changed, such as transformations of institutional settings (opening hours, images of fathers on the walls) and development of specific activities for fathers (father-child activities, groups of fathers). However, few efforts have been made to understand how fathers can be involved in institutional conversations about their children’s needs and about the development and implementation of action plans.
An action research study with services providers provides the context of this presentation. The participants are 170 service providers from diverse agencies in the Province of Quebec in Canada. Providers are social workers, educators, psychologists, nurses and community workers working with at risk families and children in need. They were invited to participate in focus groups aimed at exploring their practical concerns in fathers’ participation and their best practices regarding the issue of the assessment of children’s needs. Findings show that various obstacles appear to shape fathers’ and providers’ conversations about children’s needs. These can be categorized into contextual and institutional obstacles. Specific practices that address these obstacles were identified and conditions of their implementation in various settings were explored. The study holds implications for facilitating fathers’ participation at the organisational level and for the welfare of children.
Speaker Information
Carl Lacharité is full Professor at the Department of Psychology at the Université du Quebec à Trois-Rivieres. He is also director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on Child Development and the Family.
74 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Planning & Participation
Parental Participation in Child Care and other Areas: Policies and Practices in France
Speakers & Authors: Hélène Join-Lambert Milova, Centre de Recherches Education et Formation, Education familiale et interventions auprès des familles, Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense
Over the last 20 years, there has been a shift towards more rights for parents whose children are looked after in institutions. It is striking that this change is common to all areas: school, early childhood, institutions for disabled children, child care etc. In 2011, literature reviews and interviews with parents, practitioners and experts were conducted with the aim of examining changes in organizations and professional practices in childhood institutions and child care services. In the 1980s, practitioners in all institutions tended to exclude parents from decision-making because they often believed them to be incompetent or harmful influences on their children. Non- profit parents’ organizations and other actors have worked to increase parents’ participation in the lives of institutions and their children. A range of laws were made, including School in 1989, Early Childhood in 2000, Disabled Children and Child Protection in 2002, 2005 and 2007. The application of these laws has led to fundamental changes in the organization of work. Investigations show that although some changes have occurred, there is still not full participation on the ground. Obstacles include the perception the practitioners have about parents and the perception the parents have about their own role in the education and upbringing of their children. However, this presentation includes an analysis of cases where the place of the parents is said to have improved and is seen as positive by the practitioners.
Speaker Information
Hélène Join-Lambert was awarded her PhD in Sociology in 2004 and has worked as an Assistant Professor (Maître de Conférences) at Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense since 2006. Her research activity focuses on practices of upbringing in child care; work with parents facing difficulties; and education of child care practitioners. Much of her research is conducted in a cross- European perspective.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 75 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Planning & Participation
The role of Independent Reviewing Officer in improving care planning for looked after children Speakers & Authors: Di Hart (NCB, UK) - also presenter, Catherine Shaw (NCB Research Centre, UK), Helena Jelicic (NCB Research Centre, UK), Chloe Gill (NCB Research Centre, UK)
Local Authorities in England are required to appoint Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs) to provide independent oversight of looked after children’s care plans. Questions have been raised about the effectiveness of this role, including the extent to which IROs are truly independent. The aim of the study is to develop an evidence base about the implementation, effectiveness and costs of the IRO role, in order to inform policy and practice.
The first phase of research involves a national online survey of IROs (N=700), IRO managers (N=152) and a survey of all Directors of Children’s Services (N=152). The purpose of the survey is to gather data on features of the IRO service at local level including how the IRO role is being implemented; barriers and enablers to implementation; and views on the effectiveness of different aspects of the role.
Responses from all surveys will be analysed and compared within and across local authorities. We will present professionals’ perspectives on the implementation of the IRO role in local authorities including how they compare to government guidelines. The findings presented will also show the similarities and differences in Directors of Children’s Services’ and IROs’ views of IRO effectiveness. This research will provide new evidence about the current arrangements for providing independent oversight of looked after children’s care plans through a local authority IRO service. The findings will be of interest and benefit to national and local policy makers, local managers and corporate parents and the IRO service itself.
Speaker Information
Di Hart is a qualified social worker. Her work at NCB has focused on the welfare needs of children within the youth justice system; looked after children; and Child protection. Specific projects have resulted in a number of publications and include the development of a care-planning model for looked after children who go into custody; a review of safeguarding in custody; and a report on children who breach a youth justice order. In addition to the IRO research, Di is currently working on a DfE funded project to support corporate parents in improving outcomes for looked after children.
76 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Planning & Participation
Tools to support child and parent participation in care planning
Speakers & Authors: Diego Di Masi*, Sara Serbati*, Marco Ius*, Paola Milani** *Post-doc researcher, **Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Pedagogy and Applied Psychology - FISPPA, University of Padua, Italy
The presentation will describe three tools to promote child and parent’s participation in care planning: the Child Triangle (Italian adaptation from the Assessment Framework); the “I, as a parent. Supporting parenting kit” (Lavigueur et al. 2010); and the Eco-map (Nastasi et al., 2000). These tools were used in P.I.P.P.I. (Milani, Serbati & Ius, 2011), a research-training-intervention program for neglecting families which aims to prevent child placement out of home by balancing risk and protective factors and supporting parenting through multi-professional and intensive intervention.
The tools were used by practitioners to highlight perspectives of child (0-11 years old) and by parents to share their viewpoints in order to develop a shared care plan. Assuming the bio-ecological perspective of human development (Bronfenbrenner, 2005), the tools promote a relational process between practitioners and family; are a guide to foster child and parents narratives; and explore factors involved in child development: child needs, parenting capacity and environment. The Triangle covers all three dimensions; the Eco-map is a graphic portrayal focussing on personal and family social relationships; and the Kit explores parenting capacities and child-parent relationship. All three tools can be used with children and/or with parents, depending on family circumstances.
The presentation will analyse case-studies selected among the 93 families involved in the programme and show video, textual and drawing material, the presentation will highlight and discuss how practitioners collected and used child and parent’s narratives to co-define goals, actions and responsibilities in each care plan.
Speaker Information
Diego Di Masi is post doctorate researcher at University of Padua (Italy) and co-author of several articles on child’s participation in decision making process.
Sara Serbati is post doctorate researcher at University of Padua (Italy) and co-author of several publications on child care and protection.
Marco Ius is post doctorate researcher at University of Padua (Italy) and co-author of several publications on child care and resilience theory.
Paola Milani is Professor of Social Work at the University of Padua (Italy) and author and co-author of several publications on child care and protection.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 77 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Residential Services 2
Contemporary residential services in Australia: A new era in program development
Speakers & Authors: Patricia McNamara PhD (speaker) Department of Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe University Melbourne AUSTRALIA
Relatively few Australian young people in out-of-home care now experience residential programs. Home and community based services have assumed prominence, as is consistent with international trends. However, a potentially unhelpful belief has also developed: that residential services should almost always be the option of last resort, when preferable interventions have failed. Notwithstanding this climate of opinion, a surprising renaissance has recently occurred within Australian residential programs, as they become more developmentally and ecologically responsive.
This presentation offers a brief overview of recent research and contemporary programmatic developments in Australian residential services within welfare and youth justice settings.
Perhaps the most important changes to residential programs derive from neurobiological science; this ‘new’ knowledge has focused attention on the therapeutic needs of young people who have experienced early attachment disruption and trauma. Well-resourced residential services in child welfare often present as the most viable settings for therapeutic programs aimed at healing such trauma. Therapeutic approaches are also being incorporated into residential youth justice – for residents and for staff exposed to both direct and vicarious trauma. Young people are now more often able to stay longer in residential programs to heal and mature; they are also better prepared for leaving and offered more supports as they move into the community. Of course, there is a shadow side to the progress made. Most concerning, perhaps, is a continued siloing of services which often seriously constrains young residents’ access to specialist services - especially mental health, disability and educational supports.
Speaker Information
Patricia McNamara PhD is an Australian social worker and family therapist with many years of clinical and research experience in child and family welfare, youth justice and mental health. She currently works, teaches and conducts research in the Department of Social Work and Social Policy at La Trobe University in Melbourne. Dr McNamara has conducted the only long-term Australian follow-up study with former adolescent mental health milieu residents - most recently at fifteen years post-discharge. She is a (non-executive) Director of Mackillop Family Services, the largest provider of residential services in the State of Victoria.
78 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Residential Services 2
Identifying Issues and Theories for Comparative Studies on Residential Services: From a critical examination to a study proposal Speakers & Authors: Laura Palareti (SPEAKER). Dipartmento di Psicologia. Università di Bologna (IT), Chiara Berti. Dipartimento di Scienze Psicologiche, umanistiche e del territorio. Università di Chieti-Pescara (IT)
In recent years, the literature on residential programs for out-of-home children has shown a growing interest for comparative studies aimed at gaining a better understanding of the elements that define residential care provision and effectiveness (rather than efficacy) in the world. International comparisons oblige experts and researchers to look into that black box that constitutes residential treatment, and consider how organizational and contextual aspects influence practice decisions and client outcomes.
The aims of this presentation are: 1) to cast light on some of the problematic issues emerging from this effort and, in particular, to answer the question of what are the culture-specific and the universal characteristics of Residential Care and of the protective mechanisms that it should promote for children and adolescents in need; 2) to suggest a study on Child Residential Care framed in the Social Representation Theory (SRT).
The presentation aims to show that SRT would be a suitable approach for a cross-national study, as it deals with the way in which scientific and common sense knowledge intertwine to form people’s representations of what is considered to be “good” residential care. Analysing the content, the structure and the anchoring of practitioners’ beliefs, the study could deal with model diversities and cast light on which, if any, are the core tasks of residential care recognised in differing cultures, which are the elements sensitive to the social context and which are those responsible for the stability and the sharing of the representations.
Speaker Information
Laura Palareti is a researcher in Social Psychology at the University of Bologna. Her research interests concern the study of risk and protective mechanisms regulating growth processes under normal and atypical conditions. Over the years, her research into normal and multi-problematic families, families with chronically ill children, and children in residential care have concerned the scaffolding function of the routines and rituals of everyday life. Since 2000, her studies have addressed the topics of deinstitutionalization and the “critical ingredients” of effective residential care programs. She has been a member of IaOBERfcs since 2006.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 79 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Residential Services 2
Introducing social pedagogy into English children’s homes: issues in cross-national transfer Speakers & Authors: Nina Biehal, Social Policy Research Unit (SPRU), University of York
This presentation draws on the national evaluation of the Social Pedagogy Pilot Programme in English residential care (co-directed by Nina Biehal and David Berridge). The evaluation assessed the process and outcomes of employing social pedagogues from other European countries in 18 English children’s homes. The presentation focuses on the process evaluation and will discuss the issues which arose in implementing an approach developed in other European countries in an English setting.
The process evaluation analysed data on a total sample of 30 homes (18 Pilot homes plus 12 comparison homes) and an intensive sample of 12 homes. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected in interviews with senior staff and social pedagogues, focus groups with children and residential staff and during observation visits to 12 homes.
The study found that key differences both in the local context in which the children’s homes operated and in the wider context in which they were located had an impact on the implementation of social pedagogy. These included differences in the ways that the care system is used in different countries and differences in the wider policy and practice environment in which residential care is located.
Speaker Information
Nina Biehal leads the Children and Young People’s Social Work Research Group at the Social Policy Research Unit, University of York. Before becoming a researcher, she worked first as a residential worker and then a social worker. She has conducted research on a wide range of topics, including studies of leaving care, runaways from care, preventive work with adolescents, outcomes of long- term foster care and adoption, residential care and the reunification of looked after children with their families. She has also led evaluations of pilot programmes, including Multi-dimensional treatment foster care and social pedagogy.
80 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Residential Services 2
Residential Treatment in the U.S.: Programmatic, Research & Policy Challenges
Speakers & Authors: James K. Whittaker, Charles O. Cressey Endowed Professor Emeritus, The University of Washington, Seattle Washington, USA and Richard W. Small, Executive Director, The Walker Home and School, Needham, Massachusetts, USA
This presentation will provide a brief overview of the current status of residential treatment for high-resource using children and youth in the present U.S. context. Particular attention will be paid to the critical need for research and development of model programs and protocols for practice, definition of meaningful intake and outcome criteria and promising avenues for family and community linkages and funding models to sustain effective practice. We will highlight the considerable barriers to achieving any of these objectives in a public policy context that presently shows little interest in pursuing renewal, reformation or research of any service viewed as ‘residential’.
The presentation will suggest that the appropriate long term goal for residential treatment services is to illuminate their highest and best uses within a comprehensive array of services that are consistent with what are termed in U.S. mental health services family and community connected ‘systems of care’ principles. A guiding assumption is that to achieve this goal, residential treatment must be re-conceptualized and clearly perceived as a robust family support resource: beginning with active outreach and engagement during the pre-placement phase, continuing with multiple levels of involvement during placement and continuing in active and supportive partnership in the post-placement period. The presenters view cross-national collaboration in research and model development as a critical and necessary element in re-thinking residential treatment in a U.S. context. They bring a combined experience that includes academic research, model development, clinical practice and hands-on program administration and policy advocacy to the task.
Speaker Information
James K. Whittaker is The Charles O. Cressey Endowed Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington School of Social Work, Seattle. His research and teaching interests encompass child and family policy and services; and creating research capacity and the integration of evidence- based practices into the contemporary child & family service agency. A frequent contributor to the professional literature, Dr. Whittaker is author/co-author/editor of 8 books and nearly 100 peer review papers and book chapters. In all, Dr. Whittaker’s works have been translated into eight languages and he presently serves on a number of international editorial review boards and associations. Since 1985, Dr. Richard W. Small has served as Executive Director of the Walker Home and School, in Needham, Massachusetts, a non-profit agency providing residential treatment and a range of services to troubled children, their families and mental health professionals. An author, educator and consultant to child welfare programs internationally, Dr. Small holds an M.S. in Education from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the University of Washington School of Social Work. He has also served as Staff Director of the Massachusetts Governor’s Advisory Committee on Children and the Family and is a member of various professional organizations. EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 81 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Transitions
Adult Care Leavers: Reflecting on a childhood in care
Speakers & Authors: Zachari Duncalf, CELCIS, University of Strathclyde
The experience of growing up in and leaving pubic care has lifelong ramifications for adult care leavers. Central issues that many adult care leavers struggle with include the lack of belonging, a place to locate identity and a sense of knowing who they are and where they have come from. Whilst many people have security in the above, in part due to the oral histories that are passed down from family members, care leavers are often displaced by the lack of geographical or emotional base to call home.
This presentation explores the autobiographical interviews that were gathered for a PhD with 25 care leavers from around the UK aged 27 – 72. This research was grounded in a previous scoping study undertaken by the presenter (Listen Up! 310 Adult Care Leavers Speak Out). From this study, it was clear that more in-depth and narrative driven research was needed. The oral histories gathered from the 25 care leavers not only tell us something about a generation of care which has often gone un-researched, due to the focus on young people in care and younger care leavers, but also offers a unique insight and reflection upon the impact of a childhood in care long into adulthood.
Speaker Information
Zachari spent eight years in residential care in England from the ages of 11 to 19. She is a Trustee of BAAF, an Ambassador for the Care Leavers’ Association and a Research Fellow at CELCIS, University of Strathclyde. In all of her roles, Zachari is an active campaigner for the rights and voices of adult care leavers, as well as looked after young people and more recent care leavers. She has carried out research into oral histories of care leavers; the history of the care system; care leavers and education; and access to records.
82 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Transitions
Age-specific exit rates from non-kinship family foster care
Speakers & Authors: Eric van Santen, German Youth Institute (Deutsches Jugendinstitut e. V.), Munich
Analyzing age-specific hazard rates can give a clue what the vulnerable age periods for specific transitions out of out-of-home care are. Little is known about the connection between age at entry, age at exit and exit type since study observation periods are usually short and often focus on specific age groups at entry as well as single exit types (mostly reunification). The data stems from an exit cohort (N=14,170). Event history analysis is used to determine age-specific hazard rates. Rates of different exit types are compared.
The period immediately following the start of family foster care is one of the hazard rate peaks for all age groups. In the first two years after the start of care, the hazard rates of all age groups decline almost continuously at different levels and stay stable afterwards. Independent of age at entry, age-specific hazard rates tend most notably to rise again after the children passed their 15th birthday. Hazard rates for reunification are highest for young children shortly after admission. Older children, who have been in care for longer periods, have high hazard rates for entry into residential care as well as emancipation from care.
As the rate for reunification is especially high during the first months of care, child welfare services should keep intensive contact with parents. Whereas in adolescence with high rates of exit to emancipation and residential care, intensified contacts should be established with the youth themselves and their foster caregivers to potentially avoid residential care placement.
Speaker Information
Eric van Santen (PhD) is senior researcher at the German Youth Institute in Munich, Germany, Department “Youth and Youth Welfare”. He studied human resource management in The Hague (Netherlands), sociology in Munich (Germany) and got his PhD at the FU Berlin (Germany). He is strongly empirically orientated and specialized in inter institutional cooperation, volunteering, child and youth welfare institutions, regional disparities in (foster) care utilization, foster care careers and disruption of foster care placements.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 83 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Transitions
Crossing the bridge: between protected contexts and autonomy
Speakers & Authors: Luisa Pandolfi, University of Sassari
The presentation explains the research project “Crossing the bridge: evaluation analysis and interpretation tools of social inclusion projects”, which was co-financed by ‘PO Sardegna FSE 2007- 2013’ and Regional Law 7/2007: “Promotion of scientific research and technological innovation in Sardinia”, which aims to analyze the data collected across Sardinia.
The Regional Law, no. 4, art. 17 (11 May 2006) provides specific funding for the realization of an experimental programme to promote social inclusion projects for young people who, after coming of age, leave educational and residential structures and have not completed their transition to autonomy, nor attained social integration or completed their education and training.
Methodologically, the first research stage provided a map of social inclusion experiences in the region. During the second stage of the research, a follow up and a qualitative close examination were completed, with the hope that the viewpoints of care leavers and social and educational workers would emerge.
The presentation explains main outcomes of the research, such as identification of strong and weak points; risk factors; and protective and resilience factors that allow care leavers to cope successfully with the changeover towards autonomy. It will also discuss the creation of participatory evaluation and self-evaluation models and the promotion and improvement of the development of state social policy in this same area of intervention.
Speaker Information
Luisa Pandolfi graduated in Education at the University of Sassari in 2001 and received her PhD in Social Sciences in 2011. She spent eight years of her career working in an educational and residential structure for disadvantaged children and young people. Her current research project is “Crossing the bridge. Evaluation analysis and interpretation tools of social inclusion projects”. This is financed by the University of Sassari and co-financed by the ‘PO Sardegna FSE 2007-2013’ and the Regional Law 7/2007: “Promotion of the scientific research and the technological innovation in Sardinia.”
84 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Transitions
Voices of people who aged-out of care: How they make sense of their experience of transition to adulthood Speakers & Authors: Marie-Claude Richard, PhD Cand, Laval University (Quebec, CANADA)
Transition to adulthood (TTA) is a multifaceted experience. For some people, the progressive acquisition of autonomy is mediated by a prolonged dependence on family. Other young people are confronted to life circumstances that limit their choices and opportunities. For them, TTA cannot be delayed, forcing them to precociously assume adult responsibilities. This presentation comes from a social work doctoral study, aiming to understand the experience of TTA for people who aged-out of care.
Data collection took place among 18 French-speaking Canadians, from 18 to 37 years. Data consisted of pictures taken by participants in order to illustrate their own representations of adulthood, and in-depth interviews where participants were invited to tell their stories of TTA. Results indicate that TTA is initiated by an « event » serving as a « turning point ». This event can be interpreted both in terms of « relationships » and of « perceived power over life course ». From this starting point, people move toward adulthood depending on their conception of adult roles. Being an adult is expressed both in terms of personal achievement and social success. Using a Grounded Theory perspective, three trajectories of TTA were identified: (1) Belonging Path; (2) Integration Path; and (3) Appropriation Path. Each of these trajectories account for a particular way of « reading » TTA, according to relation to the self, to the others and to the society. In conclusion, some practice avenues involving public and community actors in youth protection will be presented.
Speaker Information
Marie-Claude Richard has completed a PhD in Social Work and works as the coordinator of the Partnered Chair for the Prevention of Child Abuse at Laval University in Quebec, Canada.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 85 Wednesday 5th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Transitions
De-institutionalisation of services for children in state care in Ireland – Does the Irish experience offer useful lessons of international relevance? Speakers & Authors: Professor Robbie Gilligan, School of Social Work and Social Policy and Children’s Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin
De-institutionalisation of out-of-home care for vulnerable children remains a major policy challenge in many countries in Europe and across the world. Achieving large scale de-institutionalisation successfully is a very complex task for any national administration. Using the Irish experience as a case study of de-institutionalisation, this presentation will explore how Ireland has moved away from a very heavy reliance on institutions in child welfare. It will outline key features of a largely successful process of de-institutionalising out-of home care for children and young people. The process has been based on an evolving model of reformed provision that now combines heavy reliance on family placement with some community based preventive programmes and a residual amount of residential care for very specific and tightly delineated groups of young people. This presentation traces some of the issues and challenges in the often uneven development of this process of de-institutionalisation in Ireland. It also explores possible lessons that may be drawn from the Irish case for wider international practice. The author has been a participant and researcher in many of the relevant developments over the period to be discussed in the presentation (as trainee social worker, social worker with children in care, foster carer, founder/ manager/ board member of innovative programmes, researcher etc.).
Speaker Information
Professor Robbie Gilligan, School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin. His research interests include children and young people in out-of-home care, informal social support for vulnerable children and young people, and children and migration. Robbie is a member of the editorial boards of the journals, Child and Family Social Work (Wiley-Blackwell), Child Indicators Research – The Journal of the International Society of Child Indicators (Springer) and European Journal of Social Work (Routledge), and of the advisory boards of the journals Adoption and Fostering and Children and Society. He currently serves as President of Childwatch International Research Network.
86 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
CARE Program Model
Assessing multi-level change: Update on a quasi-experimental study of the CARE program Speakers & Authors: Charles Izzo, Elliott Smith, Michael Nunno & Martha Holden, Cornell University
The work of facilitating change in residential child care agencies is a complex, multi-layered process. Studying the impact of that work requires careful evaluation designs that assess program impacts at each level. The current paper describes the design and interim results from a 16-site evaluation of Children and Residential Experiences (CARE), a program that helps residential care agencies follow a set of evidence-informed principles in order to improve their child care practice. It also presents preliminary results after three years of data collection.
The presentation will begin by presenting a theory of change that forms the framework for the measurement and evaluation strategy. It will then describe the quasi-experimental design and the methods used for measuring change at several levels within agencies. These include instruments assessing staff beliefs about child development and effective child care practices; staff use of effective child care practices; youth perceptions about relationships and interactions with staff; youth social and emotional adjustment; serious behavioral incidents; and dimensions of organizational functioning that are known to affect service quality. Preliminary evaluation findings, including descriptive data and the results of simple pre-post analyses that show changes in selected youth-, staff-, and agency-level outcomes after 24 months of implementation. It will also briefly describe the mixed-model data analytic approach that will ultimately test the program’s causal impact on these outcomes. Finally, the challenges of cleanly assessing these elusive phenomena, and clearly interpreting any changes given the complex dynamics at work in these agencies will be discussed.
Speaker Information
Charles Izzo is a researcher in the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research at Cornell University and currently leads a multi-site evaluation of the CARE program. He is trained in Community and Clinical Psychology and has expertise in program development and evaluation, prevention science, and community research methods. His research and writing focus on factors that influence caregiving, relationships between caregiving and child functioning, and evaluation design. He has also provided training and consultation to human service professionals focused on local program evaluation, the utilization of data for program planning, and skill development for direct-service providers.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 87 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
CARE Program Model
The CARE Model
Speakers & Authors: Martha J Holden, Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research Cornell University
Children and Residential Experiences: Creating Conditions for Change (CARE) is a multi-level program model for improving services for children in out of home care. This model enables agencies to organize and deliver quality care of children according to research-informed principles based on the best interest of the child. The CARE model incorporates and structures well-established findings from social sciences literature into six basic practice principles: developmentally focused, family involved, relationship based, competency centered, trauma informed and ecologically oriented. These principles inform and guide the interactional dynamics of the organization to meet the best interests of children. CARE aims to bring agencies’ current practices closer to well- researched best practices in residential care and help agencies achieve congruence between all levels of staff in order to improve how the agency works as a whole.
The CARE model is implemented through research-informed strategies such as organizational and personal self-assessment, data analysis, training and technical assistance. This strategy includes training that addresses all levels of the organization and provides guidance about how to apply CARE principles in daily practice. Organizational technical assistance helps agency leadership and supervisors build commitment to the CARE principles, develop a vision to establish congruence to the CARE principles throughout the organization, and facilitating, reinforcing and sustaining that vision. Through a process of self-reflection agencies establish structures and processes for improving collaboration, identifying barriers to integrating and sustaining CARE principles, planning strategies for resolving those barriers, and facilitating practices to encourage data utilization.
Speaker Information
Martha J. Holden is a Senior Extension Associate with the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research at Cornell University and author of the book, Children and Residential Experiences (CARE): Creating Conditions for Change. She provides technical assistance and training to residential child caring agencies, schools, juvenile justice programs and child welfare organizations throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Israel. Throughout her career, Ms. Holden has studied how to prevent the occurrence of institutional abuse and improve the quality of care for children in out of home placements through training, technical assistance and influencing organizational culture throughout her career.
88 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
CARE Program Model
Implementing CARE: Understanding the Knowledge Translation Process
Speakers & Authors: James Anglin, Professor, School of Child and Youth Care, University of Victoria, Canada
We need to not only know the outcomes of CARE, but also to understand how an agency learns to put CARE into practice. Seven “Pioneer” agencies implementing the CARE program model for two to three years participated in this study. Interviews were held with 70 staff members, from line workers to CEOs, as well as Cornell trainers. The researcher reviewed relevant documents, made agency observations, and participated in a week-long staff training session.
The process of integrating CARE into staff behaviour and the overall organizational climate and culture is an ever-deepening spiral of committing to CARE, embracing the six core principles, challenging beliefs, attitudes and assumptions, experiencing the effectiveness of CARE, gaining confidence, and re-committing to CARE.
The process of becoming an agency that consistently operates according to CARE principles takes about two years; however the children in care respond “right away”. The data gathered in this study fit hand-in-glove with the adult developmental learning research model developed by Robert Kegan who identifies three stages of adult learning, with the core dimension being increasing mind-set complexity. An appreciation of complexity is necessary in order for workers to respond effectively and confidently to the true complexity of residential care work.
Workers in CARE agencies often report that things are more calm and peaceful in the cottages, there is less fear, there are fewer confrontations and power struggles, and fewer restraints (in one case none). Many workers report they are happier and feel more satisfaction in their work.
Speaker Information
James Anglin is full Professor and former Director of the School of Child and Youth Care at the University of Victoria, Canada. He served as Associate Vice-President Academic from 2004-2008 and as Director of International Affairs (2004-2012). Dr. Anglin has worked in social policy in Ottawa and with the Children’s Services Division, Government of Ontario. His academic research focuses on the needs of young people living in extrafamilial care. He is author of “Pain, Normality and the Struggle for Congruence: Reinterpreting Residential Care for Children and Youth” (Haworth, 2002) and serves on the editorial boards of several international journals.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 89 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
CARE Program Model
Measuring Effectiveness of Children and Residential Experiences (CARE) Implementation at a Juvenile Justice Organization using youth perceptions Speakers & Authors: Frank Kuhn, Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA and Barry Burkhart, Ph.D., Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
Two comparison groups were used to evaluate the implementation of CARE in a public juvenile justice institution in the United States. The CARE program model is founded on six research- informed principles focused on development, family, relationship, competency, trauma sensitivity and the environment. The CARE principles encourage organizational congruence to support the best interests of youth.
Prior to implementation, this juvenile justice facility had a punitive culture with frequent disciplinary incidents and a high recidivism rate. Initially, one large component of the program – adolescent male sex offenders –was targeted for implementation with CARE practices. Due to the perception that the program reduced disciplinary infractions and had affected low rates of re-arrest (less than 5% re-arrest rate for new sex offenses) for the sex offending adolescents, the decision was made to implement CARE programming with the general population of delinquent offenders. After two years of implementation, the CARE group program participants were compared with the non-CARE general population.
After training, direct staff in the CARE group (N=56) were more knowledgeable about CARE principles than those of the non-CARE (N=105) group. These staff reported practices that were more consistent with CARE in all six areas surveyed. Youth perceptions of staff practices in the CARE group (N=57) were more favorable in all six areas surveyed than for youth in the non-CARE group (N=42). While the generalization at this report is limited to the impact of youth perceptions, positive recidivism and incident data in the intervention group are clear.
Speaker Information
Frank Kuhn is a clinical psychologist living in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. He has served on the faculty of a medical school and teaching hospital and has led not-for-profit organizations providing residential, treatment and educational services for children and families. Frank is currently employed as a Senior Extension Associate with the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. Some current interests include implementation and evaluation of models for service delivery, change in organizational systems of care, and congruence in clinical and caregiving systems. Barry Burkhart is a Professor, and former Chair, of Psychology at Auburn University. Since the mid-1970s, he has been instrumental in the development and implementation of psychological services for neglected and troubled children in his community. In addition, he has consulted with or assisted in the development of psychological services in a number of correctional and law enforcement settings. Dr. Burkhart worked with the Alabama Department of Youth Services to assist in the development, implementation and management of a treatment program for juvenile sex offenders. This program has become nationally recognized as a model for the provision of services to juvenile offenders and as a model of a public partnership involving universities and state agencies.
90 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Children’s Views
Transition from care to adulthood - experiences of 65 young Swedish care leavers
Speakers & Authors: Ingrid Höjer, Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg, Yvonne Sjöblom, Department of Social Work, University of Stockholm
This presentation accounts for 65 young Swedish care leaver’s experiences of their transition from care to adulthood. In the Swedish research project “Life After Care”, telephone interviews were performed with 111 managers of social service units in two Swedish regions, and with 65 young people who had left a placement in out-of-home care. In Sweden, there are no formal systems for support to young care leavers. In cases where they need support, they will have to apply at the social service units as any other citizens would. Support from foster carers in the transitional process from care to independent living is dependent on mutually good relations, and foster carer’s individual commitment. Support from residential homes was usually limited to a period of six months after leaving care.
Altogether, results showed that several young people had benefited from their time in care, but the transition process had to be performed with little access to support from professional or private networks. Statements from many respondents revealed a high level of vulnerability, loneliness and lack of support. However, many young people had shown agency, and created new social network: friends, employers, partners and partner’s family. Access to social capital was an important factor in the transitional process. Results from the study shows that young people’s transition from care to adulthood needs to be acknowledged and recognised in Swedish social work.
Speaker Information
Ingrid Höjer, PhD, Associated Professor, is a senior lecturer and researcher at the Department of Social work, University of Gothenburg. Her main research interest is child welfare, with focus on foster care. She has performed research projects on foster families, sons and daughters of foster carers, and parents with children in foster care. Her recent research is directed towards different aspects of young people leaving care.
Yvonne Sjöblom, PhD, Associated Professor is a senior lecturer and researcher at the Department of Social Work at Stockholm University and Linköping University. Her main research interest is child welfare with focus on vulnerable groups of young people and their transition to adulthood.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 91 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Children’s Views
The Right to a Better Life: “If you don’t feel loved in foster care, you could end up going bad.” Speakers & Authors: Wayne Daly, James Cook University, Mackay, Queensland, Australia
This presentation describes the opinions of looked after children on the attributes of esteemed foster carers who have the capacity to provide stable environments and the ability to nurture children and young people in their present situation and along the path to developing as successful, responsible, healthy adults. Small focus groups, individual interviews, creative art expression and narrative tools were used to elicit responses regarding foster carer skills, knowledge, qualities, values and capacity within a framework of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Findings point to the identification of a person who is a welcomer, an encourager, a believer and a respectful friend; a person who makes a significant contribution to the child or young person’s wellbeing by listening to them, considering their opinions, connecting them to family and friends, actively supporting their education, promoting their involvement in activities and assisting them to advocate for their own interests.
Looked after children can do well despite disadvantage. Much depends on the quality of care they receive and opportunities provided to experience relationships that are dependable, lasting and empowering. With head, heart and hand, a foster carer can contribute to ‘raising up’ a child within a framework that ensures their rights to a full life and active citizenship. Children and young people have the capacity to be potential co-creators in transforming the care system so that it best meets their needs. Implications for practice include their active role in the recruitment and selection of foster carers.
Speaker Information
Wayne is a social worker with 30 years human services experience working in the community, government and academic sectors. His professional and research interests lie in the participatory rights of disadvantaged and marginalised children and young people. In 2005 Wayne was a visiting research associate at the Children’s Research Centre, Trinity College, Dublin. He has just completed his PhD Thesis with James Cook University, North Queensland, Australia, focusing on the views of children and young people with an out-of home care experience on ‘What makes a good Foster Carer?’
92 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Children’s Views
Children’s perspective in context – when they are in out-of-home care
Speakers & Authors: Øivin Christiansen, Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare
Numerous studies from different countries demonstrate the limited opportunities children and young people have to take part in and influence their own child welfare case. If they are listened to, their points of view are rarely reflected or given weight in decision making and planning. This also seem to be the case when children and young people are placed in out-of-home care even though living in public care means that child welfare authorities may affect their lives extensively. This is a matter of special interest in Norway because Norwegian children enter care at a higher age than in most other countries and stay in care for a longer period of time.
In ‘The Norwegian Longitudinal Study on Out-of-Home Care’ 62 young people, aged 13 to 20, were interviewed about their experiences. The majority were living with their foster families and the rest of the sample were living either in residential units, with their birth family or on their own. Their foster / residential carers, parents and social workers were also interviewed. This presentation will analyse the young people’s accounts about participation, relationships with significant others and their search for “an ordinary life” in the context of the accounts from the other participants and in relation to findings from other studies of relevance. The presentation aims to illuminate how children may contribute to adults’ understanding of cases and discuss obstacles to implementing children’s participation in child welfare practice.
Speaker Information
Øivin Christiansen is a senior researcher at The Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare in Bergen, Norway. His research interests are decision making, family support services and foster care. His thesis dealt with out-of home placements: decisions to remove children from their homes, placement trajectories, and relationships in long- term foster care. He has been a practitioner, manager and teacher in the area of child welfare. He currently manages a national research project on child and family support services.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 93 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Children’s Views
Children’s Perspectives on living in family based alternative care and children living with their families of origin Speakers & Authors: Speaker: Silvia Exenberger, SOS Children’s Villages International, Coenraad de Beer, SOS Children’s Villages International
SOS Children’s Villages is an international non-governmental organisation that provides family based alternative care to children without parental care. The organisation also works with families of origin, strengthening their capacity to protect and care for their children. The study is implemented in Latvia and Botswana. It aims to identify features of a caring family environment, and illustrate the inclusion of children from two different care settings (living in alternative care vs. living with biological family) in their immediate community.
Eighty children spoke in same-sex and sex-age groups about how they themselves define family and a caring family environment and to what extent they feel integrated into the surrounding community. The children, aged 8 to 15, either live with their biological family or in an out-of- home care organisation providing family based alternative care. The transcribed interviews were analysed on the basis of the qualitative research methodology “Grounded Theory”. The results will shed light on features of a caring family environment, and factors that prove inclusion into the surrounding community. Perceived differences regarding a caring family environment are discussed across the various family and cultural settings.
Speaker Information
Silvia Exenberger is a researcher at SOS Children’s Villages International’s Department of Research and Development in Innsbruck/Austria. Since 2010, she has been an external lecturer at the Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck in the field of childhood trauma, subjective well-being and resilience. She was a Marie Curie outgoing fellow (post-doctoral position) within the 7th European Framework Programme from 2008-2011. The research post-tsunami 2004 was implemented for two years in India (NIMHANS, Nationale Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore/India) and finalised at University of Innsbruck, Department of Psychology.
94 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Children’s Views
Restrictive Measures in Theory and Practice – Views of Young People in Care
Speakers & Authors: Mikko Oranen, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Jaana Tervo, Office of the Ombudsman for Children, Johanna Barkman, Pesäpuu ry, Elisa Jämsen, Central Union for Child Welfare, Marko Nikkanen, Palmukodit, Survivors Group, Finland
The Child Welfare Act in Finland allows the use of certain restrictive measures in child welfare institutions. If the child is in foster family care, only restrictions on contact can be used. In theory the use of restrictions should be based on individual assessment and should only be used to safeguard the child, other children and the staff at the institution or the purpose of child’s substitute care. The reasons for restrictions should be explained to the child.
This presentation will describe how young people in care see and experience the use of restrictive measures in practice. As always, the reality is much more multifaceted than the theory and restrictions are used in many different ways. The presentation is based on discussions in seven focus group workshops with young people in care organized in six different regions in Finland during 2011. Total number of participants in the workshops was 120.
The focus group tour was organized by The Ombudsman for Children jointly with the National Institute for Health and Welfare, Central Union for Child Welfare (NGO) and Pesäpuu ry, Centre of Expertise in Child Welfare (NGO). The workshops were facilitated together with adults representing the organizing organizations and the Survivors Group. The group consists of volunteer young people aged 16-25 who are or have been in foster care. The leading facilitator in each workshop was always a member of the Survivors group. We will share our experiences of this joint venture.
Speaker Information
Mikko Oranen works as a Development Manager at the National Institute for Health and Welfare under the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. His main responsibility is to support and enhance the development of child welfare and protection on the National level. He is especially interested in the role of service users in the development and evaluation of services and expert work. Among other duties, Mikko is the facilitator of the Participation Network of the National Development Program of Child and Family Services and the chairperson of the Editorial Board for the e-Handbook for Child Welfare.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 95 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Disability
A multimodal program to improve social skills and adjustment problem of children with ADHD Speakers & Authors: Claudia, Verret, Ph.D. Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada (speaker), Martine Verreault, Ph.D. Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies, Canada and Line Massé, Ph.D. Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada
Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are characterised by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that characterize, which can lead to negative functional impacts. These children are recognized as having difficulties with social skills and behaviors. Impairments in these areas are considered one of the most incapacitating aspects of ADHD. Few programs address the socio-cognitive deficits of ADHD children and their parents’ educative strategies. Multi-Propulsions Program combines: (1) a cognitive-behavioural program for children, including physical activities in an adapted gymnasium; (2) a psychoeducative and behavioural parent training program; (3) joint practice periods between parents and children who allow direct supervision from professionals. This presentation will show the objectives and components of a multimodal “Multi-Propulsions” program as well as its impact for children. The program took place over a sixteen-week period and consisted of two hours of group therapy per week for children and their parents. 24 families with ADHD children aged between 6 and 12 years were randomly assigned to treatment or waiting group. The program revealed positive outcomes on children’s social skills particularly in situations requiring cooperation, assertion, and responsibility. Some adjustment problems associated with ADHD also significantly decreased for the children who completed the program. Moreover, some therapeutic gains were maintained after 16 weeks. The results could be because of the program’s original components, such as personalized behavioral management and positive social skills training for children as well as parent’s training. The present study supports the efficiency of Multimodal program for socials skills and adjustment problems for children with ADHD.
Speaker Information
Claudia Verret is professor at the Département de Kinanthropologie de l’Université du Québec à Montréal. Her current research focuses on physical activity interventions and quality of life tailored to children with mental health disorders, particularly ADHD.
96 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Disability
A psychoeducative and proactive behavioural parent training program for ADHD children Speakers & Authors: Martine Verreault, (Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital, Canada), Claudia Verret, (Université du Québec à Montréal,Canada) and Line Massé, (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada)
Research suggests that effective treatments for Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) should include behavioural interventions with parents to modify parenting behaviours in order to increase positive outcomes for their children. The “Multi-Propulsions” program combines: (1) a cognitive-behavioural program for children; (2) a psychoeducative and proactive behavioural parent training; (3) joint activities with parents and children. This presentation will show the objectives and program components, especially for the parents as well as its impacts. The parents’ training program innovatively includes psychoeducational approaches; proactive (to prevent the harmful behaviours and to support the desired one) and reactive behavioural techniques; affective education; family communication; and cognitive- behaviour techniques for enhancing self-control and anxiety management. The program contains 21 activities (consisting of two hours of group therapy per week), a therapist’s manual, a CD-ROM, and a DVD. 23 families with ADHD children, aged between 6 and 12 years, were recruited from a specialized ADHD clinic in Montreal. Participants were randomly assigned to treatments or waiting groups. Results highlight the efficiency of “Multi-Propulsions” program for diminishing parental stress and improving parent-child relationships. Some of the therapeutic gains were maintained 16 weeks after the treatment. The present study supports the efficiency of “Multi-Propulsions” program for parents of ADHD children. However, the results will have to be replicated. This original clinical approach, “Multi-Propulsions” program, can be useful to guide future interventions and support the utility of proactive behavioural interventions for ADHD children.
Speaker Information
Dr Martine Verreault, Ph.D., is a clinical children psychologist at the Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) clinic of the Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital in Montreal. For more than ten years, she has specialized in development, education, implementation and evaluation of intervention programs for children and teenagers with ADHD. In particular, clinical research and the cognitive- behavioural intervention approach proposed by Dr Verreault have been focused on the importance of the active involvement of parents in ADHD child therapy and highlight the influence of other disorders (for example, anxiety, aggression, opposition, depression) on the efficiency of available treatments for ADHD.
Claudia Verret, (Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada) is professor at the Département de Kinanthropologie de l’Université du Québec à Montréal. Her current research focuses on physical activity interventions and quality of life tailored to children with mental health disorders, particularly ADHD.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 97 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Disability
St. Andrews’ Project, Camphill – developing inclusion with the Circle of Courage and Outcomes that Matter. Speakers & Authors: Chris Walter St. Andrews’ Project (Camphill School Aberdeen) and Manuela Costa St. Andrews’ Project (Camphill School Aberdeen)
This presentation will describe how Camphill, an independent residential school for children and young people with a variety of complex needs, began a new project (St. Andrew’s) by applying its experience in using relationship based approaches to work positively with vulnerable individuals. The children and young people worked with do not fit in any standard programme being either too able for a special school or too complex for mainstream schooling.
The origins of the St. Andrew’s Project lie in the original vision of Camphill as a place of mutual learning where each individual’s spiritual uniqueness is promoted through ‘… living in supportive relationships of connectedness with others in their world’ (Garfat, 2011). This core belief resonates with the Circle of Courage model of meeting four fundamental growth needs for belonging, mastery, independence and generosity (Brendtro, Brokenleg and van Bockern, 1990). This model forms the basis of an ecological framework of assessment and intervention termed ‘Outcomes that Matter’ (Fulcher and Garfat, 2012). Therapeutic support is negotiated with children, their families and supporting agencies following a comprehensive ecological assessment. The intended outcomes for any short or medium term intervention are then agreed with those involved. Achievement profiles are drawn up with each young person on a weekly basis, forming the basis of an outcome based intervention plan. The presentation will provide recent work with young people, supporting them to move from school exclusion towards a more confident integration into the surrounding community.
Speaker Information
Manuela Costa has worked in Camphill School Aberdeen for 22 years both in educational and care settings. She has taken on the role of Care Coordinator for the organization in the last five years and has been instrumental in developing an innovative new project for children and young people on the margins of care. She has a particular interest in the impact of organizational myths and narratives on culture and practice and has recently completed a dissertation on this subject as part of the MSc in Advanced Residential Childcare.
Chris Walter has worked in Camphill School for thirty years both in educational and care settings. Since 2005, he has been significantly involved in the development and administration of Camphill’s BA in Social Pedagogy, which is run in partnership with University of Aberdeen. He works as a practice teacher on the course and is particularly interested in finding new ways for academic learning to inform and develop practice. He recently completed the MSc in Advanced Residential Childcare examining the impact of organizational culture on understandings of disability.
98 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Disability
Children and youths in residential care what happens with children with disabilities?
Speakers & Authors: Ana Sainero Rodríguez, Jorge F. Del Valle and Amaia Bravo Arteaga. University of Oviedo. Child and Family Research Group, Spain
Latest figures show that about 15,000 children and youths in Spain live in residential care (Observatorio de la Infancia, 2009). However, little is known about the characteristics of their mental health and developmental factors. This is particularly true in the case of children and youths with a disability, whose prevalence in child welfare is estimated at between 10 to 31% (Trout, Hagaman, Casey, Reid y Epstein, 2008).
The objective of this study is to compare and assess diverse variables between a sample of children and youths with some kind of disability and their peers without any disability. All the children and young people lived in residential care in the Autonomous Community of Extremadura (Spain). The sample included 264 children and youths older than six years of age. 48 of the participants had a diagnosed disability (moreover mental disability) and the others had no disability. Information about their family, learning needs and outcomes, health (physical and psychological needs and treatments) and others was provided by children’s residential and social workers. The key residential worker also completed the Child Behavior Check List (Achenbach, 2001) in order to detect behavioral or emotional issues (according to Achenbach’s classification).
The results show that that the disability group have more difficulties in different areas and stronger needs than their peers. They are particularly vulnerable children with many disadvantages that increase their likelihood of negative outcomes. Therefore, it is necessary to design special intervention and programs to support this group during their time in child welfare.
Speaker Information
Ana Sainero Rodríguez graduated in Psychology at University of Oviedo (Spain) and has been a member of the Child and Family Research Group since 2008. Her main research focus is the assessment of mental health in out-of care children and youths. Her team carried out the first study in Spain concerning the assessment of the mental health of children in residential care in the autonomous community of Extremadura. In 2009, she obtained a grant for a PhD program which will perform a longitudinal study of the assessment of development, welfare and mental health in children and youths in care.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 99 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Disability
Effect of interventions to improve secondary transitions for adolescents with disabilities – An overview over systematic reviews Speakers & Authors: Sabine Wollscheid, Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services
Secondary transitions, such as choosing higher education, are challenging for young people, particularly those with disabilities. These young people may face greater challenges when learning new roles connected to such transitions, such as the role as a university student. This presentation will explain the findings of a systematic overview of studies on the effectiveness of interventions to improve secondary transitions for disabled young people. This work’s overall objective is to inform policy-makers about existing evidence and advise whether there is need for more research. This work is grounded in the Cochrane methodology for systematically reviewing existing systematic reviews. This method draws on an explicit literature search strategy, including inclusion and exclusion criteria, to identify relevant review studies that have summarized formerly methodologically appraised interventions studies.
The population includes young people between 12 and 22 years of age with any kind of disability. This overview includes systematic reviews on interventions that explicitly aim to improve secondary transitions. Transitions include those between secondary school and high school and between high school and university. It compared young people who received an intervention to smooth transitions with those receiving an alternative intervention. It included systematic reviews which look at outcomes that are explicitly connected to secondary transitions, e.g. school outcomes. Furthermore, it only included systematic reviews with at least moderate methodological quality. The research included three systematic reviews and analysed data from 36 primary studies with 1,229 participants.
Speaker Information
Sabine Wollscheid holds a doctoral degree in Sociology of Education (Dr. phil.) on reading socialization in the family from the Department of Sociology at University of Trier in Germany. Since 2011, she has worked with research synthesis at the Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services in the Social Research Unit. From 2008 to 2011, she worked as a researcher, with particular focus on education, at the Norwegian Social Research Institute. Her fields of interests are methods of synthezising research and social inequalities in education, literacy socialization and cultural participation.
100 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Family Focused
P.I.P.P.I.: Program of Intervention for Prevention of Institutionalization. Ways to promote effectiveness Speakers & Authors: Sara Serbati*, Marco Ius*, Diego Di Masi*, Ombretta Zanon**, Tangorra Raffaele***,Ciampa Adriana****, Paola Milani*****, *Post-doc researcher, **PhD student, ***General Director for Inclusion and Social Rights (Ministry of Welfare), ****Public Manager (Ministry of Welfare), *****Full Professor
P.I.P.P.I. is a research-training-intervention program developed as an intensive care program for neglecting families, which is funded by Italian Ministry of Welfare. It aims to prevent child placement out of home by balancing risk and protective factors, and focusing on supporting parenting through multi-professional and resilient-based-intervention. P.I.P.P.I. stands for Program of Intervention for Prevention of Institutionalization and is inspired by Pippi-Longstocking, a creatively resilient girl known all over the world.
The program started in March 2011 and will finish in December 2012. It involves more than 200 practitioners working in 10 Italian cities with 10 neglecting families in each city (136 children 0-11 years old). The early months focused on sharing the framework and goal of the program with practitioners and training them about actions and tools. In October 2011, T0 data was collected (two other data collection are expected in April and November 2012) using questionnaires to measure parents’ satisfaction, children-behaviour (SDQ), families’ social support (MsPSS), and family-functioning (Assessment-Framework).
The team used R.P.M. for each child, which is an online-tool, based on the Assessment-Framework, that practitioners use to assess, plan and evaluate intervention. R.P.M. aims to empower the participation of all the actors involved in the intervention (firstly, children and parents and, then, practitioners, teachers, coaches, etc.) and collects and uses their voices and resources. Participation is measured through Social Network-Analysis and text analysis of care plans. Program and effectiveness measures and results (t0 and t1) will be presented to show how they were used to foster a reflective practice between families and practitioners.
Speaker Information
Sara Serbati is post doctorate researcher at University of Padua (Italy) and co-author of several publications on child care and protection.
Marco Ius is post doctorate researcher at University of Padua (Italy) and co-author of several publications on child care and resilience theory.
Diego Di masi is post doctorate researcher at University of Padua (Italy) and co-author of several articles on child’s participation in decision making process.
Paola Milani is Professor of Social Work at the University of Padua (Italy) and author and co-author of several publications on child care and protection.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 101 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Family Focused
Positive perspective for families with ASD by psychiatric home- treatment in Families with Autism Speakers & Authors: F.H (Cisca) Aerts, child and adolescent psychiatrist and Dr Leo Kannerhuis
Although Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) determines the lifestyle of the person with ASD and his environment to a large extent, there is no home treatment specifically for families with ASD. We developed a competence directed home-treatment: the psychiatric Family treatment for Autism (pFA). The treatment aims to involve every family member to improve the individual and family strengths. A family trainer works weekly at home at targets the family set.
Two studies were undertaken. The treatment was measured for adherence to the 6 principles of pFA (focus on autism; responsibility of the parents; empowerment; systemic; methodize; respectful ASD attitude) by home observations and questionnaires with parents and the family trainer. The effectiveness of pFA was measured before (T1), and after (T2) of the treatment with standardized and validated questionnaires (VGFO, SCL-90, SDQ) focused on the parents’ practices, parents’ personal well-being and their perception of each of their children’s problems. Also, each child of the family, with or without ASD, answered a questionnaire about his competences (CBS-A/K).
The results showed that the principles of the PFA are confirmed by a high agreement of the family trainers and the parents and a significant improvement in the parents’ perception of their children’s problems (SDQ). The parental functioning and the personal well-being of the mothers made significant progress and the self-esteem of the children improved. Therefore, it was concluded that pFA does what it aims to do (treatment integrity) and pFA has a positive impact on each family member.
Speaker Information
Cisca Aerts is a senior child and adolescent psychiatrist and psychotherapist. Since 1993, she has worked at the Dr Leo Kannerhuis psychiatric centre for autism in the Netherlands. She has wide clinical experience with autism and is a consultant for forensic, psychiatric and youth education clinics. She is also an official trainer for child and adolescent psychiatric specialists.
102 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Family Focused
Programme integrity of a needs-led and family-focused child and youth care approach Speakers & Authors: Janneke Metselaar (University of Groningen, the Netherlands), Erik J. Knorth (University of Groningen, the Netherlands), Peter M. van den Bergh (Leiden University, the Netherlands), Tom A. van Yperen (Netherlands Youth Institute / University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
The organisation for child and youth care Cardea in Leiden, the Netherlands, has developed a needs-led and family-focused child and youth care programme, called Gezin Centraal (GC, translated: Family Central). The programme focuses explicitly on the needs of the child (6-14 years) and its family members. It consists of intensive family coaching, out-patient treatment and, if needed, care at a residential home. Empowerment of families and the increase of resilience of families facing various kinds of (behavioural) problems are the main goals. GC aims to enable families to participate in the care trajectory in an increasing degree and to contribute themselves to the solution of the problems. In the evaluation of GC a pre-test - intervention - post-test design is being used.
During the presentation a main focus lies on the intervention: How is the family-focused and needs-led approach actually being executed? In an attempt to answer this question, data were gathered using a self-report form to record worker activities and techniques, called ‘Verrichtingen Lijst’ (VL). The care trajectories (N=86) of family coaching were being analysed. In combining information from multiple sources it is possible to shed light on (in)consistencies in the way the programme is carried out. The evaluation of GC strongly confirms the importance of examining whether an approach is carried out in accordance with its definition (Metselaar, 2011).
Metselaar, J. (2011). Needs-led and family-centred child and youth care: processes and outcomes. Evaluation of the Family Central programme. PhD Thesis University of Groningen (in Dutch).
Speaker Information
Dr. Janneke Metselaar is Lecturer at the Department of Special Needs Education and Youth Care at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands.
Prof. Dr. Erik J. Knorth is Full Professor at the Department of Special Needs Education and Youth Care at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands.
Dr. Peter M. van den Bergh is Assistant Professor at the Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies at Leiden University, the Netherlands.
Prof. Dr. Tom A. van Yperen is Professor at the Department of Special Needs Education and Youth Care at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 103 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Family Focused
Sustainability of Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT) in Amsterdam
Speakers & Authors: Dr. Leonieke Boendermaker, University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam (HvA) and University of Groningen (presenting speaker) (The Netherlands). co-authors: Cynthia Boomkens (MSc); Pauline Goense (MSc) and Harriët Steffens (MSc), Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
Well researched and evidence-based interventions, like Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT) usually develop a support system to enable the intervention to ‘go-to-scale’ in other institutions and countries (Kellam & Langevin, 2003). The support system is an implementation strategy to ensure treatment integrity in the long term. Part of the MDFT support system is the application of training, case-notes, individual supervision, life supervision, self-supervision, DVD-supervision and booster sessions (Liddle, 2002; Liddle, 2010).
In early 2010, the Amsterdam child and youth care organisation ‘Spirit’ started to work with MDFT. This presentation is based on therapist interview material and coded case-notes of the first 46 MDFT clients at Spirit. It will describe the duration and intensity of MDFT therapy, the techniques applied and the areas the Spirit therapists focused on, such as child, parents, relatives, school, friends etc. The application of group supervision and experiences of this support system will be discussed.
The implementation and sustainability of the intervention is influenced by characteristics of both the organisation and the MDFT professionals. Although the support system is positively evaluated by the MDFT therapists, the use of systematic feedback on the adoption of key intervention elements and techniques is a new phenomenon in Dutch Social Work practice. This subject should be taken into account when developing a support system and implementing an intervention.
Speaker Information
Leonieke Boendermaker is a social pedagogue and combines her work as senior researcher at the University of Groningen with her job as a professor on the implementation in youth care at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA). Her research is focussed on the development, implementation, treatment integrity and effectiveness of interventions with special attention to residential care, severe behavioural problems and delinquency.
104 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Family Focused
The utilization of Multiple Family Group Therapy (MFGT) for out-of-home care children and their families in Hong Kong Speakers & Authors: Ms. Mooly, Mei-ching WONG (PhD student, the Department of Social Work, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China), Professor Joyce Lai-chong, MA (Professor and Chairperson, the Department of Social work, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China), Ms. Londy Choi-lin, CHAN (Assistant Chief Executive, S.K.H. St. Christopher’s Home, Hong Kong, China)
“Multiple Family Group Therapy” (MFGT) is an intervention approach which blends both family therapy and group therapy. It aims to bring together a number of families with a common problem and help them to use their own resources to resolve their difficulties. A pilot project, which utilizing this approach for children with mental health problems, was launched in 2008. The group model was further streamlined and modified in order to match with the needs of out-of- home care children and their families. A pilot project for this special target group was carried out in a small group home in Hong Kong in 2010. A practice manual with guideline for conducting effective MFGT for the children in care and their families was published in 2012 to facilitate the implementation of MFGT for social workers in helping out-of-home care children and their families. This was based on feedback from the participants and the practice wisdom of the group facilitators. This presentation will share the process of building up such a novel approach to work with the children and the families in small group home setting in Hong Kong. It will particularly highlight the experiences of conducting the groups; issues to be considered in the group session plan; and the utilization of group structure and group process. The feedback of the participants, which was gathered through pre and post qualitative interviews, will also be described and this will specifically focus on the perceived helpfulness of the group and areas for improvement in a Chinese context.
Speaker Information
Ms. Mooly Wong joined the social service field almost 20 years ago and has extensively worked with families. She has worked in the Chinese University of Hong Kong since 2006 and has participated in the Multiple Family Group pilot project since 2008. She is currently a PhD student in the Department of Social Work at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and her research interests focus on out-of- home care children and their families.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 105 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Kinship Care
A place in the world. Children in kinship care on belonging, identity, and the role of affinity Speakers & Authors: PhD Turf Jakobsen, Senior Researcher, SFI - The Danish National Centre for Social Research
This presentation explores the ways in which children in kinship care view and interpret their past and current life. The analysis focuses on notions of belonging, social identity, and the role of affinity, i.e. the significance for the child of being related to the caregiver. Existing studies tend to assume that kinship care reduces the trauma of separation from parents because family relations are maintained over time. This paper argues that the matter is more complex, and that maintenance of existing relations is not necessarily the most prominent feature of kinship care. Children in kinship care may lose a great deal of their family network due to their placement. In particular, paternal relations are easily weakened because children are most often placed with maternal relatives. Furthermore, even when children are placed with close relatives, family ties are rarely preserved in any simple sense. Kinship placements fundamentally change families as they involve new alliances and alter lines of separation. Anthropological theory on kinship puts such processes into perspective, emphasizing that family membership is not only a question of being related by blood, but also a matter of invocation. The presentation argues for the active ‘creation’ of families as a crucial feature of kinship care, leaving the cared-for children with the positive feeling of being chosen as legitimate family members on a moral ground. The presentation is based on a Danish qualitative study, which involved life-story interviews with 15 children and young people aged 13-20 years.
Speaker Information
Turf Jakobsen is a Senior Researcher at SFI - The Danish National Centre for Social Research. He is an anthropologist and has a PhD in sociology. His social work research focuses on out-of-home care services. Recent studies include ethnograhpic research on residential child care and interview- based studies of kinship care, after care services and breakdown in care for young people.
106 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Kinship Care
Kinship foster care: Results from research and practice
Speakers & Authors: Dr Carme Montserrat - University of Girona (Spain)
Kinship care has experienced significant growth within the Spanish child protection system and now carries considerable weight. Over 40% of children in the public care system are formally fostered by family members, which equals and in some areas exceeds the percentage of children in residential homes. This increase is not the result of a pre-designed global programme or clearly pre-established objectives in the system itself, but its current weight within the system has made it the focus of attention of researchers, politicians and practitioners alike.
The results of Spanish research carried out over the past five years reveal more positive than negative aspects to this type of fostering and has led to an in-depth reflection on care systems. Positive results from the perspectives of children, carers and practitioners include fewer breakdowns; more stability; permanency beyond the age of 18; the majority of children fostered with relatives agree with their placement; results in education similar to those in unrelated foster families; and better results after leaving care. The negatives relate to the lack of economic, educational and psychosocial support which generally results from these placements. Our participation in assessing a pilot support project for these placements giving adolescents a voice contributes more elements for debate from the experience of professional practice and was launched and funded by the Catalan Government.
Speaker Information
Dr Carme Montserrat worked as a practitioner in education and child protection for many years. She has taught at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the University of Girona (Spain) since 2006. She is also a researcher in the Childhood, Adolescence, Children’s Rights and their Quality of Life research team at the Research Institute on Quality of Life. Her main research interests relate to the child protection system, adolescents’ subjective well-being and children’s rights. She collaborated with the Council of Europe as an international consultant for the Building a Europe For and With Children programme.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 107 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Kinship Care
Strengthening kinship families: Scoping the provision of respite care in Australia
Speakers & Authors: Juliette Borenstein, Post Graduate Student, Department of Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Patricia McNamara, PhD, Senior Lecturer, Department of Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe University, Melbourne
Like many other countries, kinship care is the fastest growing form of out-of-home care in Australia. The Victorian Government’s response has been to establish government funded kinship programs across the State to provide support to carers and children in kinship care arrangements. This presentation shows the findings of a recent scoping project which was conducted to explore the experiences of the new programs in providing support, particularly respite care, to kinship families.
The broad aims of the project were to examine the provision and organisation of kinship respite care, to scope the current and future need for this support and to work towards developing a best practice model for the delivery of respite care in the kinship context. Qualitative and quantitative data collected in interviews with key program staff indicates a need for respite care and consensus about its efficacy. The research identified critical elements for the provision of support and the barriers to kinship families accessing respite. The results suggest that there will need to be changes to enable effective support for these families, not just in the resourcing of respite care but also in how it is conceptualised and the way in which it is organised and provided. The findings of the study suggest areas for future research and establish a basis for a best practice model of support for this increasingly important family type.
Speaker Information
Juliette Borenstein is a post graduate student in the Department of Social Work and Social Policy at La Trobe University in Melbourne undertaking research in the area of kinship care. She also holds an LLB and BSc (Psych) from Monash University. She has practised as a social worker in the out-of-home care sector for over 20 years. She was involved in piloting a kinship assessment and support program in the North West Metropolitan region of Melbourne and is keen to increase the knowledge base in this under-researched area.
108 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Kinship Care
Your Family,Your Voice: children and young people’s views of growing up in informal kinship care Speakers & Authors: Professor Julie Selwyn, Director of the Hadley Centre for Adoption and Foster Care Studies University of Bristol
Little is known about the circumstances of relatives or friends (kinship carers) who are bringing up a child outside the child welfare system. Even less is known about the experiences of children growing up in these situations. We do know that the majority of kinship carers are unsupported by Children’s Services. In 2001, 164,000 children were living with informal kinship carers in comparison with only 9,000 living with an approved kinship foster carer. The presentation will report on some of the findings of the largest UK study of informal kinship families in which 80 young people (aged 8-18 years) and 80 carers were interviewed.
The study was funded by the BIG lottery and undertaken in partnership with Buttle UK, a grant giving charity. The study aimed to: explore young people’s views of being brought up by informal kinship carers; and investigate how well the carers managed the children they were parenting, the extent of strain they experienced and the supports they received and needed. Children’s well-being was assessed using a range of measures: Birleson depression scale, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Piers-Harris 2 (self-esteem) and the IPPA-R (attachment scale). This presentation will focus on a) kinship children’s and young people’s perceptions of belonging and who they thought of as ‘family’ and b) children’s and young people’s worries and concerns.
Speaker Information
Julie Selwyn is Director of the Hadley Centre for Adoption and Foster care Studies in the School for Policy Studies at the University of Bristol. Before joining the University, Julie worked as a social worker for 15 years. She has published widely on substitute care including: the placement of minority ethnic children; young people’s view of foster care; outcomes for older children placed for adoption; the evidence base for contact; placement of sibling groups; and the recruitment of minority ethnic adopters.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 109 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Organisational Change
Evaluating and Improving Governance
Speakers & Authors: Joanna McCreadie , Chief Executive and Linda Christie, Deputy Chair, Seamab Learning and Care Services
Seamab Learning and Care Services provide residential care and education for primary school age children with severe attachment difficulties. Seamab is a registered national charity, which places children from across Scotland. Seamab recognises that organisational governance is critical to the organisation’s on-going success. Its Board of Governors and Senior Management Team have recently been giving a great deal of time to considering how to improve the governance of Seamab.
This presentation will describe how the process of self-evaluating governance was managed; explore the challenges inherent to this work; and set out the impact of the work on the functioning and effectiveness of the Board of Governors and the Senior Management Team. The self-evaluation took place over several interactive workshops where governors and senior managers worked together to evaluate governance and identify key aspects for improvement. This presentation will make reference to the methodology for the workshops and reference the national publications used.
Seamab believe that this work has had a significant impact and has led to both the Board and the Senior Management Team becoming much more effective. Changes have helped the organisation to focus on children’s best interests and how to best achieve its vision. This presentation will share how this is now working in Seamab and the challenges that are still being worked with.
Speaker Information
Joanna McCreadie is a qualified social worker and has worked with children and families for over twenty years. She has worked in local authorities, charities, the independent sector and inspectorates. As an inspector, Joanna worked on ‘Extraordinary Lives’ and the national programme of child protection inspections. Joanna is Chief Executive of Seamab and is committed to developing excellent services and improving outcomes for children.
Linda Christie is the Deputy Chair of the Board at Seamab. She also chairs the quality assurance committee and a specialist education working group. Linda is a qualified teacher, and has worked as a head teacher and a senior officer in local authorities as well as with the national government. She is now in demand as an independent education consultant. Linda is passionate about promoting positive experiences of learning and has a special interest in the use of new technologies in education.
110 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Organisational Change
Setting up a data collection process regarding children in the French care system: a challenge at local and national levels Speakers & Authors: Maud Gorza, Project Officer, ONED (Observatoire national de l’enfance en Danger)
France currently has little data and few indicators concerning children at risk, such as the placement rate, or the number of open custody child assistance measures, which makes it impossible to assess the efficiency of child protection services or keep track of the children’s trajectories. Since 1995, several public reports have drawn attention to this fact. As a result, a March, 5, 2007 law defined a system to collect data from all local-level administrative and judicial actors of child protection, so coherent indicators at national and local levels could be calculated. These indicators should increase knowledge of the children in care population, local practices, and the efficiency of national public policies.
The law states all 101 departments must create an observatory to treat their data, produce statistics, assess practices and counsel local policymakers. Once a year, the data is sent to the ONED for a national longitudinal analysis and practice and policy assessment. The results are then published in the ONED’s annual Report to Parliament and Government.
This data is anonymous and individual, an essential requirement to ensure quality and homogeneity, since they come from 101 departments; longitudinal in order to analyse the children’s trajectories; and centralized in order to guarantee uniformity of treatment and calculation and to make comparisons between departments. The data collection system envisioned by the law is continuing to be built but the differences in department’s means and organisation are serious challenges to this endeavour.
Speaker Information
Maud Gorza holds a graduate degree in demographics. She has been working for the ONED since January 2010 as a project officer in charge of monitoring the setting-up and activity of the data collection system initiated by the March 5, 2007 Law reforming child protection in France. Her experience has led her to publish a number of articles regarding data collection and evaluation.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 111 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Organisational Change
Improving the Quality of Care of Social Services for Children: The experience of a unique method of regulation in Israel Speakers & Authors: Hilla Dolev, researcher, Tamar Zemach Marom, Phd, Director, Center for Quality Assurance in the Social Services, Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute
Improving quality of care in government-regulated social services has been a major focus of the Ministry of Social Affairs in Israel. In order to meet that goal, a unique collaboration has been established between the Ministry and the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute to upgrade the government’s regulatory system, making it more objective, systematic and uniform.
The RAF system, (regulation, assessment, follow-up, and continuous improvement of quality of care) introduces a number of significant changes: systematic, uniform and objective instruments for regulation and licensing, while allowing the client’s voice to be heard; updating and expansion of standards and regulations, introduction of systematic client records within the services; and structured and uniform work norms for both regulating bodies and service providers. The fully computerized system produces national data, both on those served and the quality of care provided by the various service systems. This data allows for priorities to be set for regulation and quality- promoting activities and the formulation of national-level policy.
The Institute is currently involved in implementing the RAF Method in a range of social services for children including residential settings of the Children and Youth Services; residential settings of the Youth Protection Authority; residential settings of the of Rehabilitation Service; residential and community settings of the Addictions Treatment Services; and foster care services. The presentation will focus on the main principles of the method and its benefits in improving the quality of care in services for children and youth.
Speaker Information
Hilla Dolev has a M.A. in Organizational Studies from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel. She has worked as a researcher in the Center for Quality Assurance in Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, a leading organization for applied social research serving Israel and the Jewish world, for the past three years. She is a project manager working with the Ministry of Social Affairs to improve quality of care in services under its supervision, using the RAF Method of regulation, developed at the Center. Many of the projects are concerning children and youth. She has also been a project manager of a variety of studies, including education programs, foster care, and adoption.
112 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Organisational Change
Triple alliance between care organisations, researchers and policy makers: better outcomes? Speakers & Authors: Dr. Hubert M. Pijnenburg, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and Praktikon Research Centre for Youth Care and Special Education, Nijmegen, the Netherlands , Eefje L.L. Strijbosch, youth mental and family support organisation Juzt, Breda, the Netherlands
This presentation is perhaps as much about inter- and intra-organisational change in youth and family care provision, as it is about confronting client and professional perspectives. Both in order to boost care provision effectiveness. Inspired by the Key Factors in Youth Care (KFYC) model, introduced at EUSARF 2010, six Dutch youth care organisations have joined forces to design a long term inter-agency research and exchange programme. Deviating from common practice, from onset the central programme theme and aims were developed collaboratively by policy makers, service provision organisations and their staff, and researchers. This resulted in an innovative programme ‘Stronger Together’, wherein a key common factor from the KFYC model takes centre stage: working alliance. This concept is operationalised in three different ways: not only in (traditional) terms of the working relationship between care professionals and their clients, but also in terms of alliance between workers and clients’ social networks, and between workers and their managers. Currently six inter-agency projects are underway. They aim to assess and foster one of these three forms of alliance, as well as factors which moderate this alliance, and to evaluate the impact of (changes in) alliance on care outcome. The key objectives of this paper are to present an overview of the programme, the threefold notion of alliance underlying it, and preliminary findings from one of the on-going projects. In the concluding discussion we hope to address the question of how to foster key factors which boost a structural tripartite collaboration between practice, research and policy makers.
Speaker Information
Dr. Hubert M. Pijnenburg is a developmental psychologist. The theme of his dissertation (1996) was clinical team decision making in child mental health and special education settings. Currently he is professor Key Factors in Youth Care at HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, senior researcher at Praktikon research centre for youth and family care provision and special education, Nijmegen, and member of the teaching staff at the Social Sciences Faculty, Radboud University, Nijmegen. Dr. Pijnenburg is indebted to the following HAN University colleagues for their contribution in preparing this presentation: Dr. Marion van Hattum (associate professor Key Factors in Youth Care), Marieke de Greef and Mark Nijssen (researchers).
Eefje L.L. Strijbosch studied organizational and developmental psychology. Currently she is a staff member at the R&D Department of Juzt, a youth and family care provision centre in the Dutch Province of Noord Brabant. As a PhD student, she acts as principal researcher in one of the Stronger Together projects, focusing on the interplay between residential group climate, worker- child alliance, and outcome of residential care, concerning youngsters in the age of 4-14.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 113 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Organisational Change
Using Administrative Databases for Promoting and Monitoring Organisational Change in Child Welfare Practice: Challenges and Drawbacks Speakers & Authors: DENIS LACERTE, M.Ps. Centre Jeunesse de Québec - Institut Universitaire and Danielle Nadeau, Ph.D., LL.B. Centre Jeunesse de Québec - Institut Universitaire
More and more health, child welfare and social care facilities have chosen to computerize the records of users. These systems allow the “store” of a considerable amount of “data” regarding all kinds of services provided to children and adults. Issues related to potential use of this administrative data in applied research have mainly been discussed within the framework of research in health and public health. In the recent years, both in the first and specialized lines of social care, decision makers also tend to use many kinds of “indicators” designed from these administrative data, such as intervention plan, duration of the intervention, etc., in order to promote and monitor organisational changes linked to the services trajectory of users. The results provided by those kinds of studies have many implications for policy and practice in public health.
This presentation aims to promote organisational changes by discussing challenges, drawbacks and advantages of using those kinds of data, both in social research and in policy. Special concerns regarding methodological and ethical aspects will be addressed using the Quebec data basis system in Child Welfare to illustrate the great potential of these data. For example, as a result of a study using administrative data, which was conducted to verify the quality of intervention plans, managers established guidelines to ensure that training offered to practitioners was adjusted in order to improve the quality of intervention plans. Other research that used administrative data will be presented.
Speaker Information
Denis Lacerte graduated in psychology and has been a member of the scientific team for the Centre Jeunesse de Québec-Institut Universitaire (child welfare organization) since 2000. His interests include developmental traumatology and quantitative statistics applied to social sciences. Within this team, he works as an analyst, consultant and project leader. He also dispenses formation in statistics for staff members, researchers and student. He was also involved in the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child abuse and Neglect (CIS) as an analyst.
Danielle Nadeau graduated from law and psychology school. She first practiced law and worked as an expert witness and child therapist. She then became involved in the social care network in the field of youth protection. Since 2006, she has been a full time researcher at the Centre Jeunesse de Quebec – Institut Universitaire and is co-responsible of scientific advancement in the area of “Psychological and Social Aspect’s related to the Health of Vulnerable Children”. She is also associate professor Laval University in both social work and psychology schools.
114 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Sibling Designs
Behavioural Resilience Among Children in Child Welfare: A Multilevel Analysis
Speakers & Authors: Tessa Bell, B.A., School of Psychology, University of Ottawa and Elisa Romano, Ph.D., C.Psych, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa
Resilience, defined as positive adaptation and functioning following exposure to significant adversity, is an important topic in child welfare research due to the number of children with such experiences. The current study had three objectives: (1) to present prevalence rates of behavioural resilience (i.e., conduct, emotional, prosocial) among a sample of 531 5-9 year old children living in out-of-home care and to determine how resilient children are functioning in other domains (i.e., peer relationships and school performance), (2) to use multilevel modelling to investigate the independent contribution of four levels, including child, family, child welfare worker, and Children’s Aid Society on behaviours, and (3) to identify the independent contribution of predictor variables within each level of the analysis. Findings indicate that from 5 in 10 to 7 in 10 children exhibited resilience on one of three outcomes while approximately 3 in 10 were resilient on two or all three outcomes; 31.4%-45.4% were resilient on one of three outcomes in addition to peer relationships and school performance. The child level explained the highest proportion of the total variance (75.4% for emotional, 64.6% for conduct, and 57.2% for prosocial). A higher number of developmental assets and lower levels of ineffective parenting were predictive of behavioural resilience on all outcomes. Findings indicate that it is important to inquire about child functioning across multiple domains and contexts in order to obtain a comprehensive developmental picture of child functioning and that both child and family characteristics are critical in the promotion of behavioural resilience.
Speaker Information
Tessa Bell is a Ph.D. student in psychology at the University of Ottawa (Ontario, Canada). Her primary research interest is in the field of resilience among children living in out-of-home care. Specifically, she is interested in what risk and protective factors contribute to resilience as well as how resilience is conceptualized by child care workers, foster parents, and foster children themselves.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 115 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Sibling Designs
Contextual influences on developmental outcomes in the Ontario Looking after Children project Speakers & Authors: Robert J. Flynn (speaker), School of Psychology and Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa (Canada), Meagan Miller (co-author) (Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa (Canada)
The second Canadian adaptation of the Assessment and Action Record (AAR-C2-2010; Flynn, Vincent, & Miller, 2011) from the international Looking after Children initiative was inspired by the original Looking after Children research and developmental work in the UK (Parker, Ward, Jackson, Aldgate, & Wedge, 1991). The AAR-C2-2010 is the key data-collection and service-planning instrument used in the Ontario Looking after Children (OnLAC) project. The latter is a long-term (2000-present) collaborative effort of the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies and the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services at the University of Ottawa, with annual funding provided by the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS). In 2006, MCYS mandated that the AAR be used annually in all local Children’s Aid Societies (CASs) in Ontario to assess the service needs and monitor the developmental outcomes of young people, aged 0-21+ years, who have been in care for a year or more. At present, child welfare workers use the AAR in a conversational interview each year with more than 7,000 young people in care and their carers. The present paper will introduce the symposium by presenting illustrative results from the OnLAC project and by describing the growing use of the AAR in multi-level modelling studies that are investigating possible “contextual effects” (i.e. the potential influence of factors such as the foster family, child welfare worker, or service agency) on young people’s developmental outcomes.
Speaker Information
Robert Flynn is an emeritus professor in the School of Psychology and a senior researcher at the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services (CRECS) at the University of Ottawa. He is the principal investigator of the Ontario Looking after Children (OnLAC) project and also a member of INTRAC, an international group of researchers interested in transitions from public care. Danielle Nadeau graduated from law and psychology school. She first practiced law and worked as an expert witness and child therapist. She then became involved in the social care network in the field of youth protection. Since 2006, she has been a full time researcher at the Centre Jeunesse de Quebec – Institut Universitaire and is co-responsible of scientific advancement in the area of “Psychological and Social Aspect’s related to the Health of Vulnerable Children”. She is also associate professor Laval University in both social work and psychology schools.
116 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Sibling Designs
The utility of sibling designs in understanding the influence of out-of-home care
Speakers & Authors: Connie Cheung, Child Welfare Institute, Children’s Aid Society of Toronto
Sibling designs are a powerful way to examine contextual influences on child outcomes. By comparing similarities and differences between foster siblings living in the same foster placement, we can gain a better understanding of how foster placements can influence child outcomes in young people in out-of-home care. Utilizing Ontario Looking after Children (OnLAC) data, multi-level modeling was used to examine academic and externalizing outcomes in young people in-care. Although most of the variance in young people’s outcomes was explained by differences between children themselves, approximately 15% and 18% of the difference in academic and externalizing outcomes respectively, was explained by differences between foster placements. Foster placements that offered higher levels of caregiver support and provided a more positive literacy environment were more likely to care for young persons with higher academic achievement. Similarly young persons residing in kinship placements and placements that were characterized by lower levels of caregiver negativity showed lower levels of externalizing behaviors. Taken together, these results suggest that young person’s academic and behavioral outcomes may be influenced by the foster placement in which they live.
Speaker Information
Connie Cheung is the Supervisor of Research and Program Evaluation at the Child Welfare Institute at the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto. Connie holds a doctoral degree in Developmental Science specializing in Developmental Psychology from the University of Toronto. Her research interest includes identifying factors that can explain why some children show better outcomes than others. She is the principal investigator on several projects that examine social-cognitive development, externalizing behaviours and academic success in community and in-care populations.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 117 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Sibling Designs
Improving Academic Outcomes in Children in-care: Strategies Implemented at Children’s Aid Society of Toronto Speakers & Authors: Sherri McMullen, Children’s Aid Society of Toronto
This presentation will describe the processes, achievements, challenges and next steps in implementing sibling research to practice. An example of how research findings from the current studies can be applied to practice is illustrated through an initiative at Children’s Aid Society of Toronto. The initiative “Reaching for the Stars: Helping Kids in Care Achieve Academic Excellence” is a new strategy aimed at improving academic outcomes in young people in-care. Inspired by some of the findings from sibling research that highlights the importance of the foster family, the “Reaching for the Stars” program is designed to increase foster caregiver’s capacity to support academic success in children in-care.
Speaker Information
Sherri McMullen has worked in the field of child welfare for 15 years. She is currently a Supervisor with the Foster Care Resource Team and is interested in improving the quality of services to children in-care through evidence informed practice. Danielle Nadeau graduated from law and psychology school. She first practiced law and worked as an expert witness and child therapist. She then became involved in the social care network in the field of youth protection. Since 2006, she has been a full time researcher at the Centre Jeunesse de Quebec – Institut Universitaire and is co-responsible of scientific advancement in the area of “Psychological and Social Aspect’s related to the Health of Vulnerable Children”. She is also associate professor Laval University in both social work and psychology schools.
118 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Carers
Flemish foster mothers’ perceptions of support needs regarding problem behaviour of their foster child and their own parental approach Speakers & Authors: Frank Van Holen, Foster Care Facility ‘Opvang vzw department Brabant’, Femke Vanschoonlandt, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Clinical and Lifespan Psychology, Johan Vanderfaeillie, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Clinical and Lifespan Psychology, Skrällan De Maeyer, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Clinical and Lifespan Psychology, Caroline Andries, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Clinical and Lifespan Psychology Family foster care is a valuable, but vulnerable intervention for children in need for an out-of- home placement. Adequate support of foster parents is an important factor for placement success. This requires an accurate assessment of the support needs of foster parents. This study focused on the support needs of foster mothers concerning problem behaviour of the child and their parenting behaviour. Correlations with child and foster parent characteristics were examined. Data was gathered from 282 foster mothers (response rate=.38) who completed an anonymous posted “Support Needs and Satisfaction Questionnaire - Foster Parents”. 46% of the foster mothers needed support on at least one problem behaviour of the child and 40% on at least one parenting behaviour. Several variables correlated with the support needs. Foster mothers who were insecure about their ability to handle the child reported high support needs (on both examined domains). A high support need concerning handling problem behaviour was associated with the foster mother’s age, type of foster care and number of children of her own. A high support need concerning parenting correlated with the quality of support offered by the foster care worker and the number of foster children. The results underline the importance of discussing behavioural problems and ways to handle them in the preparation and coaching of foster parents. Careful monitoring of all types of foster care situations with special attention to problem behaviours and how to manage them can make family foster care more effective.
Speaker Information
Frank Van Holen is a clinical psychologist and family therapist. He is departmental head of the Opvang foster care facility in Brussels and is a researcher at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He coordinates the governmental Flemish project ‘Strengthening Foster Parents in Parenting’, which aims to develop and implement training programs for foster parents who take care of children with serious behavioral and emotional problems.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 119 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Carers
Gender effects in a randomized effectiveness trial of academic tutoring of foster children by their foster parents Speakers & Authors: Robert J. Flynn (speaker), School of Psychology and Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa (Canada), Robyn A. Marquis (co-author), School of Psychology and Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa (Canada)
Flynn et al. (2012) reported on their randomized effectiveness trial in Ontario (Canada) of individual direct-instruction tutoring by foster parents of their foster children, who were 6-13 years of age at the pre-test. Thirty experimental-group children (17 girls, 13 boys) received tutoring in 2008-2009; 34 wait-list control-group children (19 girls, 15 boys) did so in 2009- 2010. ANCOVAs showed that the 30-week tutoring intervention had produced a statistically and practically significant average gain by the entire experimental group (girls and boys combined), compared with the control group, on two Wide Range Achievement Test (4th edition) subtests, Sentence Comprehension and Math Computation. There was also an average gain at the level of a statistical trend on Reading Composite, but none on Word Reading or Spelling, relative to the control group. The present study went beyond the overall effects of tutoring to explore possible differential effects on girls versus boys. Repeated-measures ANOVAs and paired t-tests showed that on Sentence Comprehension, Reading Composite, and Math Computation, the girls and the boys in the experimental group had made statistically significant pre-test to post-test average gains. On Word Reading, the experimental girls but not the boys had made a statistically significant average gain. On Spelling, the girls and boys in the experimental group had made average gains at the level of a statistical trend. The implications of the findings for improving the academic skills of foster children of primary-school age through direct-instruction tutoring will be discussed.
Speaker Information
Robert Flynn is an emeritus professor in the School of Psychology and a senior researcher at the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services (CRECS) at the University of Ottawa. He is the principal investigator of the Ontario Looking after Children (OnLAC) project and also a member of INTRAC, an international group of researchers interested in transitions from public care.
120 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Carers
Implementation Of The Looking After Children Approach In Québec: Study Of Foster Parent Satisfaction In Their Role Speakers & Authors: Marie-Pierre Joly, School of Social Work / Montreal University and Marie-Andrée Poirier School of Social Work / Montreal University
In 2011, approximately 6,500 children in Québec were placed in foster care under the Youth Protection Act (ACJQ, 2011). Therefore, it is important to focus on the experience of foster parents since their presence can influence the course of the children’s lives. This is the perspective taken by the present study.
The objectives were (1) to better understand, from the point of view of foster parents, the factors influencing their satisfaction in their role as foster parents, and (2) to explore whether the Looking After children (LAC) approach is an element having an impact on this satisfaction. In order to achieve these objectives, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 foster parents. Interviews dealt with various topics including their satisfaction, their motivation, the challenges they face and their impressions of the LAC approach.
This presentation will discuss the topics raised by foster parents as having an impact on their satisfaction and make links between these topics and the LAC approach. The results are in line with existing work, but shed new light on the fact that LAC has the potential to positively affect the satisfaction of foster parents in their role. Indeed, the concept of foster parent satisfaction is intimately associated with the retention of foster families, which is an on-going challenge in Québec and in most child welfare agencies.
Speaker Information
Marie-Pierre Joly is a student at the School of Social Work at Montreal University and is a member of the Groupe de recherché et d’action sur la victimisation des enfant (GRAVE). She also is a youth protection case worker where she mainly works with foster families and she is a regional coordinator for the implementation of Looking After Children Approach in Québec.
Marie-Andrée Poirier is a professor at the School of Social Work at Montreal University and director of the Groupe de recherche et d’action sur la victimisation des enfants (GRAVE). Her research mainly focuses on family foster care and adoption, including children and parents perspectives. She is also interested in the Looking After Children approach in Québec.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 121 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Carers
The voices of foster carers. Client feedback for service delivery improvement.
Speakers & Authors: Mónica López (University of Groningen, The Netherlands); Jorge F. del Valle (University of Oviedo, Spain); Hans Grietens (University of Groningen, The Netherlands); Erik Knorth (University of Groningen, The Netherlands)
Although there is an increasing awareness of listening to the views of users in relation to the services provided, there is a general lack of information about how those most closely involved with the child welfare system view their experience in it. However their voices can be a valuable tool when developing and improving programs and services. The sample of this study included 195 foster families (kinship and non-kinship) and 14 care leavers who answered an interview in their own homes or by telephone. The interview, which included both a quantitative survey and open- ended questions, was designed to assess their experiences with the foster care services in several domains. Foster carers showed a high degree of satisfaction with the fostering program, although some areas appeared to be more problematic, such as the economic provision, the information provided by the service about the foster child, the contact with the family of origin and the lack of sensibility and support from services and caseworkers. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Speaker Information
Mónica López has been actively seeking how to improve child welfare through research for the past eight years. She has studied outcomes of foster care, reasons for placement breakdown, patterns of reunification and cause of long stays in residential care. She has also been involved in transferring scientific knowledge, teaching, training professionals, creating instruments for the evaluation of interventions and participating in conferences and research networks. She currently works as a researcher at the University of Groningen, where her research focus is the decision making processes and the voice of the users, as a powerful instrument to improve services.
122 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Carers
”The significant other person”: Support from others to young people in out-of-home care Speakers & Authors: Mette Lausten, SFI - Danish National Centre for Social Research
Vulnerable children and young people often have vulnerable parents. One of the main reasons for placing children in out-of-home care is abuse and neglect from the parents. Therefore vulnerable children and young people need a significant other person to encourage the feeling of safety and to infuse the child with confidence on its own capabilities.
This analysis uncover the presence of ‘the significant other person’ in a large Danish dataset ‘Children in out-of-home Care’ (CIC), covering all 15-year-olds who have been or still are in out- of-home care in Denmark. It uses information from the child and care personnel if the child is in out-of-home care and from both the child and the mother if the child is not in out-of-home care any longer.
In order to shed light on the difference in who have and who do not have ‘a significant other person’, it will include the child’s care career, the parent’s socio-economic background, the child’s contact with the parents, as well as the level of well-being using the strength and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) at age 7, 11 and 15, and three of the sections in the Development and Well- Being Assessment (DAWBA) at age 15.
Speaker Information
Mette Lausten (PhD. in Economics) is senior researcher at SFI – Danish National Institute of Social Research. Her research interests are longitudinal surveys on children and families, child wellbeing, child prevention programmes and children in out-of-home care.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 123 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Involving Young People
Exploring young people’s experiences of care using a peer research approach
Speakers & Authors: Jo Dixon - Univeristy of York, Research Manager with Catch22’s National Care Advisory Service and Matthew Wagstaff - Peer Researcher with Catch22’s National Care Advisory Service.
The National Care Advisory Service, in collaboration with researchers from the University of York, is undertaking a four year study of young people in and from care in England, funded by the Big Lottery. Young people’s participation is central to the study as participants; through the use of a peer research methodology (which involves care experienced young people undertaking data collection); and through work with a young person’s advisory group to assist with the development of research instruments and data analysis.
The research, which is now in its second year, involves gathering the views and experiences of young people living in and transitioning from care across 12 local authorities. Data is collected over three years via snapshot interviews with up to 300 young people each year and follow-up interviews with a group of 50 care leavers.
The presentation will discuss our experience of using a peer research methodology, including feedback from peer researchers and their lead professionals. It will also draw upon the early findings from the first round of interviews with 300 young people and questionnaire data from their lead professionals. Emerging findings based on young people’s views on accommodation, their participation in education, employment and training and their views on good ‘corporate’ parenting will be presented. The paper will be co-presented by a peer researcher who has been involved in gathering and analysing the data.
Speaker Information
Jo Dixon has carried out research on experiences and outcomes of young people in and leaving care at SPRU, University of York, for the past 10 years. She was lead researcher on studies of leaving care in Scotland and in England and on research on implementing Special Guardianship and the Evaluation of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care. She has worked with a range of methodologies including RCTs and peer research. She is currently on secondment to Catch22’s National Care Advisory Service as Research Manager on a study of Corporate Parenting for young people in and leaving care. For publications see: http://php.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/profiles/jdx. php
Matthew Wagstaff has worked with NCAS as a peer researcher on the Big Lottery Corporate Parenting research study for the past two years. He has carried out interviews with over 20 young people in and from care and has contributed feedback on interim findings from the research. Matthew is currently studying for a Business Studies Degree at Leeds Metropolitan University.
124 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Involving Young People
Peer Research in alternative care in Poland
Speakers & Authors: Anna Soltys, Ph.D, Academy of Managment, Lodz, Poland, Beata Kulig, SOS Children’s Villages Poland (speaker), Anna Wojtasinska, SOS Children’s Villages Poland (speaker)
The presentation brings evidence about the advantages and challenges of involving young people with care experience as peer researchers in researching alternative care. It is based on the outcomes of the “I Matter” Peer Research project, conducted in four European countries and co- financed by the European Commission. Our objectives are to raise awareness on the advantages of using the participatory methodology, to present our solutions to the challenges raised by using such methodologies, as well as to share our experiences and outcomes of the peer research project: the first of this kind in Poland. By using the peer research methodology, we involved young people with care experience in every phase of the project: planning, drafting the questionnaires, conducting interviews, de-briefings and drafting recommendations. In Poland, 13 young people interviewed 104 peers. Research standards are guaranteed by the scientific supervision of academics, led by Prof. Mike Stein from York University, and NCAS. The findings provide relevant information on the specific challenges faced by children and young people in care in exercising their rights, as well as being good practice in preparing them for independence. Based on the findings, we developed recommendations for policy makers on how to improve the leaving care system in Poland. We believe that such participatory research projects are a way of a meaningful involvement of children in decision making processes, of strengthening their power over their own life and of building up life-long skills and capacities.
Speaker Information
Beata Kulig studied sociology and culture studies at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Poland. She is a National Advocacy Advisor in SOS Children’s Villages Poland and a board member of Polish Coalition for Family Foster Care. She advocates changes in national laws, policies and practice that will guarantee in a better way the rights of children without, or at risk of losing parental care. She is the National co-ordinator for “Rights of children in alternative care, from theory to practice: filling in the gap through peer research”.
Anna Wojtasinska is a peer researcher in the project “Rights of children in alternative care, from theory to practice: filling in the gap through peer research” and has experience of growing up in the family foster care environment. She is the leader of the “Young Coalition”, which is the youth branch of the Polish Coalition for Family Foster Care. She has just started studying at Warsaw University’s Faculty of Applied Social Sciences and Resocialisation.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 125 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Involving Young People
Young People’s Benchmarking Forum - Aiming to improve leaving care services and provide learning and participation opportunities for young people Speakers & Authors: Harriet Guhirwa - Catch 22’s, National Care Advisory Service (NCAS) and Jessica Foster - Stoke-on-Trent City Council
The presentation draws on NCAS’s participation model to demonstrate how young people’s groups can operate successfully and influentially and will use the Young People’s Benchmarking Forum (YPBMF) as a practice example to evidence how the key principles of the model have been implemented for the forum to work and be of value to young people. We will outline the roles, tasks and initiatives that have been completed by young people and the importance of enabling and empowering them to share knowledge and influence and be involved in all aspects of planning and delivery. Together with a member of the forum, we will share examples of achievements to date, including their work with leaving care managers and government representatives.
We will explore the role and importance of local authorities, as Corporate Parents, in facilitating young people’s successful participation and present examples of how the YPBMF is supported by, and works in partnership with, local authorities to ensure positive outcomes for young people. Delegates will understand how a well supported, all empowering forum, can provide opportunities for wider consultation with young people across the country and have an impact.
Speaker Information
Harriet Guhirwa is a Participation Worker. She has 11 years’ experience of working with children in care and leaving care as a User Involvement Trainee, Leaving Care Personal Advisor and Participation Worker. One of Harriet’s roles within NCAS includes facilitation of the National Young Peoples Benchmarking Forum. She is also involved in supporting and training care leavers as peer researchers in a research project funded by the Big Lottery on corporate parenting.
Jessica Foster is a Service User Involvement Worker at Stoke-on-Trent’s Vulnerable Children and Corporate Parenting Service. Jessica has been a member of the Young people’s Benchmarking Forum for one year and within her current role facilitates the children in care council in her local authority and works with young people leaving care to support their participation.
126 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Involving Young People
Peer Research – How to make a difference?
Speakers & Authors: Sharn Bowley, National Care Advisory Service, part of Catch22 and Jade Aitken, York City Council
This presentation will discuss why we should use Peer Research and its value as a methodology. We will present our interpretation of what Peer Research is highlighting the key components and outlining the importance of involving young people in each stage of the process. We will challenge the audience to think why they should use Peer Research by presenting what we believe are the fundamental reasons why Peer Research should be used and what the benefits are to all the parties, researchers as well as young people. We will share what we believe are the key foundations for implementing a peer research study and why it is so important when working with care leavers/young people. Reflecting on our national and international experience we will discuss the considerations and challenges of using a Peer Research methodology, despite there being many positives to using Peer Research as a methodology, there are issues and challenges which practitioners and researchers will need to be aware of to successfully adopt a Peer Research approach. This will be a joint presentation alongside a care-experienced Peer Researcher who will share their experience and insight into being involved in a Peer Research study.
Speaker Information
Sharn Bowley has 13 years’ experience of working with looked after children and care leavers in settings such as residential units and children’s rights. One of Sharn’s main roles with National Care Advisory Service (NCAS) has been to support care leavers involvement in National/European reasearch and evaluation projects. There have been six projects which have included two Government funded evaluations, Staying Put and Right2BCared4, with Loughborough University as well as acting as an advisor on the EU funded Peer Research project for SOS Villages International.
Jade Aitken is an apprentice with York City Council and an experienced Peer Researcher. Jade was trained by NCAS/Loughborough as a Peer Researcher in the Staying Put project, as well as conducting interviews Jade was heavily involved in identifying key messages from the research, designing the young peoples’ report and will be co-presenting the findings in the near future. An experienced youth worker, within her current role Jade oversees and plans the involvement of care experienced young people from York in local projects and activities.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 127 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Involving Young People
Transitions from care to adulthood in England: Lessons from the Right2BCared4 and Staying Put: 18 Plus Family Placement Programme Speakers & Authors: Clare Lushey, Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University, Emily Munro, Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University, Jade Aitkin, York City Council
The Department for Education recently introduced two pilot initiatives (Rigth2BCared4 and Staying Put: 18 Plus Family Placement Programme) aimed at improving outcomes for young people making the transition from care to independence. Both initiatives were evaluated by the Centre for Child and Family Research at Loughborough University in collaboration with the National Care Advisory Service and peer researchers (care experienced young people that have been trained in research methods). This presentation will focus on young people’s views and experiences regarding their participation in decisions about their exit from care, factors that underpin their decision to remain in care for longer or not, the benefits of staying in care for an extended period and the extent to which the pilots enhanced transitions from care to adulthood. Findings discussed will include: data that suggests young people value being part of the decision making process preceding their exit from care; welcome the opportunity to remain looked after for longer; value the chance to mature in a family environment and the additional time to develop their independent living skills, plan their move to independence and finish their education; and found managing their finances and maintaining their education or employment as the main causes for concern.
Speaker Information
Clare Lushey joined the Centre for Child and Family Research as a Research Associate in 2009 and has since taken a lead role in evaluating the effectiveness of two Government pilot programmes aimed at improving young people’s transitions from care to adulthood (Right2BCared4 and the Staying Put: 18 + Family Placement programme). During her career as a researcher Clare has gained extensive experience of developing data collection tools; organising and conducting interviews with children and young people, birth parents, foster carers and social care staff; and undertaking quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Emily Munro is Assistant Director of the Centre for Child and Family Research. She is a coordinator of the International Research Network on Transitions to Adulthood from Care (INTRAC) which is a world-wide network of researchers concerned with the process of transition. Emily co-edited Young People’s Transitions from Care to Adulthood: International Research and Practice (Stein & Munro, 2008). She has also directed national evaluations of initiatives designed to improve outcomes for young people making the transition from care to independence in England (Munro et al., 2011; 2012). Jade Aitken is an apprentice with York City Council and an experienced Peer Researcher. Jade was trained by NCAS/Loughborough as a Peer Researcher in the Staying Put project, as well as conducting interviews Jade was heavily involved in identifying key messages from the research, designing the young people’s report and will be co presenting the findings in the near future. An experienced youth worker, within her current role Jade oversees and plans the involvement of care experienced young people from York in local projects and activities.
128 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Longitudinal Studies
Canadian Research on transitions in child welfare: Literature review and initial findings from a new three year longitudinal study Speakers & Authors: Joël Beaupré (Speaker), (Department of Sociology and the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa, Canada), Robert J. Flynn (School of Psychology and the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa, Canada), and Nicholas G. Tessier (School of Psychology and the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa, Canada) This presentation will show an exhaustive literature review of research on transitions in child welfare in Canada and the initial findings from a new three year longitudinal transitions study. The literature review will analyse all available studies on transitions, in Canada, in order to identify the gaps that remain. We will then present the initial findings from a new longitudinal study in Ontario, Canada: Transitions of Crown Wards in Child Welfare, which will be one of the largest conducted to date. This study is patterned upon the Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth, carried in the U.S. by Courtney and his colleagues. The study is being conducted on behalf of four Children’s Aid Societies of Eastern Ontario. The sample will be composed of an estimated 100 Crown Wards aged between 15 and 21 and over who plan on undergoing an important transition in calendar year 2012. We will present findings based on the first 8 months of the study (January to August, 2012).
Speaker Information
Joël Beaupré is a research coordinator at the Centre for Research on Community and Educational Services (CRECS) at the University of Ottawa since January 2012. He is also a Master’s student in Sociology at the University of Ottawa since September 2011. In his undergraduate degree, he obtained a major in Political-Science and a minor in Sociology from the Université du Québec en Outaouais between January 2006 and April 2011.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 129 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Longitudinal Studies
Development of mental well-being of young people in out-of-home care compared to young people who have never been in out-of-home care Speakers & Authors: Alva Albæk Nielsen (speaker), Tea Torbenfeldt Bengtsson, The Danish National Centre for Social Research
This paper examines the patterns of mental well-being for young people who are in out-of-home care compared to young people who have never been in out-of-home care. Two longitudinal surveys following the 1995 birth cohort are used, both with three waves (when the children were 7, 11 and 15 years old). The first survey is ‘Children in out-of-home Care’ (CIC), which covers all children from 1995, who have been or still are in out-of-home care in Denmark (N=1,706). The second survey ‘The Danish Longitudinal Survey of Children’ (DALSC) follows a representative sample of 6,000 randomly selected children from the 1995 cohort. Both surveys contain questionnaires for both parents and the children and for children in out-of-home care also foster parents, residential staff and social case workers have been surveyed. Across the two surveys questions are repeated and both surveys are combined with administrative registers on the 1995 cohort. Based primarily on the young people’s own evaluation at age 11 and 15 the paper investigates if there are significant differences in the young people’s mental well-being over time depending on whether they are in out-of-home care or not. Advanced statistical methods are used to utilize both the longitudinal structures and to compare outcomes between the two groups of young people. The initial findings show that there are significant differences in the young people’s mental well-being depending on whether or not they are in out of home care – and that these differences continue to be present as the cohort gets older.
Speaker Information
Alva Albæk Nielsen is a research assistant at SFI – The Danish National Centre for Social research. She holds a master in sociology and is studying to complete a master in economics. She is interested in studying child well-being using advanced statistical research methods including both surveys and administrative register data.
Tea Torbenfeldt Bengtsson is a researcher at SFI – The Danish National Centre for Social research. She has recently handed in her PhD thesis in sociology focusing on the youth life of young offenders in secure care in Denmark. She is interested in vulnerable young people’s risk-taking and qualitative research methods
130 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Longitudinal Studies
Longitudinal evaluation of development in children in out-of-home care in Spain
Speakers & Authors: Amaia Bravo (speaker) (University of Oviedo, Spain), Ana María Sainero (University of Oviedo, Spain), Jorge F. Del Valle (University of Oviedo, Spain)
Child Protection research has experienced a considerable development in the last fifteen years in Spain. Despite this advance, the research methodology in this area usually follows a transversal design, without the necessary longitudinal research which would allow us to evaluate the situation of children at the beginning of the intervention, their follow-up and the final result when intervention is concluded.
This study aimed to analyse the evolution of children who are in out-of-home care during childhood, making a comparison with children in a family environment without protective intervention. The developmental progress of children during care intervention and its relation to the care intervention was the objective of the evaluation. During a period of two years, a sample of 50 children in residential care was evaluated into a longitudinal design, every six months. Results of their evolution were compared with a group of 50 children living with their parents (without a child protection intervention). The age of the sample ranged between zero and six years old.
The evaluations were carried out with standardized instruments: Battelle, BASC (Behavior Assessment System for Children) and SDQ (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). The first evaluation showed different levels of development in cognitive and emotional areas between the two groups. But the main interest was to evaluate the progress every six months and the impact of residential care interventions. The need to improve stimulation and support interventions in cognitive and emotional areas is one of the main recommendations arisen from this research.
Speaker Information
Dr. Amaia Bravo is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Psychology in the University of Oviedo. PhD in Psychology and her Doctoral Thesis was about the validation of an Evaluation System for Residential Child Care, in 2002. She is the Assistant Director of the Child and Family Research Group (University of Oviedo, www.gifi.es). This group is carrying out research in program evaluation in residential and foster child care since 1994.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 131 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Longitudinal Studies
Practice-based follow-up data: looking for a new agenda for longitudinal studies of children in care Speakers & Authors: Tarja Pösö, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Tampere, Finland
Child welfare case-work is organised so that follow-up information is gathered routinely about children in care. This is done for example when revisiting the care-plans and assessing the present, past and future of the child at certain intervals. Institutionally existing follow-up data has not, however, been much used for research purposes. If used, the research has mainly used the case- files as documents of practice-based follow-up data.
In this paper, the potentiality of practice-based follow-up data is analysed and suggestions for further use are made. The paper is based on a study in which the social workers followed up the children (their own clients) (N= 103) who had been taken into care five years previously. The follow-up data is approached from the point of view of organisational memory with a special interest in temporality.
The results demonstrate that in the five years since the care-order a variety of changes have occurred in the children’s lives and that only some of them are recorded in the case-files. Consequently, the memories of the social workers play an important role for relevant follow-up data. The practice- based follow-up data tends to provide rich material for self-reflection of the practitioners. There is, however, a need for further detailed methodological and ethical considerations.
Speaker Information
Tarja Pösö is Professor in Social Work at the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, the University of Tampere, Finland. Her recent research on child protection covers such themes as substitute care for children and young people, child welfare decision-making and follow-up studies of children in care.
132 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Longitudinal Studies
Transition to adulthood: a comparison of fostered, adopted and disadvantaged young people with those in the general population Speakers & Authors: Dinithi Wijedasa, Hadley Centre for Adoption and Foster Care Studies
Prospective longitudinal studies that track fostered and adopted children from adolescence to adulthood are lacking in the UK. This presentation will focus on results from a research study which examined the transition to adulthood for fostered, adopted, disadvantaged young people and those in the general population through secondary analyses of data from the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England- LSYPE.
LSYPE began in 2004, with a representative sample of 15,770 young people aged 13-14 years. Data has been collected annually through structured interviews with young people and their parents/ carers and six waves of data were available for this research. For the study, all the fostered (n=55) and adopted (n=34) young people in the sample were selected and were compared with a group of disadvantaged young people (n=55) and the young people in the general population (n=15626). The aim of the study was to compare the perspectives of these different groups of young people as they moved from adolescence (13-14 years) to young adulthood (18-19 years) using an ecological framework.
The presentation will focus on the perspectives of young people in four areas (1) behavioural adjustment (2) family support (3) general wellbeing and (4) readiness for independence. Amongst others, the results have implications for social work practice in relation to recognising the extent of bullying for fostered and adopted young people and considering the practices and policies that may be affecting the locus of control of fostered young people.
Speaker Information
Dinithi Wijedasa is a research associate at the Hadley Centre for Adoption and Foster Care Studies at the University of Bristol. She has been involved in numerous research studies, which include looking at pathways to permanence in the care system for ethnic minority children; educational support services provided by independent foster care providers; an evaluation of a new model for providing adoption services; adoption and the inter-agency fee; the reunification of looked after children with their parents; and transition to adulthood for adopted young people. Dinithi is currently working on a study on adoption disruption.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 133 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Maltreatment 1
Day-care centers as a resource of the childhood protection system: user profiles and functions carried out Speakers & Authors: Dr. Eduardo Martín, Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of La Laguna
The goal of this work is to analyze the profile of the children and adolescents who attend the 24 day-care centers that exist in diverse municipalities of the Island of Tenerife (Canary Islands), as well as the functions carried out in them. Day-care centers are resources that provide support to family units that, for various reasons, need help in their parental tasks of protection and education for a part of the day. Therefore, these centers are conceived as a primary intervention experience that is compatible with the minor’s permanence in the family, and they also help to prevent family separation. To achieve these goals, a survey was designed and the people in charge of the day-care centers were interviewed. Among the most noteworthy results is the large number of children and adolescents who make use of these services. Permanence in these services is high, as the average stay in them is 475 days. The services provided, in this order, are: feeding, hygiene, academic support, and psychoeducational activities (workshops, leisure, excursions, etc.). Working directly with the families is unusual. We also present the main difficulties perceived by those in charge of the services to carry out their work.
Speaker Information
Dr. Eduardo Martín is senior lecturer in Developmental and Educational Psychology Department (University of La Laguna). His research focuses on residential child care and child abuse prevention and assessment. During the last four years he has been developing child abuse assessment tools and family intervention programme with the Child and Family Unit in Tenerife.
He has also worked as a residential child care social educator and psychologist in Child and Family Unit in Tenerife.
134 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Maltreatment 1
Differential risk factors for maltreatment among teen mothers with varying degrees of childhood trauma: what are the implications for intervention? Speakers & Authors: El-Hachem, Laura Ph.D Candidate (Université de Montréal); Gendron, Sylvie Ph.D. (Université de Montréal); Dupuis, Gilles Ph.D. (Université du Québec à Montréal); Lachance-Fiola, Jacinthe Ph.D. (Université du Québec à Montréal); Moreau, Jacques Ph.D.(Université de Montréal)
This presentation will describe an evaluation of a Young Parents Programme (YPP), implemented across Local Health and Social Service Centres (CSSS) in Quebec, Canada, provided longitudinal data from a cohort of 451 young mothers (age < 20 years), from pregnancy until the baby reached 24 months. Prenatal measures using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein & Fink, 1998) indicate that teen mothers have experienced different degrees of childhood trauma.
The study explored the prevalence of risk factors for intergenerational transmission of maltreatment among teen mothers with varying Histories of Childhood Trauma (HCT). Comparative analyses between three groups of teen mothers (no HCT, minimal HCT and moderate to extreme HCT) were completed for the following variables: quantity and quality of informal and formal social support; satisfaction with social support; life aspirations; quality of mother-child relationship; and indicators of child development. The relative significance of each factor and their cumulative effect were explored via bivariate and multivariate analyses.
The results show that intensity of prenatal YPP intervention is highest among mothers with higher degree of HCT. The latter group presents higher indices of social vulnerability that have been associated with intergenerational transmission of maltreatment. YPP primary care workers seem to adjust the intensity of interventions according to their perception of the young mothers’ vulnerability and perhaps also their specific needs. Teen mothers’ HCT should be explored during pregnancy to support nurses’ and social workers’ clinical judgement to further reduce social vulnerability and the potential for intergenerational transmission of maltreatment.
Speaker Information
Laura El-Hachem is a social worker and a Ph.D candidate. She did her undergraduate studies at McGill University and is now pursuing her doctorate at the University of Montreal. She specializes in issues regarding youth and vulnerable families, including teen pregnancy, poverty and maltreatment.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 135 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Maltreatment 1
Psychological maltreatment towards children in Québec. A preliminary picture after the implementation of the revised Youth Protection Law. Speakers & Authors: Claire Malo, Ph.D., Researcher, CJM-IU and GRAVE, Associated professor, Social Work School, University of Montreal; Jacques Moreau, Ph.D., Professor, Social Work School, University of Montreal, Associated researcher, CJM-IU and GRAVE Chantal Lavergne, Ph.D., and Sonia Hélie, Researcher, CJM-IU and GRAVE, Associated Professor, Social Work School, University of Montreal
For the past few decades, empirical studies have alerted us to the importance of several forms of psychological maltreatment being acted upon children. In Québec, it is only since July 2007 that the revised Youth Protection Law has been implemented, which takes into account psychological maltreatment as a sufficient motive of report. The present study is composed of three facets including attempting to make a real portrait of this form of maltreatment within the three years following the application of the revised Youth Protection Law in Québec.
This presentation will describe the context and the three facets of the study before presenting preliminary results derived from the first facet; that is the analysis of administrative data collected within the 16 Québec Youth Protection Centers (n= 67 254 reports). We will present in more details the principal characteristics of this social problem in the way it appears in Québec: its incidence, occurrence with other forms of maltreatment, child and family characteristics. Discussion will highlight the implication of this global picture on the practice of youth protection in the province of Quebec.
Speaker Information
Jacques Moreau has a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology. He does research on early child development and maltreatment, and on early intervention with vulnerable children, and works with Claire Malo on child psychological maltreatment. He is co-author of a book on foster care, book chapters, and has published in journals like International Journal of Emotional Abuse, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. He is co-author of a screening developmental tool designed for protection practitioners.
136 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Maltreatment 1
Safeguarding Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Children, where there are serious child protection concerns Speakers & Authors: Pam Green Lister Glasgow School of Social Work, University of Strathclyde and Robin Sen, University of Sheffield
This study was undertaken for Glasgow City Child Protection Committee. The Committee’s own analysis of Significant Case Reviews found children from a Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) background were disproportionately represented in these reviews. The committee commissioned this research to explore practice in the six cases where BME children had been involved. The study consisted of an audit of social work, health and, where appropriate, education, files to trace intervention and decision making, as well as analysis of the Significant Case Review reports themselves. After an analysis of the process of work in each case the researchers undertook a further case by case thematic analysis looking for issues relating to ethnicity, culture and religion and language.
The researchers found examples where assumptions about service users’ behaviour may have been influenced by perceptions of their cultural background. This raised issues of both the potential pathologising of service users and cultural relativism. They also found some evidence that practitioners may have disengaged from difficult work with BME families for fear there may be questions about whether their practice was culturally inappropriate. Practice dilemmas around how best to address a child’s cultural and linguistic needs and issues of language and the use of interpreters were also prominent amongst the findings. The presentation will conclude with suggestions on how practice in this area can be developed.
Speaker Information
Pam Green Lister is a senior lecturer at the Glasgow School of Social Work. She has undertaken a range of research in the field of child protection, including work with Child Protection Committees across Scotland, Health Authorities, the police and voluntary organisations.
Robin Sen practiced as a child and family social worker with a particular focus on work with looked after children. He has been a lecturer in social work at the University of Sheffield since 2010 and previously taught social work at the University of Strathclyde.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 137 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Maltreatment 1
Changing Families, Changing Systems: how an innovative attachment-based family intervention depends upon changes in children’s services and decision-making systems Speakers & Authors: Graham Bryce (speaker), Clinical Director, Glasgow Infant and Family Team, National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC); Helen MInnis, Senior Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Glasgow; Lucy Morton, Service Manager, NSPCC; Julia Donaldson, Associate Clinical Director, Glasgow Infant and Family Team, NSPCC
This presentation will describe a model of assessment and intervention for maltreated children under 5 in foster care in Glasgow and consider how the development of that work, of necessity, includes seeking to promote change in broader systems of care and decision-making for “looked after” children.
The Glasgow Infant and Family Team (GIFT) is implementing, in a Scottish context, an intervention model developed by Professor Charley Zeanah and colleagues at Tulane University in New Orleans. Their approach offers intensive assessment and treatment to birth families, work with foster carers and the provision of carefully established recommendations to legal forums making decisions about permanence for young children. We propose that those decisions need to be well-evidenced as well as timely.
The translation process has involved the formation of a multi-disciplinary clinical team and a partnership agreement between Glasgow City Council, NHSGCC and the NSPCC. The project has been designed within the Medical Research Council Complex Interventions framework. The phase presented here is a preliminary study, in randomised controlled trial format, which is designed to investigate the feasibility of implementing the intervention in a Scottish context and to optimise the intervention as a prelude to a larger, definitive study. Issues that have arisen in implementation include challenges of negotiating within and across organisations, communication with wider systems and the emergence of a multidisciplinary working culture based on a translation of a model with aspects of similarity and difference to the Scottish context.
Speaker Information
Graham Bryce is as a NHS consultant child psychiatrist and has worked for many years with children who have been abused or neglected. In 2011, he was seconded to NSPCC to lead the implementation of this attachment-based intervention for pre-school children who are in foster care because of maltreatment. This is proving a remarkable opportunity which resonates with his interests and experience in mental health, in families, in systems and in research.
138 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Residential 1
Physical Restraint as Catharsis?
Speakers & Authors: Laura Steckley, CELCIS/Glasgow School of Social Work, University of Strathclyde
A wealth of literature addresses the serious risks and concerns related to physically restraining children and young people. However, there is evidence that children and young people can experience catharsis (a big release of emotion) while being physically restrained; indeed, some may seek restraint for this cathartic effect. There is a dearth of literature that addresses the phenomenon of catharsis in lifespace work. This paper will draw from a large-scale qualitative study of the experiences of children, young people and staff in residential child care in relation to physical restraint and catharsis. It will also explore the nature of catharsis; its relevance to working with traumatised children and young people; its relationship to therapeutic containment; and how cathartic needs might be met. It will be argued that robust, therapeutically containing processes and environments are necessary to increase the capacity of practitioners to meet cathartic needs of some young people without resorting to the use of physical restraint.
Speaker Information
Laura’s practice background is in residential treatment for adolescents in the US, and residential child care in the UK. She has also been doing research and teaching related to residential child care on undergraduate and post graduate courses since 2003. One of her primary research interests is the way in which theories of therapeutic containment and holding environments can improve practice - both in working directly with children and young people and in supervising, training and otherwise supporting those who do.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 139 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Residential 1
Teenage Motherhood in Residential Care in Catalonia: Beliefs, Emotions and Cultural Factors Speakers & Authors: Nair Zarate1, Laura Arnau1, Josefina Sala1, Andreu Villaba1, Mercè Jariot1, Adrià Pagés1, Montserrat Rodriguez1, Esther Secanilla1, Maite Marzo2, Gemma Filella3, Xavier Oriol3, Antoni Peregrino3 Anna Soldevila3. Speaker: Laura Arnau 1Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2Escoles Universitàries i Fundació Pere Tarres, 3Universitat de Lleida
The aim of the study is to analyse the cognitive, affective, contextual and cultural factors underlying teenager motherhood. An in-depth interview was designed and validated. Four groups of 18 teenage women were interviewed (72 in total): 18 were fostered in residential care, 18 teenage mothers were fostered in a residential centre; 18 were non-fostered and from poor environmental contexts, and 18 were non-fostered, but from normal environmental contexts (control group).
The analysis found a wide arrange of differences in the beliefs and expectations concerning motherhood and family. The most important differences were found in the life plan, use of contraceptives and ideas about family role. In their life plan, foster-care teenagers give more importance to becoming a mother and to having an emotional partner than is the case for non- fostered teenagers. An alarming percentage of the foster group do not use any contraceptive method. Foster teenagers report more frequently to have experienced abandonment and less support, education and affection from their family. Nevertheless, when they speak of their beliefs about family, they particularly emphasise their role of providing economic resources and give less attention to providing affection and education.
Teenager motherhood is an important problem in foster care. The underlying factors of these phenomena are to be found in the emotional needs and beliefs regarding motherhood. Preventive programmes for these teenagers must consider these particularities and focus on changing these beliefs as a means of helping these teenagers to find other ways of fulfilling their emotional needs.
Speaker Information
Laura Arnau is a professor of the ‘Research Methods and Educational Diagnosis Area’ at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB, Spain). She is involved in the ‘Children and Young People in Social Risk Research Group’. Currently, her research is focussed on aspects related to the transition into adulthood of Spanish youngsters, who have been fostered in residential care centres. Within this research, her main topic is looking at the improvement of these youngsters employability competence. Prior to joining UAB, she worked as a career counsellor.
140 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Residential 1
Back to basics: The adolescent-staff relationship and the achievement of success in secure residential youth care Speakers & Authors: Annemiek T. Harder, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
Research suggests that the problem behavior of young people in secure residential care, which often includes delinquency, is quite stable over time. Secure residential care refers to a type of service in which care and treatment are offered in a secured environment. Although research has shown that young people often improve in their functioning during secure residential care they still regularly show problem behavior after their departure. These findings indicate that secure residential care has the potential to achieve success, but that it is often difficult to achieve.
According to the common process factors model, an important factor contributing to successful outcomes of (youth) care is the client-therapist relationship. Particularly in secure residential youth care, in which adolescents with mainly externalizing behavior problems often stay coercively, the client-staff relationship seems to be important for achieving positive outcomes. In secure residential care, this client-staff relationship often consists of contacts between adolescents and group care workers and teachers, since group care workers and teachers have interactions with the young people on a daily basis.
The aim of the presentation is to show research results about the quality of the adolescent-staff relationship in secure residential youth care. There will be a specific focus on the factors that are associated with a positive relationship, such as the characteristics of the adolescents and the treatment skills of group care workers and teachers. The results are based on an empirical study that was carried out in a secure residential care center in the Netherlands.
Speaker Information
Annemiek Harder, psychologist, started in 2004 as a researcher at the University of Groningen on a research project ‘Residential youth care in the spotlights’. Last year she finished her PhD study with a dissertation titled “The downside up? A study of factors associated with a successful course of treatment for adolescents in secure residential care”. Currently, she is working as assistant professor at the University of Groningen. She is member of the board of the Section Forensic Psychology of the Dutch Institute for Psychologists (NIP) and member of the International Research Network on Transitions to Adulthood from Care (INTRAC).
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 141 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Residential 1
Beyond Containment - Driving Change in Residential Care - A Queensland Model of Therapeutic Residential Care Speakers & Authors: Shelley Wall - Mercy Family Services (Speaker), Kym Edwards - Department of Commuities, Child Safety and Disability Services (Speaker), Steven king - Mercy Family Services
Mercy Family Services is a Non-Government Organisation providing a range of out of home care services, including one ‘therapeutic residential’ and 12 traditional residential care programs across South East Queensland, Australia. This presentation will examine the implementation of a model of ‘therapeutic residential’ care developed to address a gap in service delivery identified in the Crime and Misconduct Commission – An Inquiry Into Abuse In Foster Care – January 2004, which found there was a need for more therapeutic treatment programs in order to assist children and young people with severe psychological and behavioural problems. Traditional residential care, with a focus on daily care provision and containment had limited success in meeting this client groups’ complex needs and it was apparent that a trauma informed model that sought to provide a ‘healing’ therapeutic milieu was a sector priority. The presentation will provide insight into Mercy Family Services’ therapeutic residential care model recently implemented in the final of four trial sites across Queensland, Australia. Further, the learnings gained from the process of development of the model, including contemporary literature from within Australia and beyond will be shared; along with the exciting developments emerging as practice is transformed and influences improvements across our entire network of residential programs. Finally, a short film illustrating the purpose built facility provided by Queensland Government as part of this significant partnership towards driving sector change and achieving better outcomes for children and young people, will be shown.
Speaker Information
Shelley Wall (BSocSc, MSW Prof Qual) has over 19 years of experience working in the out of home care sector across both frontline and leadership roles specialising in residential care. Her achievements are recognised in areas such as program development, governance and a commitment to best practice. Shelley is currently employed as the Residential Care & Transition Services Manager for Mercy Family Services. In this role, she has overall responsibility for innovative services which support over 50 children and young people placed in the out of home care sector; employing over 150 staff. Kym Edwards (BA Psych) - has over 25 years of experience working in the area of child protection as both a practitioner and across various leadership and management positions. Her particular passion is out of home care, ensuring that children and young people have the best possible placement experience. She is presently the Director of the Placement Services Unit for the North Coast Region, Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services, Queensland, Australia. The Placement Services Unit is responsible for managing placement options for approximately 1000 children and young people in statutory out of home care. Steven King (BA Psych Hons) has significant experience as a Registered Psychologist and Senior Leader in the Non-Government Sector over a 30 year period. He has held various roles in residential care, counselling and intervention programs in the out of care and disability sectors across three jurisdictions within Australian (South Australia, Australian Capital Territory and Queensland). In 2008, he was appointed to the role of Executive Director of Mercy Family Services in Queensland, Australia and has overall responsibility for programs across the out of home care and multi-cultural sectors, providing support for a diverse range of clients and employing over 250 staff.
142 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Residential 1
Achieving positive outcomes for children in care: Meeting the psychological needs of children who have been rejected, neglected and abused Speakers & Authors: Dr Seán Cameron, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London and Colin Maginn, Pillars of Parenting Social Enterprise
For the past seven years, the Pillars of Parenting Social Enterprise has been developing, implementing and evaluating a different approach to residential and foster care. Our starting points were: what are the psychological needs of these vulnerable children and young people and how can residential carers and foster parents meet these subtle and complex needs?
The resulting “Emotional Warmth’ model empowers carers to provide insightful parenting, support adaptive emotional development and build on the child’s signature strengths. This approach, which uses an applied psychology consultant to support residential carers and foster parents in tackling the everyday problems experienced by children and young people in public care.
We believe that this combination of skilful parenting, sensitive support for post-trauma stress, building upon the child’s signature strengths and using a psychologist consultant to bring applied psychology into professional child care represents a new approach to tackling the roots of the problems experienced by children and young people in care.
This presentation will provide the background to the ‘Emotional Warmth’ approach to professional childcare; describe this approach and the research that underpins it; outline the reciprocal and distinctive roles of the Residential Care Managers and the Psychologist Consultants; and discuss some of the benefits of using this approach to empower residential and foster carers and to ensure a brighter future for children and young people who did not deserve the rejection, abuse and neglect that they received in their early lives.
Speaker Information
Dr Seán Cameron is founder and now Co-Director of the Professional Doctorate in Educational Psychology programme at University College London. He is also a director of the Pillars of Parenting Social Enterprise. His publication record includes 6 books and more than 50 journal articles on child psychology including the empowerment of residential and foster carers responsible for vulnerable children and young people. In 2005 he was given the British Psychological Society’s national award for distinguished contributions to the teaching of Psychology and in 2010 he received their annual award for his distinguished contribution to Educational and Child Psychology.
Colin Maginn is a Director of The Pillars of Parenting, a social enterprise working to improve outcomes for children in public care. With Seán Cameron, he co-authored the book ‘Achieving Positive Outcomes for Children in Care’ (2009) published by Sage. For over thirty years, Colin Maginn has been directly involved with looked-after children and young people. This experience has included managing a secure unit, being a team leader in a regional assessment centre and the Director of Ingleside Children’s Home in South London, where the ‘Emotional Warmth’ approach to professional child care was developed.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 143 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
School
Children in care at school: current situation and proposals
Speakers & Authors: Dr Carme Montserrat - University of Girona (Spain) - presentation speaker, Dr Ferran Casas - University of Girona (Spain)
In the 1980s in Spain, a process was followed whereby school classrooms in (macro) residential homes disappeared and the children attended schools outside residential centres. It was a process framed within the paradigm of normalisation, along with the promotion of foster families, practically non-existent until that time. 30 years on and the first data have been collected on the education of children in care, until now invisible. We present the quantitative results from 2008 to 2011 regarding the academic achievements, attendance and behaviour of adolescents in care in residential homes, foster or kinship families in Catalonia.
The aim is to determine their situation at school so as to identify difficulties and propose improvements. A quantitative methodology was followed using data obtained from the database of the child protection department and data provided by teachers with adolescents in care within their classrooms. Results show that this is a sub-group at higher risk of exclusion from school, if not already excluded during the compulsory stage of education. The percentage of students in care who are in the school year corresponding to their age at 15 is under 30%, compared to 70% of the general population, with levels of absenteeism and serious behavioural problems are also very high. The improvements needed are urgent with regard to both systematising data collection and designing improvement programmes aimed at this group, requiring the involvement of both departments. The example of a pilot programme launched in 2012 may serve as a basis for debate about effective interventions.
Speaker Information
Dr Carme Montserrat spent many years working in education and child protection as a practitioner. Since 2006, she has taught at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the University of Girona (Spain). She is also a researcher in the Research Team on Childhood, Adolescence, Children’s rights and their Quality of Life within the Research Institute on Quality of Life. Her main areas of research are those related to child protection system and also those concerning adolescents’ subjective well-being and children’s rights. She collaborated with the Council of Europe as an international consultant within the programme Building a Europe for and with children
Dr Ferran Casas is Senior Professor of Social Psychology in the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the University of Girona. In the last 10 years, he has been involved in 10 international research projects, 3 of them supported by the European Commission. His main topics of research are children’s well-being and quality of life, children’s rights, and child protection. Currently, he is the coordinator of the research team ERIDIQV. He is a Board member of the ISQOLS and member of the editorial board of 8 international scientific journals. He has authored 12 books, 30 book-chapters and over 60 papers in scientific journals. 144 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
School
Children in Low-income families and Resilience: How do Poverty and Socio-economic status influence Children’s School Competence? Speakers & Authors: Speaker - Anja Johnsen, University of Bergen, Faculty of Psychology, Department of Health Promotion and Development, Co-author - Anette Christine Iversen, University of Bergen, Faculty of Psychology, Department of Health Promotion and Development
While Norway is considered a welfare state, child poverty has been raised on the political agenda during the last decade. According to Statistics Norway 74 000 children experienced long time relative poverty in 2009 based on EU’s classification < 60 % of median family income. Relative poverty refers to an economic situation which clearly differs from what is common in the surrounding community. Several studies suggest that socio-economic adversity is a significant risk factor for educational failure like dropouts and under-performance at school.
The aim is to investigate the relationship between poverty, parents’ socio-economic status and their children’s school competence, and whether the relationship is influenced by gender, ethnicity, age and family structure. This project is part of the main project “Children’s Level of Living – the Impact of Family Incomes” (Sandbæk & Pedersen, 2010).
Sample selection and data collection has been carried out by Statistics Norway. The study design is a quantitative case-control design. The survey was performed by computer-assisted interviewing. This paper is based on survey data collected in 2009 when the average age of the children was 15 years. The case sample consists of 1015 children and their families who had income below the EU-poverty line in 2000 while the control sample consists of 248 children and their families with income across the distribution. School competence is measured with Scholastic Competence from Harter`s Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents (SPPA). Findings suggest that family structure and immigration status are protective factors in relation to school competence. Results will be discussed.
Speaker Information
Anja Johnsen is educated a Clinical Children`s Welfare Pedagogue from the University of Stavanger from 1995, and fullfilled her speciality in the field of intoxication in 2002 at Bergen University College. She has a Master’s degree in Social work from NTNU from 2008. She has been a PhD Candidate at the University of Bergen, Faculty of Psychology, Department of Health Promotion and Development since 2010. Anja has been working with looked after children in the Child Welfare for 20 years as a Social Officer and as a Professional Consultant.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 145 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
School
External interprofessional collaboration: Self-reported successful external inter-professional collaboration by primary teachers and social workers in multidisciplinary teams Speakers & Authors: *Elisabeth Hesjedal, Research fellow at Norwegian Teacher Academy, School of Religion, Education and Intercultural Studies, Norway **Associate Professor Anette Christine Iversen, Department of Psychology, University of Bergen ***Associate Professor Hilde Hetland, Department of Psychology, University of Bergen
This presentation will show results from a qualitative study about self-reported successful external interprofessional collaboration regarding children at risk. The sample consisted of 7 Norwegian Social workers and 6 primary teachers with at least two years professional experience within multidisciplinary teams. A semi-structured interview guide was applied. The transcripts were analyzed by using a thematic approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006) and the data program Nvivo 9.
Preliminary findings indicate four themes that facilitate successful interprofessional collaboration regarding children at risk. These themes were named: Focus on the child’s opportunities, Relation and cooperativeness, Structure and organization and Individual skills and attitudes. Facilitators, especially data extracts concerning the Social workers, will be discussed in relation to the PINCOM model (Ødegård, 2006)
Speaker Information
Elisabeth Hesjedal is a research fellow at Norwegian Teacher Academy, School of Religion, Education and Intercultural Studies, Norway. She has previously been a special teacher for children and youngsters with learning difficulties.
146 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
School
Tuning in and getting into sync: Exploring the use of rhythmicity with vulnerable children in school nurture bases Speakers & Authors: Dr Ruth Emond, Senior Lecturer in Social Work, University of Stirling, Dr Autumn Roesch-Marsh, Lecturer in Social Work, University of Edinburgh
From the circadian rhythms that help us to sleep, to the way that music naturally makes us want to sway, the human being is designed to respond to rhythm. Rhythms also play a part in the attachment process and in the dynamics of social interaction which shape human relationships (Maier 2004). According to Gilligan (2002, p. 9) ‘The experience of relationship [is] being in sync with another person’. The process of ‘getting in sync’ requires finding and responding to the rhythm of another (Garfat 2004).
Many children who have experienced social and emotional neglect, trauma or insecure attachment have missed out on the experience of a care giver who is in sync with them and able to sensitively respond to their needs. These children are often ‘out of rhythm’ with others, finding it difficult to read social cues. They struggle to respond in ways that begin to establish relational reciprocity. Indeed, they can leave those around them feeling unsettled and out of step.
This presentation will explore the concept of rhythmicity and examine how bolstering rhythmic experiences may help children to form positive relationships with their peers and concerned adults. The paper will explore the potential that rhythmicity has to help children (re) experience early childhood ‘beats’ and connectedness to others. It draws on the work undertaken in school nurture groups (Boxall 2002, Sanders 2007) to question whether taking this approach may increase the social and emotional gains that can be made by children who attend such provision.
Speaker Information
Dr Ruth Emond works part time as a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Stirling. The other half of the week she is employed as a social worker and play therapist at the Family Change service in Perth. This service provides therapeutic support to children and families who have experienced trauma. Ruth’s research has been primarily concerned with the lived experiences of children and adults living and working in residential care, in particular their friendships, relationships and their symbolic use of food.
Dr Autumn Roesch-Marsh is Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Edinburgh. After qualifying as a social worker Autumn worked in residential and community settings with children and their families. She recently completed her PhD which examined secure accommodation decision making in Scotland. Autumn’s research interest include looked after children, relationship based approaches to practice, risk and decision making.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 147 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
School
Bullying and Agency - refocussing our response
Speakers & Authors: Brian Donnelly (Speaker), Director of respectme, Scotland’s Anti- Bullying Service
This presentation will critically reflect on existing definitions of bullying and how they have focussed interventions. It will challenge existing thinking on intent and persistence as core characteristics of bullying. Brian will introduce the notion of agency then propose why defining bullying in terms of the impact it has on a person’s agency ensures a more child centred response.
The presentation is designed to give delegates a new way of thinking about bullying. It aims to reflect on how to respond effectively and in a way that gives children and young people back their feeling of control, their sense of agency that bullying strips away. It is based on a collaboration between Brian Donnelly, Director at respectme, and Professor Howard Sercombe at the University of Strathclyde. They have produced an academic synthesis that reflects respectme’s approach to anti-bullying. It reflects the experiences and the emergent learning that took place while developing and delivering a successful and internationally recognised anti-bullying service.
Speaker Information
Brian Donnelly has worked with children and young people for over 20 years. Brian spent 16 years working in residential child care initially in the public sector then moved to the voluntary sector, where he was instrumental in the design and delivery of an alternative to secure residential and fostering service. He is currently the Director of respectme, Scotland’s anti-bullying service and his role is to influence policy and practice at a national level in relation to anti-bullying work and to drive a wider cultural change in Scotland in relation to bullying behaviour.
148 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Using Practice-Driven Outcome Databases
Outcomes of nearly 4000 children in regular Dutch youth care
Speakers & Authors: Tom van Yperen, Netherlands Youth Institute & University of Groningen, The Netherlands, JanWillem Veerman, Praktikon & Radboud University, The Netherlands
Relatively little research has been conducted on child and adolescent outcomes in usual youth care settings. However, this information is crucial for practice and policy. Especially important is the identification of children with positive outcomes alongside the ones that do not change or even deteriorate. With the help of Dutch researchers, youth care organizations data of nearly 6000 children and adolescents that contained pre- and post- test measures with standardized questionnaires was gathered. Cases were aged 0-19, 58% was male, 62% was born in the Netherlands. Types of treatment ranged from outpatient to residential care. In the present analysis data were analyzed on severity and changes in behavior problems ascertained with the Child Behavior Checklist (N=2438) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (N=1473) (Total N=3911). T-tests showed significant changes over time, with small to medium effect sizes. However, effect sizes varied with problem severity at the start of treatment. In case of very severe problems at the start effect sizes were also very large. Effect sizes were small in case of minor problems. On the individual level reliable changes were apparent in 40 to 60% of the cases, a minority (<10%) showed deterioration. The dataset is further analyzed for differences in effect sizes and changes for a number of background factors (e.g. age and sex of the child, type of treatment). Results give a picture of outcomes in usual Dutch youth care. Implications for practice, policy and research will be discussed.
Speaker Information
Tom van Yperen is a pedagogue. His activities at the Netherlands Youth Institute are aimed at improving the quality of child and family services. He participates in many projects, coordinates programs and advises local and national authorities on the reorganization of the child and youth care system in the Netherlands. Up to July 2012, he was special professor at the Utrecht University on the topic of the effectiveness of child and youth care. Since September 2011, he has been special professor at the State University of Groningen, with a focus on monitoring and the innovation of youth care practice.
Jan Willem Veerman is a psychologist and director of Praktikon center for practice-driven research and training. He is also special professor of child and youth care at the Radboud University Nijmegen, with a focus on evaluation and research in youth care and education. He has a long history of conducting national and local projects in youth care and educational practice, especially on quality evaluation and effectiveness research. Together with Tom van Yperen, he founded the Dutch Network of Effective Youth Care (DNEY), consisting of more than 30 organizations that share data and experiences on studying the effectiveness of youth care.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 149 Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Using Practice-Driven Outcome Databases
Problem behavior change during home-based family treatment: The role of CBCL syndrome profile types Speakers & Authors: Marc Delsing (Praktikon, The Netherlands), Ronald De Meyer (Praktikon, The Netherlands), Jan W. Veerman (Praktikon & Radboud University, The Netherlands)
One of the aims of home-based family treatments is to reduce emotional and behavioral problems in children in order to prevent out-of-home placement. Current evaluations of these treatments have typically analyzed data across all children involved. Aggregation of data in this manner can lead to loss of significant information about subtypes of children. Such information could extend our knowledge about which kind of children with which kind of problems profit the most. The present research builds on Achenbach’s efforts to empirically identify subtypes of children based on patterns of Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) syndrome scores.
The purpose of this study was twofold. First, we wanted to investigate what subtypes of children can be distinguished on the basis of their CBCL syndrome score profiles at the start of treatment. Second, we wanted to assess whether these subtypes show differential improvement in emotional and behavioral problems during home-based family treatment. Data were analyzed from 3549 children, aged 4 to 18 years, referred to different types of home-based services in the Netherlands. Using latent profile analysis, five CBCL syndrome profile types were identified. These types showed clear differences in changes in internalizing and externalizing problems during treatment, thus highlighting the utility of this classification system in predicting and evaluating treatment outcomes. Implications for research and practice will be discussed.
Speaker Information
Marc Delsing is a researcher at Praktikon Nijmegen. He received his PhD in 2004 from Radboud University Nijmegen. His research interests include the effectiveness of youth care interventions, adolescent problem behavior, youth culture, and longitudinal methodology. He is co-developer of BergOp, a webbased software program for routine outcome monitoring.
Ronald De Meyer is a researcher at Praktikon Nijmegen. He received his PhD in 2003 from Radboud University Nijmegen. His research focuses on the evaluation of youth care programs. He also participates in developing questionnaires to assess child and family functioning, and he contributes to using these questionnaires in an internet database.
Jan W. Veerman is director of Praktikon Nijmegen and Professor of Special Child and Youth Care at Radboud University Nijmegen. He received his PhD in 1990 from VU University Amsterdam. His research focuses on the evaluation of youth care interventions.
150 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Thursday 6th September | Parallel Session | 16.00 to 18.00
Using Practice-Driven Outcome Databases
Time-trends of positive outcomes of home-based family treatments in the Netherlands
Speakers & Authors: Ronald De Meyer (Praktikon, The Netherlands), Marc Delsing (Praktikon, The Netherlands) & Jan W. Veerman, (Praktikon & Radboud University, The Netherlands)
From 2000 until 2008, various programs of home-based family treatment in the North and East of the Netherlands assessed the severity of behavior problems at the beginning and ending of treatment. Most of the programs were developed to prevent out-of-home placement and offered an alternative for placement.
The aim of this presentation is to show group outcomes and individual changes in internalizing and externalizing behaviour problems over 9 consecutive years. Doing so might yield arguments that even in the absence of control groups there is empirical evidence that home-based treatments are solid and successful. With the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) pre- and post measures were ascertained over the years of nearly 900 families and their children who received Intensive Family Treatment (mean duration six months). T-scores for the Total Problem behavior scale were calculated to assess severity of problems at the beginning and ending of treatment and to show changes during treatment. At the group level effect sizes were calculated, at the individual level Reliable Change Indexes (RCI’s) were calculated. Over 9 years the overall effect size for Total problem behavior was 0.65. RCI’s showed that about 63% of the children improved during treatment. Over the years this pattern was relatively stable (range 58 to 67%). Conclusions: effect sizes show medium effectiveness of home-based treatments in the Netherlands, RCI’s depict the children with positive outcomes and children that show no change or even deteriorate. Early signaling of the latter group might improve the number of positive outcomes.
Speaker Information
Ronald De Meyer is a researcher at Praktikon Nijmegen. His research includes the evaluation of youth care programs. He also participates in developing questionnaires to assess child and family functioning, and he contributes to using these questionnaires in an internet database.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 151 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
An Ecology of Decisions
The Decision-Making Ecology of Placing a Child into Foster Care: A Structural Equation Model Speakers & Authors: John D. Fluke, PhD, Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect, University of Colorado School of Medicine J. Christopher Graham, PhD, University of Washington, Donald J. Baumann, PhD, Trinity College, Alan J. Dettlaff, PhD, Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago
In child welfare, the decision to place a child out of their home decision making is among the most complex of the child welfare decisions with multiple consequences for children Placement decisions are part of a class of decision-making under uncertainty (Swets, 1992) and as a consequence are likely to be highly influenced by decision making thresholds which are specific to the decision maker (Dalgleish, 1998). Using the Decision Making Ecology (DME) framework the authors of this study explore what factors at the child welfare worker level influence the decision to place out of home.
Speaker Information
John Fluke has more than 32 years of experience in social service delivery system research in the area of Child Welfare and Children’s Mental Health Services and is Associate Director of Systems Research and Evaluation at the Kempe Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect at University of Colorado School of Medicine. He is internationally recognized for research in assessing and analyzing decision making in human services delivery systems, frameworks to scale up evidence based practice, and for his innovative and informative research in the areas of administrative data analysis, workload and costing, and performance measurement for child welfare.
152 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
An Ecology of Decisions
Decision Making Ecology: Placement Decision Analysis with the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS) Speakers & Authors: Barbara Fallon, University of Toronto, Nico Trocmé, McGill University
The DME was used to explore the influence of clinical and organizational characteristics on child welfare placement using data from the three cycles of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS) conducted in 1998, 2003 and 2008. The CIS datasets contain information about clinical factors for each investigation and the characteristics of the workers and the organization from which the investigation originated. In 1998, the multi-level logistic regression equation revealed that the proportion of Aboriginal children on the agency caseload was a strong predictor of placement. The relationship between Aboriginal status of the child and placement was non-significant in the analysis. The second analysis extended the findings from the first paper by examining a subsample of 2,059 investigations from the CIS-2003. The multi-level logistic regression equation indicated that, the number of Aboriginal children on agency caseloads was a key predictor of placement. Individual Aboriginal status remained significant in the final model. Using organizational variables available in the 2003 study but not in the 1998 study, subsequent analyses revealed that agencies with lower proportions of workers with social work degrees and higher proportions of Aboriginal children on the agency caseload were more likely to place children in out of home care. There was an interaction effect between the proportion of Aboriginal children on an agency caseload and the degree of centralization in an agency on placement decisions. Using a larger sample of investigations and agencies (including Aboriginal agencies) from the 2008 study, the strength of these findings will be explored and presented.
Speaker Information
Dr. Barbara Fallon has been an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. Dr. Fallon was involved with the first cycle of the CIS in 1998 and 2003. Currently, Dr. Fallon is the Director and Co-Investigator for the CIS-2008 and the Principal Investigator for the OIS-2008. She has published numerous articles and has presented at many local, provincial, national, and international conferences. Dr. Fallon’s research interests include child welfare workers, organizational behaviour and service delivery effectiveness. Nico Trocmé is a professor of social work at McGill University where he holds the Philip Fisher Chair in Social Work and directs the Centre for Research on Children and Families. Dr. Trocmé is the principle investigator for the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (1998, 2003 & 2008), the lead researcher for a Federal-Provincial-Territorial initiative to develop a common set of National Outcomes Measures in child welfare, and coordinates the Canadian Child Welfare Research Portal (cwrp.ca). He is currently conducting analyses of the over-representation of First Nations children in foster care, evaluating a family support program for African Canadian families, and leading the development of outcome indicators for youth centres across Québec.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 153 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
An Ecology of Decisions
Maintaining or Removing Children from their Family Environment: a study of influences on judiciary decisions after a home-based intervention Speakers & Authors: Ms Amélie Turlais (PhD candidate), Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, Equipe Education Familiale et Intervention Sociales auprès des Familles, Centre de Recherche Education et Formation, Prof Paul Durning, Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, Equipe Education Familiale et Intervention Sociales auprès des Familles, Centre de Recherche Education et Formation.
In the last few decades, research in the field of child welfare in France, much like in the majority of Western countries, has focussed on developing evaluation instruments to reduce uncertainty in case decisions. These instruments, which are becoming more and more sophisticated, help with identifying the risk of maltreatment or neglect. However, once these risks are identified, the links between the evaluation and the decision to take action are often unclear. It would appear most interesting, when conducting research on home-based intervention practices, to determine which characteristics can lead to a decision of maintaining or removing the child from their family environment. Indeed, the legal end of a home-based intervention designed to protect vulnerable children and youths is a key moment in their path through the child welfare system. The knowledge of social workers and judges about the situation is much deeper than when the child entered the welfare system. The exploratory study we conducted focused on case factors such as characteristics of the youth, of the family and of the action itself. This first approach highlighted the importance of some characteristics such as schooling difficulties, experiences of violence and the impact of the home-based intervention on the parents in the decision-making process.
Speaker Information
Amélie Turlais is a PhD student at the University of Paris Ouest Nanterre (Paris X). Her PhD, which is supported by a grant from the French Government, studies the evolution of psycho- social-therapeutic practices in child protection. The focus of this research is a day-hospital that welcomes children with behavioural troubles. She has a research master’s in science of education from the University of Paris Ouest and a taught master’s in sociology from University College Dublin in Ireland.
Paul Durning is a University Professor at Nanterre University in Paris ( Emeritus in September 2012). He was the first Director of the French National Observatory (ONED) from its opening in February 2004 until September 2009. His research is focused on child rearing in family and foster settings, child abuse and programs for children and their families. He was the first vice president of EUSARF and the first editor of the Revue internationale d’éducation familiale. He has published many articles in French and a few books. A collection of his most important papers on child abuse was published in French in 2010.
154 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
An Ecology of Decisions
The impact of case and organizational characteristics on the decision to provide services after a report is investigated Speakers & Authors: Andreas Jud, Ph.D., Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, School of Social Work
There is a variety of services to answer needs of children and families in child welfare. However, profiles associated with referrals to specific services remain largely unknown. The lack of research was addressed using a representative Canadian sample of 9,352 child welfare investigations with referrals to specific services. Factors shaping the decision for a single referral to parent support groups, in-home family counselling, other family counselling or more than one family service were analyzed in a multi-level approach. Case characteristics were included on the first and organizational variables on the second level. As suspected, referrals to family services were largely driven by needs. Referrals to more than one service were likely if a case presented problems on different levels: Child functioning issues, few social supports and low socioeconomic status. Although case characteristics associated with referrals to parent support groups and in-home family counselling were similar, more concerns were needed to justify a referral to time and cost intensive in-home counselling. Contrary to other types of family services, single referrals to individual counselling were most likely in the presence of sexual abuse and IPV. Beside the variance on the level case characteristics, services were also largely driven by the respective referring agency. However, variables possibly explaining this impact remain less understood than the assessment of case characteristics. Future research has to explore and theoretically found relationships on this level.
Speaker Information
Andreas Jud received his Ph.D. from the University of Bern, Switzerland. He is faculty at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and a principle investigator of studies on child maltreatment and child protection. In 2011 he has been a post-doctoral fellow at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, conducting secondary analyses on the Canadian Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect, 2008. A follow-up study of maltreated children at University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, are among his other past activities. Research interests include child welfare referrals and decision- making, hospital child protection and child welfare trajectories.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 155 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Foster Care 2
Foster Care: Developing a supportive environment for separated migrant children in Ireland Speakers & Authors: Dr. Deirdre Horgan, School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork (UCC), Ireland
This presentation draws on 2011 research on the views and experiences of professionals working with separated migrant children across a range of statutory, voluntary and private service providers in Ireland. The research examines the position of separated migrant children in Ireland, charting recent policy and practice developments. In particular, it analyses changes in child care arrangements for this group of children and young people, implemented under the Health Service Executive’s ‘Equity of Care’ policy (2009). Under this policy the largely Dublin-based hostel system, through which separated migrant children were being accommodated and cared for since the early 2000s, was replaced at the end of 2010, by a countrywide foster-care system for separated migrant children. It is argued that this transition to foster care brings their care arrangements in line with other children in state care in Ireland.
Research findings cover a broad range of issues related to care, migration, and child protection policies, formal and informal practice, as well as those pertaining to hearing and listening to the voices of separated migrant children. This paper focuses on the potential that this new foster care approach has to contribute to the development of supportive environments for migrant separated children. It examines this potential in the context of assumptions about family settings and local communities associated with this transition in care arrangements. Furthermore, it raises questions about cultural matching, training and appropriate support of foster carers; questions that, if addressed, could assist in reaching this realisable potential.
Speaker Information
Dr. Deirdre Horgan has research expertise in the areas of children and young people’s participation, children’s rights and citizenship, child care and protection and childhood migration. She is currently the Primary Investigator on research for the Children’s Rights Alliance on the Safe Care of Trafficked Children in Ireland. She, along with colleagues, is co-editing a book on Early Childhoods in the Global South: Local and International Contexts for publication with Peter Lang in early 2013.
156 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Foster Care 2
Contact in foster care: bridge or collision between two worlds?
Speakers & Authors: Paulo Delgado, PhD, Affiliation: Escola Superior de Educação do Instituto Politécnico do Porto
This presentation aims to characterize and analyse the contact between children hosted in foster families and their biological families. The study was conducted in 289 hosted children in the District of Porto. They represent 52% of all children hosted in foster families in Portugal. After a short literature review, we present the results obtained with a form that collects all information from official records on those children. We sought to establish who, in biological family, do the visits, in which place and frequency, relating these data with parental family status and hosting time duration. In this analysis is very important the emotional and behavioural child reactions after parental visits. We finally discuss the insights and practical consequences of this research.
Speaker Information
Paulo Delgado has a Degree in Law and Master Degree Course in Education Sciences by Portucalense University, Porto; PhD in Education Sciences by Santiago de Compostela University; Agregação in Education by UTAD – Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. He is a Professor in Escola Superior de Educação do Instituto Politécnico do Porto and an integrated member of CIEC- Research Centre of Child Studies, Minho University, group Childhood Contexts and Pedagogies. He is also a member of the SIPS Board (Iberoamerican Social Pedagogy Society). His fields of specialization include Social Pedagogy, Children’s rights and Foster Care.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 157 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Foster Care 2
Kinship and non-kinship foster care: Differences in contact with biological parents and foster child’s behavioral problems Speakers & Authors: Femke Vanschoonlandt, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Johan Vanderfaeillie, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Frank Van Holen, Opvang vzw, Skrällan De Maeyer, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Caroline Andries, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Kinship foster placements are promoted as the first option of choice for children in need of an out-of-home placement. However, little research has shown kinship placements outperform non- kinship foster placements. Therefore research on the outcomes of kinship care in comparison to non-kinship foster care is necessary.
We compared kinship placements (n=132) with non-kinship foster placements (n=54) on two domains: biological parents (e.g. visiting frequency, attitude towards the placement, relationship with foster parents) and behavioral problems of the foster child. Foster care workers were surveyed concerning the contact and attitude of the parents whereas foster parents filled out a CBCL to measure foster child’s behavioral problems. No differences were found concerning visiting frequency. In non-kinship foster placements biological mothers were more positive towards the placement, more often gave their child their permission to stay in the foster family and more often had a good relationship with the foster parents. Biological fathers also had more often a good relationship with non-kinship foster parents. Non-kinship foster parents were, however, faced with more serious behavioral problems in their foster child. Nevertheless, in a logistic regression analysis not the type of foster placement but the number of previous out-of-home placements was the most important predictive factor for behavioral problems.
These results show that the benefits of placing children with kin may be overrated. Moreover both types of foster parents may need extra support (concerning biological parents and foster child’s behavioral problems). Lastly our results confirm the importance of placement stability for the foster child’s well-being.
Speaker Information
Drs. Femke Vanschoonlandt is a doctoral student at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Clinical and Lifespan Psychology. Her research involves the development, implementation and evaluation of a training program for foster parents of foster children with externalizing behavioral problems.
158 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Foster Care 2
Matching in foster care
Speakers & Authors: Skrallan De Maeyer (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Tim Stroobants (speaker) (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Johan Vanderfaeillie (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Femke Vanschoonlandt (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Frank Van Hoolen (vzw Opvang)
Matching is a crucial phase in the foster care process. Family foster placements, where the capacities of foster parents meet the needs of the foster child are more stable. In this presentation we will present the concept ‘matching’ and discuss different models of matching: profile-, variable- or interaction- oriented models. Based on the interaction-oriented model, an instrument, the VBPS (Foster Parents Preferences Questionnaire) is presented.
The VBPS consists of 32 vignettes, each describing a fictional but realistic foster care situation. Five characteristics of the foster child are imbedded in each vignette: age, gender, problem behavior, collaboration with the (birth) parents and extra workload. The VBPS is developed for use with aspirant foster parents.
In a pilot study three groups filled out the VBPS: a group of aspirant foster parents without experience (n=20), a group of experienced non-kinship foster parents (n=20) and a group of non- foster parents (n=20). The results of this explorative research are promising. The instrument discriminated between the three groups (F=9.152, p<0.001). It was found that all characteristics influenced the decision process. The instrument gives a good insight in the foster parents’ preferences regarding the foster child characteristics imbedded in the vignettes. Further research concerning the validity and reliability of the VBPS is planned and will be discussed.
Speaker Information
Tim Stroobants is a clinical psychologist. From 2009 until 2011, he completed two short-term research projects as a scientific assistant. Currently, he is conducting PhD-research at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. This involves a descriptive and practice-based research on the effectiveness and efficiency of home-visiting youth care services with a short-term intervention.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 159 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Foster Care 2
Who are the foster children?
Speakers & Authors: Elisabeth Backe-Hansen and Elisiv Bakketeig, Norwegian Social Research (NOVA)
One reason for the persistently high prevalence of foster care breakdown may be insufficient assessments of foster children prior to placement. A sufficiently comprehensive and targeted assessment may enable better and more timely intervention when necessary, increase the well- being of foster children and youth since their resources, needs and interests will be better known, and enable prospective foster parents to make more realistic decisions. Making good quality assessments prior to placements become even more pertinent in a situation where Norwegian authorities wish to increase the proportion of direct foster care placements, instead of using intermediate placements in emergency or residential care while a case is being sorted out.
We will present some results from a Norwegian project where 314 caseworkers filled in an electronic questionnaire describing one specific placement in great detail, which is the largest scale Norwegian study of this type to date. Here we will present analyses of to what extent the foster children’s physical, dental and mental health, their special school achievement, special needs, network, interests etc. was assessed prior to placement, and how the results varied according to the foster child’s age at placement, the kind of foster home, the amount of problems known when the decision to place the child or youth was made, the amount of involvement by the child or youth and whether a care plan had been formulated. In particular, we are concerned with the possibility of developing an assessment methodology that is both efficient and manageable for hard-pressed front-line workers.
Speaker Information
Elisabeth Backe-Hansen is a psychologist by profession, with a PhD in Psychology from 2001 and competence equalling that of professor (researcher I) from 2002. The theme of her PhD was decision making processes when social workers place young children outside their homes. She is affiliated with NOVA’s research group for children, youth and child welfare, and is presently responsible for a four-year research program on foster care. Recent work has consisted of an evaluation of Norway’s residential care service as well as aftercare, child poverty and children’s participation.
Elisiv Bakketeig is a lawyer by profession, with a PhD in criminology. The theme of her PhD was how the police process cases they are involved in when there is a strong suspicion of child sexual abuse. After working for some years in the Ministry of Children, Equality and Inclusion, she came to NOVA in 2006. She is affiliated with NOVA’s group for children, youth and child welfare, and has done work on aftercare, evaluation of Norway’s residential care service, of a service to abused children called Children’s Houses and of a mentoring scheme for immigrant children. She is affiliated with the foster care research programme. 160 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Frameworks
Decision-making about out-of-home placements: what role do local organisational contexts play? Speakers & Authors: Riitta, Laakso, University of Tampere, Finland, Tarja, Pösö University of Tampere, Finland
This presentation examines decision-making about out-of-home placements for children in different organisational contexts. The study comprised focus-group interviews as well as semi-structured phone interviews with social workers in 50 Finnish municipalities in order to study the main principles, obstacles and organizational strategies in decision-making process. The presentation is based on an on-going study.
Legislation sets certain criteria for the choice of an adequate placement (i.e. the placement should serve the child’s best interest, kinship and foster care should be prioritised to residential care). The criteria and norms are, however, put into practice on the local level. The preferences of local authorities and professionals, the financial constraints, the availability of foster homes and residential institutions and the needs and wishes of the child and the parents are negotiated when choosing a placement for a child. Local authorities have organised the platforms for decision- making differently: some use centralised, expert decision-making bodies and the others have given the task to the child’s case-worker. Due to the increasing number of children in out-of- home care, the differentiation of the out-of-home services, new forms of administration and managerialism, and respect for children’s rights and needs, the matching process is very complex. The paper discusses the major present challenges in that process in Finland.
Speaker Information
Riitta Laakso is Researcher in Social Work at the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, the University of Tampere, Finland. Her PhD research focused on child protection in a children’s home.
Tarja Pösö is Professor in Social Work at the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, the University of Tampere, Finland. Her recent research on child protection covers such themes as substitute care for children and young people, inter-country adoptions and follow-up studies of children in care.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 161 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Frameworks
Combining participation, reflection and systematic approach in Child Welfare Work
Speakers & Authors: Jan Storø, Associate Professor, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences
Both the child welfare worker and the researcher (with focus on this field) should try to catch the perspective of the children. In child welfare work it is crucial that children are included as active participants in the work, so that actual processes of change can be activated. In research on child welfare no conclusion would be comprehensive without the perspective of those who are the clients of the system. This challenges how the child welfare worker goes about to create the knowledge base that decisions are built on. This paper seeks to explore issues concerning the practice of the staff members of institutions of Child Welfare. In what way does the reflective side of the practice connect with the systematic side? Are they two different issues that do not connect, or can they be viewed as mutually dependent for developing practice? And, how can the children`s perspective be included in the worker`s ambition to combine theory and practice.
In my outline of this perspective, I make comparisons between the practice of the Child Welfare worker and the researcher. I suggest that Child Welfare workers can take use of concepts taken from research methodology, and still preserve the genuine characteristics of their own practice. I will draw upon a model for systematic work with children and young people in a Child Welfare context, published in my last book (Grønvold & Storø 2010)
Speaker Information
Jan Storø has worked with young people and children in care from 1975 – 1999, mostly as a leader of residential units. Leader of The Norwegian Leaving Care Project (1999 – 2002), leader of the MST treatment Unit of Oslo (2002 – 2005). From 2005: Associate Professor of Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Child Welfare Bachelor Program. Author of five books on the transition from care to adulthood and social pedagogy and a wide range of articles on these and other topics connected to child welfare. Member of INTRAC; International Research Network on Transitions to Adulthood from Care
162 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Frameworks
Leading and managing change: An enabling framework for managers
Speakers & Authors: Iain MacLeod, University of Strathclyde, Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland and Laura Steckley, University of Strathclyde, Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland
In contemporary social work and residential care practitioners engage with a landscape of complexity, uncertainty and risk in practice. There are further challenges in the current risk averse and bureaucratic nature of technical-rational approaches to practice. Managing and leading in this terrain requires a reflexive approach to negotiating not only the change that is externally driven, but also internal change within the team and resident group. Complex dynamics and interactions within the team, the resident group and external agencies present significant challenges for managers. This presentation explores these challenges by drawing on a model of holistic containment developed by Ruch (2005) and the concept of primary task Menzies-Lyth (1988).
The model of containment has three dimensions: (1) emotional containment focusing on how unmanageable feelings can be made manageable; (2) organisational containment, focusing on how policies, procedures and organisational practices impact on organisational, professional and managerial clarity; and (3) epistemological containment, focusing on forums that enable members of the organisation to think about, discuss and make sense of contentious, uncertain and complex issues in their work. The concept of primary task enables mangers and teams to understand the fundamental task that the organisation must deliver, and importantly, the ways in which organisation practice may drift into anti-task. We offer an exploratory and enabling framework as a means of leading and managing change and resistance to change. This framework promotes the development of reflective practice in a way that integrates technical bureaucratic knowledge with knowledge that derives from more practical-moral sources.
Speaker Information
Iain MacLeod has a practice background in residential child care and working with children and families in the statutory sector. Iain has been lecturing on qualifying social work undergraduate programmes since 2003. In both his practice and teaching experience Iain has developed and interest in applying insights from Psychodynamic Theory to the task of working in the lifespace.
Laura Steckley’s practice background is in residential treatment for adolescents in the US, and residential child care in the UK. She has also been doing research and teaching related to residential child care on undergraduate and post graduate courses since 2003. One of her primary research interests is the way in which theories of therapeutic containment and holding environments can improve practice - both in working directly with children and young people and in supervising, training and otherwise supporting those who do.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 163 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Frameworks
The Common Assessment Framework: Early identification of needs and the interface with children’s social care Speakers & Authors: Lisa Holmes, Assistant Director, Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University and Samantha McDermid, Senior Research Associate, Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University
This presentation will focus on the key findings from recently completed research to explore the costs and impact of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) in England. The study was carried out using a mixed method approach, including the calculation of ‘bottom up’ unit costs, focus groups and online surveys with professionals and interviews with parents/carers. In addition to the unit costing methodology, the study also explored the impact of the CAF on children and families and professionals across a range of child welfare agencies.
In this presentation, the interface between early intervention support under the auspices of CAF and children’s social care will be explored, both in terms of the costs of providing services and the outcomes achieved. Being able to cost support and interventions accurately facilitates comparisons between the relative value, both in terms of costs and quality, of different types of provision and makes it easier to estimate the potential value of introducing a range of alternative packages. Case study examples will be used to illustrate how the data can and has been used to inform national policy and local practice within children’s services departments.
Speaker Information
Lisa Holmes is Assistant Director of the Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University. Over the past twelve years Lisa has undertaken a body of research to inform policy and practice. Lisa manages the Costs and Outcomes research programme, which aims to explore the relationship between needs, costs and outcomes of services provided to vulnerable children. In 2005 Lisa was seconded to DCSF to work with the Looked After children Taskforce to disseminate research findings and produce a resource pack to assist children’s services departments with the strategic development of services to best meet the needs of vulnerable children.
Samantha McDermid joined the Centre for Child and Family Research (CCFR) in 2007, to work on the Costs and Outcomes programme of research and has taken a lead role in a number of the studies in this programme of research, including the costs of supporting all children in need, including those on a child protection plan, the costs and impact of the Common Assessment Framework and short breaks. Prior to joining CCFR Samantha worked as a Research Assistant at Nottingham Trent University on the evaluation of a number of SureStart local programmes.
164 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Frameworks
The importance of a conceptual framework in research with children and young people in foster care Speakers & Authors: Justin Rogers, University Of Bath
The presentation aims to highlight the importance of developing a rigorous conceptual framework when undertaking research with children and young people in foster care. Miles and Huberman (1984, p33) describe a conceptual framework as a ‘researchers map of the territory being investigated’. This paper argues that in order to document the perspectives of children and young people a rigorous conceptual framework is essential in order to focus on exactly what it is you are asking their views on. Knowing what aspects of the young people’s experience you are researching is also an important ethical consideration particularly when undertaking research in to areas that are of a potentially sensitive nature. There have also been recent calls to utilise sociological concepts in research with looked after children in order to gain nuanced understandings of their experiences (Berridge 2007; Winter 2006). In order to highlight how this can be achieved an overview of the conceptual framework from the PhD project that I am currently working on will be presented. The study draws on the sociological concept of social capital, as understood by Bourdieu, and examines through a qualitative approach the practices within the young people’s social networks. The research aims to explore the day to day lives of young people living in foster care in the United Kingdom with a clear focus on their interactions within their social networks.
Speaker Information
Justin Rogers is an independent social worker and researcher. His current professional practice includes assessment and support work for a local authority family placement team. He has experience of working in both independent and local authority family placement services. Justin holds a BA Hons and an MRes in Social Work and he is currently working towards a Social Work PhD at the University of Bath.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 165 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Identity
Exploring aspects of identity development for young people in care
Speakers & Authors: Presentation speaker - Clare Tilbury, School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia, Peter Creed, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Australia, Nicholas Buys, School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia
Being in care raises many questions about identity – who is my family, where do I fit in, what will happen to me? While out-of-home care research and policy has long focused on safety, stability and permanency, there is increasing interest in other aspects of children’s well-being while in care, such as health, education, family and social relationships. The focus for this presentation is identity development, which is theorized as a contextual and interactional process of exploring, evaluating, and revising possible identities over time. Vocational identity development is a central dimension of identity formation, and we outline findings from a study of career development for children in care, highlighting young people’s goal exploration in occupational and interpersonal domains. We surveyed children in care aged 13-17 years, and a comparison group (not in care), which we used to construct a matched group (n=202). We also interviewed 65 children in the in- care group. Data were obtained on a range of career and person-related variables, preferred or avoided identities, and factors and relationships perceived as aiding or impeding the achievement of work and life goals. Many children in care expressed a desire to go beyond the expectations of others but believed they faced barriers related to their in-care status and the lack of stability in their upbringing. Research in this field is important, because gaining a positive sense of self assists individuals to make sense of the past, the present, and what might happen in the future, and is associated with better adult outcomes.
Speaker Information
Clare Tilbury is the Life Without Barriers Carol Peltola Research Chair at the School of Human Services and Social Work at Griffith University, Australia. Her research interests include child protection outcomes, accountability, and performance measurement, with a focus on children’s wellbeing in child protection and care systems and what they say would make a difference in their lives.
166 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Identity
Predictors of hope for young people in out-of-home care
Speakers & Authors: Jesse McClintock (University of Ottawa) (speaker), Andréanne Laframboise (University of Ottawa), Dr. Robert J. Flynn (University of Ottawa)
Previous research has established the construct of hope as an important resilience factor for children and adults in the general population, yet little research has investigated whether hope can be beneficial to young people in out-of-home care. The current study used data from the Ontario Looking After Children project to investigate predictive factors for hope in young people aged 12-17 years old in the Ontario foster care system. Several instruments were incorporated into a comprehensive questionnaire, called the Assessment and Action Record, that was administered via a conservational interview between child worker, young person, and, when present, a caregiver. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were conducted to evaluate changes in hope over a one- year period. Hierarchical regression and correlations were used to assess several factors believed to contribute to increased levels of hope. Results showed that young people in care who report higher levels of hope are likely to have a higher presence of positive contextual factors (quality relationship with a female caregiver, parental nurturance, and stability of living conditions), more promotive factors (self-esteem, academic performance, approach coping style), and fewer risk factors (cognitive impairment and educational disability) when compared to those reporting lower levels of hope. Importantly, factors that promote higher levels of hope in young people in out- of-home care are similar to those reported in the general population. The results suggest a need for increased focus on promotive factors in young people in care in order to increase resilience to possible challenges encountered in out-of-home care environments.
Speaker Information
Jesse McClintock has been working as a research assistant at the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services (CRECS) within the University of Ottawa for the past two years. Concurrently, she is completing a Masters degree in Educational Counselling at the University of Ottawa and hopes to continue on to doctoral studies in the future.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 167 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Identity
Seasons for Looked After children: the highs and the lows
Speakers & Authors: Whitney Barrett, Senior Psychologist, The Psychological Service, Clackmannanshire and Anne Wilson, LAC Project Officer, Action for Sick Children Scotland
This presentation explains Seasons For Growth (SFG), its use with children in foster care, the highs and the lows and how it helped. In SFG, participants explore feelings around change and loss using the metaphor of the seasons in relation to the cyclical nature of loss. In Autumn they acknowledge change and loss as part of life and they are not alone in this. In Winter, they experience the pain of loss through shared story-telling and exploration of feelings. In Spring, they explore strategies for managing feelings they experience and in Summer, they reinvest in emotional energy through goal setting for the future and celebration of support mechanisms and things they found helpful.
The practical aspects of setting up the programme and the challenges and benefits are explained. Resources and activities: Journals, bear cards, worry dolls, play dough faces, guided imagery, icing pens and doughnut faces, kites. Techniques include Following / mirroring young people’s initiatives; Multi-sensory activities – talking, seeing, smelling, touching and doing while listening. Joint attention – drawing feelings on the doughnut face while talking about it; ‘Neutral’ adults; Flexible venue / location.
Professionals said they would never open up and speak – they did. The young people said, “When can we do another programme? These are my friends”. Their loss is cyclical and Seasons for LAAC are never ending so how can these programmes be embedded into provision for all looked after CYP?
Speaker Information
Anne Wilson’s professional background is in teaching and learning in addition to extensive experience of the health care system as a parent carer of a child with complex healthcare needs. She is currently Development Officer with Action for Sick Children (Scotland) working on a project for Looked After Children’s healthcare.
Whitney Barrett is a Senior Educational Psychologist with Clackmannanshire Council. Whitney has been an educational Psychologist for 12 years and currently has a specialist remit for Looked After Children.
168 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Identity
Using creative methods to explore identity and belonging with young people who are looked after: The Sight and Sound Project Speakers & Authors: Dr EJ Milne, School of Applied Social Science, University of Stirling - presentation speaker, Dr Sarah Wilson, School of Applied Social Science, University of Stirling
This presentation will discuss the use of sensory methods in research with young people through an analysis of the methods used in the Sight and Sound Project (http://spacesightandsound.weebly. com/). Over the past year, young people from urban, rural and island areas of Scotland who are living or have lived in kinship, foster or residential care, have been involved in this on-going project which explores young people’s sense of (not) belonging and ambivalent belongings in these circumstances.
Influenced by a diverse body of work (DeNora, 2000; Bull, 2007; Rose, 2007; Mason and Tipper, 2010; Miller 2010; Pink, 2010) which argues for greater attention to be paid to sensory experience and objects in research into personal life, the project has employed various sensory and participatory methods, including photography, soundscapes, music, drawing and mapping. These methods were designed with the intention of creating a more participant-led, enjoyable and collective process, which contrasts with more extractive traditional interview-based research. Through analyzing participants’ interactions with and perspectives on each method, the presenters will discuss how sensory methods may increase the agency of young people in research, and how sound and images may facilitate the discussion of hard to verbalise emotions and circumstances. The presentation will also consider some of the possible limitations and ethical issues inherent in using these methods with young people in transition.
Speaker Information
Dr ‘EJ’ Elisabeth-Jane Milne is a Research Fellow in Applied Social Sciences at the University of Stirling. She is currently working on the ESRC funded project Young People Creating Belonging: spaces, sounds and sights (aka The Sight and Sound Project). The project is working with 30 young people across Scotland, using creative methods to examine belonging and non-belonging with young people who are looked after. EJ is lead Editor of The Handbook of Participatory Video (AltaMira Press 2012) and Vice President of the International Sociological Association Visual Sociology Group.
Dr Sarah Wilson is a Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Stirling where she lectures on the Sociology of Childhood. She has worked on several research projects around parental substance misuse and is Principal Investigator on an ESRC funded project entitled Young People Creating Belonging: Spaces, Sounds and Sights. The project employs visual and audial methods to explore how young people who are ‘looked after’ construct belonging across different spaces.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 169 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Identity
Trauma and hope in the narratives of adolescent girls with long care histories
Speakers & Authors: Hans Grietens, Centre for Special Needs Education & Youth Care, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
As part of a project evaluating a residential programme in Flanders (Belgium) for adolescent girls with severe mental health problems and long trajectories in care, a multiple case study was designed in which the narratives were collected of six girls. The narratives were on the girls’ lived experiences in care and their needs for help. Multiple open interviews were held and story-eliciting techniques were used. How the girls evaluated the programme and what were their needs, has been reported to the Flemish government. In a secondary analysis, we focussed on two major and interrelated themes emerging out of the girls’ narratives: trauma and hope. We reread and recoded the stories, bearing in mind theoretical frameworks and empirical research on complex trauma and resilience in children growing up in out-of-home. Each girl had a highly unique ‘trauma and hope’ narrative. Nevertheless, it was found that the setting contained several re-traumatizing elements for all girls, as trauma has been deeply nested in their lives. Although trauma seemed to be omnipresent in some narratives, hope was not gone, far from. All girls had future perspectives and kept dreams. Clinical implications of the study will be given. In particular, we will discuss how the lived experiences of these girls can inform practice and optimize group care work.
Speaker Information
Hans Grietens is Full Professor at the Centre for Special Needs Education & Youth Care, University of Groningen (the Netherlands). He is doing research on child welfare, in particular on foster care and family support. Core interests are children’s perspectives on care, maltreated children in care, and mental health needs of children in care. He is president of the European Scientific Association on Residential and Family Care for Children and Adolescents (EUSARF) and seconded as Senior Researcher to the Regional Child Protection Research Unit of the University of Trondheim (Norway).
170 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Leaving Care
A good start? Experiences of young people leaving care
Speakers & Authors: Sharon Van Audenhove, PhD researcher - Assistant Criminology, Ghent University (IRCP)
It is widely accepted that young people residing in youth care transition to independence and adult responsibilities earlier than peers living within their family of origin. Literature, examining the way young people in care construct this transition, is scarce. Moreover, few studies have heard the voices of these youth in transition. A better understanding of the experiences of the youth transitioning out of care is critical for the development of appropriate supports and services to meet their needs.
Therefore, this PhD-project aims to gain insight into the experiences and needs of young people during this transition period. To obtain an elaborate picture of that period, a follow-up study is used, involving two waves of data collection. The young people will be interviewed twice: once before they leave the youth care and once 18 months after the first interview. The research data are derived from in-depth qualitative interviews with 30 youth (age 17-20).
While several studies have confirmed the risk of deleterious outcomes for this population, this presentation will focus on the voices of the youth themselves and what they need to manage the transition to adulthood successfully. The research data of the first wave of the follow-up will be presented. The central life domains, such as employment/education, social environment and housing, form the thread of the research data. Finally, the results of this study are compared with the international literature on this subject to look for possible differences and/or similarities.
Speaker Information
Sharon Van Audenhove is bachelor of Orthopedagogy (2004) and master of Criminology (2007). Since 1 January 2010, she is an assistant / PhD researcher at Ghent University attached to the Department of Penal law and Criminology and member of the research group ‘Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy’ (IRCP).
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 171 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Leaving Care
Leaving an Orphanage in Bulgaria
Speakers & Authors: Galina Markova, PhD, New Bulgarian University, Yana Katzarova, P.U.L.S Foundation, Bulgaria, Prof. Robert Gilligan , Trinity College Dublin
The institutional care in Bulgaria was set up during the communist period (1944-1989). A strategy for de-institutionalization is now being developed to close all institutions and transform institutional care into community care. This OAK foundation funded study presents the results of Resilience – Bulgaria qualitative research in relation to a sample of 14 participants who have lived in long-term institutional care and are now adjusting to life in the community having left the institution. While all of them have developed unique strategies to cope with abuse and neglect in the institutions, after leaving care they struggle with homelessness, lack of stable income, rejection from their biological families. Most of them have changed a number of institutions due to aging out which affected their education. Two of the participants have managed to finish high school as a result of long-term supportive relationships they had developed. The analysis has identified 2 groups of children – those who have lived in their family and those who have been placed in institutional system right from their birth. The two groups present different sets of strengths and issues. Examples of individual cases will illustrate the issues young people confront and how support needs to be tailored to individual circumstances.
Speaker Information
Galina Markova, PhD is the director of the Know How Centre for Alternative Care for Children at the New Bulgarian University. She teaches and supervises social workers at the MA Clinical social work at the Bulgarian Institute of Human Relations. Her field of expertise is transformation of institutionalized care for children into community-based one. Her interest in integration of the strength-based perspective in the development of community services for children and families.
172 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Leaving Care
Leaving care with a ‘cultural baggage’? Unaccompanied minors in Sweden.
Speakers & Authors: Åsa Söderqvist, Jönköping Univeristy/Regional Development Council of Jönköping County
In this presentation unaccompanied minors’ specific situation after leaving care in Sweden will be emphasized. By conducting a qualitative study, focus has been directed towards how the unaccompanied minor thinks that different aspects related to perceptions of ethnicity and culture have had an impact on the care being offered, and how they succeed to establish themself into the Swedish society after completed placement in out of home care. Different views of how ethnicity and culture are being interpreted and mediated related to the unaccompanied minors are being presented. The unaccompanied minors are claiming that focus on how they may differ from the majority population based on heritage are, and have been, present in their lives ever since the first day they arrived to Sweden. So also during the stay at the residential care, however not only in a negative way. The perceptions about ethnicity and culture are not only being related to everyone else but are also often being used in the interviews with the unaccompanied minors themselves when giving explanations to a continuous experienced exclusion from different arenas in the Swedish society today.
Speaker Information
Åsa Söderqvist is currently a PhD student in social work at Jönköping University and the Regional development council of Jönköping county. The research project is focusing on care-leavers and what impact different social categories may have when transition into adulthood is taking place. Academic background in social work and human rights. Work experience with children placed in residential care, as well as with newly arrived immigrants being received by the Swedish municipality.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 173 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Leaving Care
Professional discretion regarding support for young people leaving care
Speakers & Authors: Inger Oterholm, Diakonhjemmet University College
In Norway, young people aged between 18 and 23 leaving care can be supported from both the Child Welfare Service and Social Welfare Service. These organizations have two different target groups; to help and protect vulnerable children and youth, and to provide welfare services for adults. The service’s guidelines give a large space for discretion as to who should have the responsibility for the youth. The aim of this PhD-project has been to examine social workers’ use of discretion in working with young people leaving care in these two organizational settings.
Young people leaving care often have needs that are not being met by their families, and they are dependent on public support in this transition. In this research project I look into what kind of support they get, which service organization provides it and the reasons behind it. This study is based on qualitative interviews with social workers from both Child Welfare Services and Social Welfare Services. The focus of the interviews is the social workers’ considerations regarding support for young people leaving care. As support can be provided by both services, this particular situation has given me the opportunity to examine how the organizing of services has implications for policy and practice in aftercare.
The findings suggest differences in support provided, and the services also explain the reasons for giving assistance differently. Still some ways of understanding are similar across the services. These are issues I would like to discuss in the presentation.
Speaker Information
Inger Oterholm is working as an assistant professor at Diakonhjemmet University College. She is a social worker with a post graduate qualification in social work. At the present time she is a PhD student.
174 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Leaving Care
Separated Children in Ireland: Issues of Aftercare Provision
Speakers & Authors: Aoife Horgan, University College Cork
This presentation will focus on qualitative research investigating the process of separated children ageing out of the care system in Ireland and the consequences this transition period presents in terms of aftercare provision and support. It will highlight the challenges faced by separated children on arrival in Ireland and recent developments in policy and provision relating to this. While separated children are now being fostered in mainstream care, this process of integration is fractured when they reach 18 years of age. The Health Service Executive has an obligation to provide care to separated children while they are minors, however, this responsibility under the Child Care Act 1991 changes from ‘shall’ to ‘may’ once they turn 18 (Joyce and Quinn, 2009).
Aftercare provision and support was highlighted by separated children as a key priority in the recent Department of Children and Youth Affairs report on listening to children in care and the Ombudsman for Children’s report on separated children living in Ireland. However, the newly implemented policy of targeted dispersal forces many separated children to leave their communities on turning 18 with no continuity in educational provision and little access to aftercare support. This presentation posits that while separated children are given a voice and are provided for within the care system, on turning 18, not only do they lose key established supports but also lack a voice in the way policy shapes their future.
Speaker Information
Aoife Horgan is a PhD student in the School of Applied Social Studies in University College Cork, Ireland. Aoife’s research is investigating the transition period from being a separated child in Ireland to becoming an aged out minor. This research will explore the effect this transition period has on aged out minors’ economic, psychological, health, educational and social well-being in addition to examining the policy and legislative context.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 175 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Relationships
Organisational Change, Attachment Promoting Practice and Social Pedagogy
Speakers & Authors: Graham McPheat, CELCIS/University of Strathclyde, School of Applied Social Sciences
A programme of organisational change was undertaken by Edinburgh City Council Residential Services whereby an attachment promoting framework was developed and implemented across all their residential services and units. The programme was developed in order that a consistent framework of practice be developed which would be experienced by all children, regardless of the setting in which they were placed. Since then considerable resources have also been directed towards training and staff development focussing upon social pedagogy in an attempt that social pedagogy informed practice be developed. This presentation will outline the process of organisational change necessary to enable the attachment promoting framework to be embedded and implemented across a range of staff teams and settings. It will highlight the successes experienced in changes to practice as well as identifying some of the significant challenges that were experienced and how attempts were made to overcome these. From this the focus will move to how these developments were built upon by the engagement with social pedagogy training in order that a clearly developed philosophy of practice could be further developed and implemented.
Speaker Information
Graham worked in residential child care for 10 years as a practitioner and manager. Between 2003 and 2011 he was a SIRCC funded lecturer in GSSW. Since 2011 he has been employed by CELCIS in the post of Course Development Lead. This role currently involves development work on a range of potential programmes, including a social pedagogy degree and an e-learning international programme for residential and child and youth care workers. Graham also retains the position of Course Lead on the BA (Hons) Social Work programme delivered in the School of Applied Social Sciences in University of Strathclyde.
176 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Relationships
What underpins relational practice with children in care?: emerging findings from a cross-national study Speakers & Authors: Professor Claire Cameron, Anglia Ruskin University
Across European states, practitioners and policy makers are agreed that building and sustaining relationships are fundamentally important for work with children in state care and their families. But what ideas underpin those relationships? What are the conditions for relational work? This presentation will examine some emerging findings from a study in Flanders, Denmark and Germany focused on understanding relational practice in day to day work with children and families and includes data from social pedagogues trained in Germany and working in the UK. Specific questions were asked about areas of concern in the UK, such as the role of physical touch, the discourse of risk, the concept of dependency and sustaining relationships beyond placements, affording some comparative reflections. We will argue that the theoretical and organisational context of relational work must be elaborated: the right placement and a good social worker is just the start.
Speaker Information
Claire Cameron is Professor of Social Work at Anglia Ruskin University. Prior to this she was a researcher at Thomas Coram Research Unit Institute of Education University of London where she worked with Professor Peter Moss (Men in the Nursery: Gender and caring work; Care Work in Europe: Current Understandings and Future Directions; Social Pedagogy and Working with Children and Young People: Where care and education meet). She is a leading UK expert on social pedagogy, and in the relationship between who the workers are and what they do in practice.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 177 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Relationships
Acts of resistance: listening to looked after young people and challenging power relationships Speakers & Authors: Andressa Gadda, University of Edinburgh
Providing the opportunity for children to make choices is important as it gives them a sense of being in control of their lives and teaches them to be responsible (SWIA, 2006). Children’s right to be consulted in decisions that affect their lives is now enshrined in national and international documents, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) of 1989 and the Children (Scotland) Act of 1995.
Despite the rhetoric, recent research has shown that looked after children are not being listened to when decisions regarding their lives are being taken (Leeson, 2007, McLeod, 2007, SWIA, 2006). In what follows I will explore what a group of young people (five girls and five boys) subject to a home supervision requirement in Scotland had to say about their experiences of participation in the care system, and the strategies they used in order to exercise power in interactions with adults, including the researcher.
Although young people were often asked for their opinions, they questioned the value of such engagement as they felt they were not being listened to. In response they used a number of techniques, such as avoidance and active resistance, in order to exercise control over their interactions with professionals (McLeod, 2007). However, such responses were often misunderstood by adults who did not recognise these actions as forms of communication. It is therefore important that we consider how participation is being pursued and the impact it has on young people’s interactions with adults.
Speaker Information
Andressa Gadda is a doctoral researcher in the Social Work Department of the University of Edinburgh. Her research explored young people’s, parents’ and social workers views and experiences about Home Supervision Requirements in Scotland. She is particularly interested in children and young people’s participation in decision-making processes, both at the micro and macro level. She is currently working as a research officer at the office of the Scottish Commissioner for Children and Young People. She also works as a sessional Youth Worker for the Children and Families Department of the Edinburgh City Council.
178 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Relationships
Effective Intervention begins with Client Engagement
Speakers & Authors: Bruce Leslie, Manager of Quality Assurance, Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, James Gladstone, Professor, McMaster University, School of Social Work, Hamiliton Ontario
Although client-worker engagement is a critical aspect of almost all helping processes, little is known about the interactive characteristics of “engagement” and its relationship to intervention outcomes. A study was carried out using a mixed methods design to (1) determine how worker- parent engagement is related to outcome in the field of child welfare and (2) learn about the casework skills and processes that promote positive engagement in the worker-parent relationship. Questionnaire and interview data were collected from 131 randomly sampled worker-parent dyads affiliated with 11 child welfare agencies in Ontario, Canada. Our findings showed: • Parents who were more engaged were significantly more likely to feel that their child was safer, to report positive changes in their parenting, greater satisfaction with their social worker in terms of service outcome, and increased likelihood of contacting their social worker in the future if needed. • A significant association was found between specific casework intervention skills and desired outcomes: for example, parents stated that given reassurance by their workers, they were more likely to contact the agency in the future. • A significant correlation between worker engagement and parent engagement was found. • A significant relationship between parent engagement and several process variables was identified. • Study findings reveal casework engagement skills facilitated effective interventions. Implications will be discussed in terms of the importance of effective engagement as a vital beginning and on-going process positively impacting interventions and outcomes.
Speaker Information
Bruce Leslie has worked in child welfare services for 31 years and held various direct service and management level positions. For the last ten years he has been the Manager of Quality Assurance at the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto. He has conducted numerous evaluation and research studies and collaborated with academics to conduct studies related to child welfare services. He has produced numerous publications and presentations on topics such as runaways, crack use, housing, young parents, leaving care, self-harm and engagement.
Jim Gladstone is a professor in the School of Social Work at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario Canada. Jim’s interest is in social work practice. His research interests focus on the way that relationships are negotiated between individuals and between informal and formal systems. Jim is currently conducting research that examines the way that adult clients and child welfare workers engage with one another. His work has also focused on kinship care and how power is used in the relationships that child welfare workers have with grandparents caring for their grandchildren.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 179 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Relationships
Humour as a strategy for ‘doing your time well’
Speakers & Authors: Tea Torbenfeldt Bengtsson, The Danish International Centre for Social Research
This paper focuses upon the role of humour in a secure care setting for young offenders, age 15 to 18, in Denmark. Drawing on a three months ethnographic field study the paper illustrates the variety of humorous interactions between the confined young people, including forms of ethnic word-games, mythic storytelling from the streets and ritual insults connected to sexuality. The majority of the young offenders are boys for whom humorous exchange becomes a strategy for handling the constraints of confinement and thus for ‘doing your time well’. As such humour utilises the regulation of the hyper-masculine hierarchies dominating the secure care setting. Although the ethnic diversity within the group of young people facilitates humours interactions this diversity also reveals a fine line between humour and insult. Humour is thus analysed as holding both elevating and oppressive dynamics influencing the young people’s culture and hierarchies within the institution. Furthermore, while humour becomes an organising principle for positioning the young people within the peer group humour also has clear implications for the ethnographer’s position and relationship with the young people under study. The dynamic of the ethnography is nuanced by the ethnographer’s differently gendered and ethnic identity, as a White female. Humour as a strategy for ‘doing your time well’ thus becomes relevant for both the confined young people and the ethnographer.
Speaker Information
Tea Torbenfeldt Bengtsson is a researcher at SFI – The Danish National Centre for Social Research. She has recently handed in her PhD thesis in sociology focusing on the youth life of young offenders in secure care in Denmark. She is interested in vulnerable young people’s risk-taking and qualitative research methods.
180 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Residential 2
Children in Residential Care and school engagement or school ‘dropout’: How care workers could reinforce protective factors? Speakers & Authors: Benjamin Denecheau, PhD student, University of Bordeaux Segalen, France
In both England and in France, looked after children are more likely to have problems in school: relatively low levels of academic achievement and drop out early from education, in comparison with other children. Children in residential care in both countries tend to be those in most difficulty. Their situation, before and during care, is an accumulation of factors that have been identified as risk predictors of school dropout.
This presentation is based on a comparative study into the education of children in residential care in France and in England, with a specific focus on identifying which elements could support care workers in reinforcing school engagement. National and local policies on English and French care systems are changing to address different objectives and, in both countries, different decisions have been made in order to respond nationally and locally to the needs of these children. We have identified some elements in the policies and local practices which could support care workers in helping children to engage more in school or, on the contrary, which could make it more difficult for them to address this topic. We could find some clue in some national and local practices as inter- professional working, training, or residential unit management which could explain differences.
The research took place in two French departments (départements) in 2008-2009 and in one English county local authority in 2009-2010. The research includes observations and secondary data analysis, as well as interviews with children and professionals (N=100).
Speaker Information
Benjamin Dencheau is a PhD student in the University of Bordeaux Segalen (France). His thesis (2008-2012) is a comparative study between France and England about Looked After Children’s school engagement. He teaches Education Sciences at the University of Poitiers (France). His research interests include school dropout, violence in school and youth delinquency.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 181 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Residential 2
Effect of continuity of care on the psychosocial development of children and youth in residential settings: a mixed-methods systematic review Speakers & Authors: Heather Menzies Munthe-Kaas, Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services, Karianne Thune Hammerstrøm, Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services, Nanna Kurtze, Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services Kristina Rolstad Nordlund, Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services
Continuity of care (CoC) within residential settings describes to what degree care of looked after children is coherent and consistent. Elements which determine continuity of care include staff turnover rates, staff to child ratio, and type of staffing patterns. This presentation will summarize preliminary findings from a systematic review on the effect of organizational changes and interventions to promote continuity of care on the psychosocial development of children and youth living in residential institutions.
Using a mixed-methods approach, we will present summarized evidence on the following questions: What is the effect of organizational changes or interventions to promote CoC on the psychosocial development of children/youth living in residential settings? How does CoC affect how children/ youth experience life in an institution?
This study employs systematic review methodology developed by the Cochrane Collaboration. Using a systematic literature search and a set of explicit inclusion/exclusion criteria, relevant studies were identified, appraised and synthesized in an attempt to answer the research questions. There is increasing recognition for the value of including both effect and qualitative studies when conducting systematic reviews on complex social interventions. Qualitative evidence synthesis related to the experiences of looked after children aims to clarify why and how elements of CoC are important and whether children’ needs/wants are addressed when out-of-home care is designed and implemented. This systematic review may have important implications for how residential institutions are organized in the future.
Speaker Information
Heather Menzies Munthe-Kaas is a researcher with the Social Research Unit at the Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services. She has an MSc in Social Psychology from The London School of Economics and Political Science and a BA&Sc in Psychology from McMaster University.
182 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Residential 2
Organizational transformation supported by applied research: An example from Boys Town Speakers & Authors: Ronald W. Thompson, Ph.D., Director, Boys Town National Research Institute for Child and Family Studies, Boys Town, Nebraska, USA. (Presentation speaker); Shann McKeever, Vice President, Program Fidelity, Father Flanagan’s Boys Home, Boys Town, Nebraska, USA; and Daniel L. Daly, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Director of Youth Care, Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Home, Boys Town, Nebraska, USA
Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Home (Boys Town), was founded in 1917 to provide at-risk boys with a nurturing home, spiritual and character development, a good education, and job skills. Since then, the organization has undergone several transformations to adapt to societal, cultural, economic and political contexts. By 2007, Boys Town had expanded from providing primarily residential care to include family and community-based services and had grown from one site in Nebraska to having sites in 10 US states. At that time the organization set four strategic goals to continue to implement the mission and adapt to current opportunities and policy: 1) double the number of children served, 2) emphasize economic recovery of costs, 3) target family-based services for growth, and 4) conduct research to support these goals.
A number of strategies were employed to align the organizational culture with these goals and balanced scorecards and dashboards were created to monitor progress on strategic initiatives, child and family outcomes and fidelity of program implementation. Research capacity was also enhanced and aligned to support this plan.
Compared to 2007, last year the number of youth directly served grew from 12,000 to 28,000, the cost recovery of services improved from approximately 55% to 75%, the percentage of youth served in family settings increased from approximately 65% to 90%, and two separate intervention programs were listed on national registries of evidence-based programs due to expanded research. Specific strategies and metrics used to achieve these results will be discussed along with implications for organizational change.
Speaker Information
Ronald Thompson is the Director of the Boys Town National Research Institute for Child and Family Studies. Dr. Thompson has a Ph.D. in Psychological and Cultural Studies from the University of Nebraska. He has forty years of experience as a clinician, program administrator, consultant, applied researcher, and research administrator and has held faculty positions at the University of Nebraska Department of Special Education, Creighton University School of Medicine, and the University of Kansas Department of Human Development. He has published or presented more than 150 professional and scientific papers.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 183 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Residential 2
ROM in Residential Youth Care: A First Impression of Young Peoples’ Attainment of Treatment Goals After One Year in Treatment Speakers & Authors: Thérèse Overbeek MSc (De Hoenderloo Groep, Pluryn, The Netherlands), Karin Frissen, MSc (De Hoenderloo Groep, Pluryn, The Netherlands) Ignace Vermaes PhD (De Hoenderloo Groep, Pluryn & Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands)
De Hoenderloo Groep (DHG) provides residential treatment for 350 young persons aged 10-18 with complex behavior problems. Treatment of DHG targets at reduction of externalizing and internalizing problems, empowerment of developmentally appropriate competences and family functioning.
The presentation discusses a first exploration of the data to examine the extent to which treatment goals are attained after one year. In 2009, DHG - advised by researchers from the University of Leiden (Scholte & Van der Ploeg) - implemented ROM to monitor treatment goals, methods and outcomes. Data from 70 adolescents were obtained at intake (T1) and one-year (T2). Measures were: Goals, Methods & Development Questionnaire (Van der Ploeg & Scholte, 1988), ASEBA (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000), Social Competences of Youths Questionnaire (Scholte & Van der Ploeg, 2009), and Family Questionnaire (Van der Ploeg & Scholte, 2008).
A year after admission, practitioners reported modest progression on treatment goals for 45% of the adolescents. According to the adolescents, their group mentors and parents, between 62-64% of the adolescents had significantly less internalizing problems, 38-50% less externalizing problems, and 25-66% better social competences. Functioning improved in 50% of the families. Overall, the first results suggest that more than half of the adolescents make significant progressions during their first year of treatment at DHG, which is encouraging given the fact that DHG has a “last resort” function for the most complex behaviour problems. Yet, more data are needed to draw conclusions and comparison data from other centres are needed to benchmark these outcomes.
Speaker Information
Thérèse Overbeek obtained a masters degree in Neuropsychology and Developmental Psychology at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands in 2004. She was a junior researcher investigating physiological responses to emotional states at Philips Research in Eindhoven from 2005 to 2009. In 2010 she started as junior researcher in the area of treatment outcome monitoring at De Hoenderloo Groep. Since 2012, she also carries out neuropsychological diagnostics at the youth residing at De Hoenderloo Groep.
184 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 11.30 to 13.30
Residential 2
The Anatomy of Residential Care Placement Decision-Making
Speakers & Authors: Sigrid S. James, PhD, MSW; Professor Loma Linda University Department of Social Work and Social Ecology, School of Behavioral Health
Child service systems have to make decisions every day about the placement of youth into residential care settings (RCS). Research has indicated with some consistency that youth placed into RCS tend to be older, present with behavior problems, have spent more time in out-of-home care, and experience a higher number of placement changes. However, much remains unknown about the decision-making processes that are at play when deciding to move a youth into a RCS. Following review of existing decision-making models, this study used ethnographic methods to explore in depth the decision-making processes of an interdisciplinary placement screening committee, charged with making decisions about children and youth deemed at risk for higher level placement. The study was conducted in one large child welfare system over a period of 8 months. Methods involved ethnographic observation of weekly placement screening meetings, key informant interviews and document review. Field notes were transcribed and coded, using NVivo software, according to a methodology outlined by Willms et al. (1990) “Coding Consensus, Co- occurrence, and Comparison,” which is rooted in grounded theory. Findings converged in part with prior research, confirming the importance of prior placement history, age of youth and degree of emotional and behavioral problems. But the study also determined that the social workers who presented a youth’s case played an important gate keeping role, and that their knowledge and relationship with RCS settings was a significant determinant in whether alternatives to RCS were even considered. Implications for practice and knowledge development in this area are discussed.
Speaker Information
Sigrid S. James, PhD, MSW, is a professor in the Department of Social Work and Social Ecology at Loma Linda University where she has held an appointment since 2004. She holds degrees from UCLA (MSW, 1990) and the University of Southern California (PhD, 2003). From 2010-2012 she was a Fellow in the Implementation Research Institute at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Her research focuses on the mental health needs of and services to high-risk youth in the child welfare system. Her recent work has examined the role of residential care in the treatment of foster youth with emotional and behavioral disorders.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 185 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Maltreatment 2
Development of maltreated or at risk children: what are the predictors?
Speakers & Authors: Claire Chamberland, University of Montreal; speaker, Carl Lacharité, University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières, Marie-Ève Clément, University of Quebec in Outaouais
Social-emotional and cognitive development is compromised by the accumulation of socio- demographic and family risk factors (economic insecurity, young maternal age at birth of first child, and parental stress and negativity). Conversely, the structure and quality of the home environment and emotional support are positively associated with indicators of child development.
The aim of this study is to identify the best predictors of social-emotional and cognitive/language development from a group of vulnerable children and their families who participated in an intervention project implemented in Québec. The sample consisted of 184 children aged between 2 months and 120 months recruited through institutions providing protection and prevention services. Socio-demographic and economic data (family structure, income, number of children, education), parental stress, victimization potential, quality of the home environment, and social support were the factors of risk and protection measured.
Bivariate analyses indicated a significant relationship between, on the one hand, parental stress, victimization potential, and quality of the home environment, and on the other hand, social- emotional and cognitive development. Hierarchical multivariate analyses allowed estimating the weight of and relationships between the different variables. Avenues for action are discussed in light of the data presented. Given the realities of families and the complex needs of vulnerable children, an ecosystem approach and a harmonization of protection and prevention services are recommended (Barlow & Stewart-Brown, 2005; Wulczynn, Daro, et al., 2010).
Speaker Information
Claire Chamberland, a Ph.D. in Psychology, is a Full Professor at the École de service social de l’Université de Montréal, and holds a Canada Senior Research Chair on children victimization. Her research interests are child development, family violence, polyvictimization, partnership approaches and social innovation in the area of response to children with complex needs and their family. She is the Principal Investigator of the AIDES (Action intersectorielle pour le développement des enfants et de leur sécurité), which is an adaptation of the Framework of Assessment for Children in need and their families and their tools in the province of Quebec Carl Lacharité is full Professor at the Department of Psychology at the Université du Quebec à Trois-Rivieres. He is also director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on Child Development and the Family. He is also the co-investigator of AIDES. Marie-Ève Clément is a professor for the Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology of the Université du Québec en Outaouais. She is the Chairholder of the Canada Research Chair in Violence Against Children. She holds a master’s degree in psychoeducation as well as a doctorate in community psychology. Her research interests focuses on the assessment of prevention and intervention programs, as well as on the epidemiology of violence towards children. She is also interested with parental cognitions and with the intergenerational transmission of physical and psychological abuse towards children.
186 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Maltreatment 2
Explaining the occurrence of Evidence-based Child Protection Social Work: A moment of convergence? Speakers & Authors: Stine Tankred Luckow, The Danish National Centre for Social Research (SFI)
Over the past decade, ‘evidence’ has become a highly influential concept in child protection social work. Interestingly, while the search for answers to the question of ‘what works’ in social work is all-pervasive today (among both politicians, administrators, and researchers), the picture was dramatically different just 10 or 15 years ago. Using Denmark as a case, this presentation aims to explain the rationales behind this strong preoccupation with effective interventions.
We argue that the rise of evidence in child protection social work must be viewed, not as part of an inevitable historical development, but rather as a rare moment of convergence. At the turn of the Millennium, a number of factors and processes came together and began to fuel a move in a common direction. This involves the introduction of organizational management theories such as Performance Management, creating new ways of measuring and qualifying social interventions. Also, professional networks and organizational bodies such as the Campbell Collaboration are established, drawing the attention of professionals to manual-based treatment programs. These and other convergent factors seem to have led the way for placing evidence centrally in child protection social work.
The paper is based on an interview study (n=32), involving key figures in Danish public administration, various professional bodies, and social research. The interview study was conducted as part of an on-going research project that explores both the rationales and the implications of an evidence- based social work practice.
Speaker Information
Stine Tankred Luckow is a sociologist and research assistant at SFI, The Danish National Centre for Social Research. Primary research interests include Children and Young people in out-of-home care, Child Protective Social Work, Social Work professions and knowledge utilization in Social Work practice. These research subjects are primarily explored through qualitative methods.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 187 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Maltreatment 2
Maltreatment in Six Developed Countries: A Comparison of Trends
Speakers & Authors: John D. Fluke, PhD, Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect, University of Colorado School of Medicine; Ruth Gilbert, MRC Centre of Epidemiology for Child Health, UCL Institute of Child Health; Melissa O’Donnell, Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia; Arturo Gonzalez-Izquierdo, MRC Centre of Epidemiology for Child Health, UCL Institute of Child Health; Marni Brownell, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba; Pauline Gulliver, Injury Prevention Research Unit, University of Otago; Trends in child maltreatment indicators in six developed countries since the inception of modern child protection systems in the 1970s are presented. The choice of six countries, Sweden, USA, Manitoba, Western Australia, England and New Zealand, was based on the availability of data including linked data for Manitoba and Western Australia. Administrative data from both health (ICD) and social service agencies were used to develop age adjusted indicators for trend analysis. Linear trends were compared against change–point models with two slopes including a parameter corresponding to when change of slopes occurred. Rates were compared for each indicator for 2005 using the mean rate for three years 2004 to 2006.
These countries have seen numerous policy initiatives in recent decades; the impact on indicators of child maltreatment appears limited. Rates for these indicators remained stable from the mid- 1990s, and overall, one or more agency indicators increased. Mean rates between countries revealed 5 to 10 fold differences in rates of agency indicators, but less than two-fold variation in violent deaths or maltreatment-related injury, except for high rates of violent death in the USA. Findings raise questions about the effectiveness of child protection policies affecting a substantial minority of children.
Speaker Information
John Fluke has more than 32 years of experience in social service delivery system research in the area of Child Welfare and Children’s Mental Health Services and is Associate Director of Systems Research and Evaluation at the Kempe Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect at University of Colorado School of Medicine. He is internationally recognized for research in assessing and analyzing decision making in human services delivery systems, frameworks to scale up evidence based practice, and for his innovative and informative research in the areas of administrative data analysis, workload and costing, and performance measurement for child welfare.
188 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Maltreatment 2
Towards high quality decision-making on child safety
Speakers & Authors: Ingrid J. ten Berge, PhD. Netherlands Youth Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands (presenting author), Cora Bartelink, MSc, Netherlands Youth Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands, Leontien de Kwaadsteniet, PhD, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Prof. dr. Cilia Witteman, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Prof. dr. Tom van Yperen, Netherlands Youth Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands Quality of care for maltreated children implies professional decision-making on child safety. In 2008, the Dutch Advice and Reporting Centres on Child Abuse and Neglect implemented the ORBA method for structured decision-making. ORBA aims to increase transparency and decrease subjectivity in decision-making, by providing guidelines for systematic and empirically funded assessment and decision-making. We present ORBA and findings from three studies on the effects of ORBA on the quality of decision-making. Study 1 compared 100 Records and 60 case-reports from 2010 to 60 records and 60 case-reports from 2005. In study 2, 52 workers from child welfare and protection agencies were interviewed on perceived changes in quality of decision-making after implementation of ORBA. Study 3 compared 40 trained workers with 40 non-trained workers on interrater agreement on judgement and decisions. Respondents each judged 4 case-vignettes. Records and interviews show that ORBA leads to significantly more systematic and transparent decision-making. Important information and analyses are present more often, especially regarding risk-assessment and factors contributing to child maltreatment. Conclusions and decisions are more transparent. However, the quality of decision-making is not consistently high, suggesting further improvement is possible. The vignette-study showed that ORBA does not significantly improve interrater agreement. Although trained workers agreed more on certain aspects, differences between trained and non-trained workers were small. We conclude that structured decision- making has a positive effect on the quality of decision-making on child safety. It is a necessary, but insufficient, condition for less subjectivity. Implications for further improvement of decision- making about child safety are discussed.
Speaker Information
Ingrid ten Berge is a child and family psychologist and senior researcher at the Netherlands Youth Institute, which is the Dutch national institute on children and youth matters. The Institute aims to improve the physical, cognitive, mental and social development of children and young people by improving the quality and effectiveness of the services rendered to them and to their parents or carers. Mrs. Ten Berge is an expert on assessment and intervention in cases of (suspected) child maltreatment. In 1998 she graduated from Utrecht University with a PhD on decision-making in child protection.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 189 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Maltreatment 2
What worked? Evaluation studies on child protection interventions in the Netherlands between 1945 and 2005 Speakers & Authors: Marieke Dekker (University of Groningen, Pedagogy and Educational Sciences, The Netherlands), Jeroen J.H. Dekker (University of Groningen, Pedagogy and Educational Sciences, The Netherlands), Erik J. Knorth (University of Groningen, Special needs education and youth care, The Netherlands), Margaretha C. Timmerman (University of Groningen, Pedagogy and Educational Sciences, The Netherlands)
As in other Western countries, during the last decade complaints were frequently heard in The Netherlands about how little systematic research was available to determine the effects of care and different types of treatment for children. Sometimes, this criticism even seems to suggest that in the past people involved in child protection and welfare were not interested at all in this issue.
In this presentation, we examine firstly the extent to which research intended to determine the results of care arrangements made for children within the framework of legal child protection was done in the Netherlands in the period between 1945 and 2005. Secondly, the question of what kind of research on this topic was carried out in this period is addressed. Two reviews of research and a selection of journal articles concerning research in this field were studied to answer these questions.
Our study shows that research into results of child protection was done regularly throughout this period. However, ideas about what counts as evidence of results were changing over time. Mainly interpretative and qualitative research, such as follow up studies in which former pupils were asked to tell about their lives, dominated result studies in the 1950s and 1960s. Those studies disappeared into the background from the 1970s onwards. Since the end of the 1960s quantitative empirical evidence obtained by explicit methodological rules became more and more to be seen as a necessary requirement for drawing conclusions about results of interventions.
Speaker Information
Drs. Marieke Dekker (1976) studied Pedagogy and Educational Sciences at the University of Groningen between 2001 and 2005, specializing in the history and theory of education. From 2007 onwards, she has been working on a PhD dissertation on the history of research into the results of legal child protection measures between 1945 and 2005. In her research, she focuses on developments in research in the field of child welfare and on discussions in this field concerning the question of how results of interventions are to be studied.
190 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Mental Health
Meeting the needs and promoting social inclusion of maltreated youths affected by psychiatric disorders: results from a program implementation study Speakers & Authors: Danielle Nadeau, Ph.D., LL.B., Centre Jeunesse de Québec - Institut universitaire
In several North American studies, prevalence rates of mental health disorders among abused children and youths was found to be in the range of 44% to 88% (Burns et al., 2004, Clark et al., 2005, Garland et al., 2001, Glisson & Green, 2006). For some of them, their poor mental state will interfere badly with their social inclusion, already threatened by poverty and difficult life conditions (Nadeau et al., 2012; Cloutier et al, 2008; Trowell et al., 2002; Hurley et al, 2009; Liao et al., 2001).
This presentation will display a program developed in a research-action project at “Le Centre Jeunesse de Québec – Institut Universitaire”, encompassing 3 measures in order to promote social inclusion of these youngsters: a) Specialized mental health caseloads in child welfare; b) A mental health multidisciplinary team created to support social workers and educators of the child welfare agency; and c) Specific mental health housing resources in child welfare, for the most affected youngsters. Data regarding profiles of youths referred to these caseloads from a file review (N=234; m=13,5 years of age), the nature of professional interventions provided by the multidisciplinary team members (from a qualitative study), youths’ perceptions about their global health (using KidScreen-27;The KIDSCREEN Group, 2004), and clinicians’ perceptions regarding the quality of life of the youths (using QCEV; Lemay, Lalonde et coll, (2009) will be presented and discussed. These data were collected in large implementation program evaluation study going on for 3 years.
Speaker Information
Danielle Nadeau got a first degree in law and worked as a lawyer, then completed her studies in psychology. She worked as a psychologist with abused children and as an expert witness from 1998 to 2005. Member of the JEFAR research center and associated professor in psychology and social work at Laval University, she became a researcher at Le Centre Jeunesse de Québec -University Institute in 2006. Her expertise and research interest focuses on issues affecting the socio- emotional development of maltreated children and the ones related to interdisciplinary programs and collaboration to meet the complex needs of these children.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 191 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Mental Health
Description of a model for interagency residential care in Norway - collaboration between child protection and child and adolescent psychiatry Speakers & Authors: Jim Lurie, NTNU Social Research AS, The Regional Child Protection Research Unit
This presentation describes an innovative model for residential care for children who received help from both child welfare services and child and adolescent psychiatry in Norway. Experiences with this model from 2003-2010 are presented, including the strengths and weaknesses of the model, and possible lessons for policymakers. Data for this study includes a review of selected documents and in-depth interviews with institution leaders, and a group interview with staff members.
The study found that the two agencies succeeded in establishing a viable model for the short-term assessment and treatment of children 6-12 years of age with comprehensive care needs. Leaders and staff were able to overcome obstacles related to organizational differences, separate laws and regulations, and differences in professional culture. Strengths of the model include political and administrative support early in the process, flexible personnel who sought pragmatic solutions, psychological expertise in the observation and assessment of all residents, and close cooperation with a school especially designed for institution residents. Weaknesses include time needed to reach agreement on professional goals and methods, relatively low occupancy rates and related high per capita costs, and inefficiencies related to double record-keeping.
This study indicates that cooperation between child welfare and child and adolescent psychiatry can provide important benefits for children receiving residential care from these services. Experiences from the operation for this unit over an eight year period can provide useful information for policymakers and administrators who are planning similar interagency facilities.
Speaker Information
Jim Lurie has worked as senior researcher at NTNU Social Research AS in Trondheim, Norway since 2003. Research interests include cooperation between child protection services and child and adolescent psychiatry, children with severe behavior problems, and child protection services’ work with children taken into care. He was associate professor of social work (1993-2002) at NTNU where he taught social policy and social work theory and did research on child protection services and children’s rights. He worked as health care administrator in the US (1985-92) focused on improving health services for the uninsured and cost-effective hospital care.
192 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Mental Health
Determinants of entrance to and use of care for youth with emotional and behavioral problems: a systematic review Speakers & Authors: Marieke Nanninga MSc, Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
There is a need for comprehensive overview of the determinants of entrance to care for youth with emotional and behavioral problems. Available overviews are relatively old and mainly focused on mental health care, not comprising other types of care such as child welfare services and social work. Insights in the facilitators or barriers of different steps in the entrance to care may support a better match between the need for and supply of care. Using Goldberg & Huxley’s (1992) pathways to care model, the following steps in entrance are distinguished: recognition of problems by youth and their caregivers, consulting behavior, recognition by a professional, referral to specialist care and admission to inpatient services. The aim of the study is to systematically summarize the available evidence on determinants of the steps in entrance to child and youth (mental health) care for youth with emotional and behavioral problems.
This study employed a systematic search of publications on determinants of entrance to care for youth (0-18 years old) in PubMed, ERIC, PsycINFO and SocINDEX (2000 – 2012). Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility and methodological quality of the studies of the included studies. Findings were categorized to the different steps in entrance.
Of the 3084 studies, after screening title and abstract 324 met the inclusion criteria. At the moment 55 full-texts are screened. This presentation will show the first results. Knowledge on determinants that enhance or hamper entrance to care for youth can be used to improve the matching between need and supply of services.
Speaker Information
Marieke Nanninga is a PhD student at the Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, within C4Youth, the Collaborative Center of Care for Children and Youth in the North of the Netherlands. She studies the entrance to care, i.e., the process that leads to the use of care for youth with emotional and behavioral problems and the association of entrance with subsequent care, and mid- and long-term outcomes. Data will be used from a longitudinal prospective cohort study among youth entered care. Marieke has an academic degree in sociology and has worked as a policymaker at a patients’ organization.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 193 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Mental Health
Positive mental health in young people in care: Findings from a new measure
Speakers & Authors: Meagan Miller, Centre For Research On Educational And Community Services, University Of Ottawa (Canada), Erik Michael, Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa, Robert Flynn, Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Corey Keyes, Department of Sociology, Emory University (USA)
A growing emphasis on resilience and positive youth development in child welfare makes the assessment of the positive mental health of young people in care especially timely. The presentation will provide an overview of the main findings derived from the use of Keyes’ (2006) new 14-item self-report measure of positive mental health in a cross-sectional sample of 3,391 young people aged 12-17 years and residing in out-of-home care in Ontario, Canada, in 2010-2011. Keyes’ instrument is an integral component of the revised Canadian version of the Assessment and Action Record (Flynn, Miller, Desjardins, Ghazal, & Legault, 2010) that is used in the Ontario Looking After Children (OnLAC) service-planning and outcome-monitoring project. The 14 items cover three aspects of subjective well-being: emotional (3 items), social (5 items), and psychological (6 items).
We will describe the prevalence in young people in care of Keyes’ (2006) three levels of youth mental health, namely, flourishing, moderately mentally healthy, and languishing, and compare the results to the norms established by him in a large national sample of youth in the USA. We will also describe the degree of association between the positive mental health of the young people in care and other aspects of their functioning, both positive (e.g., developmental assets, pro-social behaviour, positive experiences in care, school performance) and negative (e.g., behavioural difficulties, self-related adverse experiences). The implications of the findings for the potentially wider use in child welfare of Keyes’ (2006) measure of positive mental health will be discussed.
Speaker Information
Meagan Miller is the Research Co-ordinator of the Ontario Looking After Children (OnLAC) Project, at the University of Ottawa’s Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services (CRECS), in Ottawa, Canada. Meagan studied psychology at Laurentian University and the University of Ottawa, and she has been involved with various research projects and community evaluations at CRECS since 2005. Her interests concern improving outcomes for vulnerable populations, especially children and youth involved with the child welfare system. Her work involves close collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services and the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies.
194 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Mental Health
Prevalence and comorbidity of mental disorders in foster children
Speakers & Authors: Stine Lehmann, (University of Bergen, Norway), Odd E. Havik (University of Bergen, Norway), Einar R. Heiervang (University of Oslo, Norway), Toril Havik (Uni Research, Norway)
This study aimed to examine prevalence and correlates of mental health disorders in foster children. The sample included foster children aged 6-12 years from all communities in southern Norway. Diagnostic information on mental health was collected by use of the Developmental and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA), completed online by foster parents and teachers. Child Welfare history was collected from the child welfare service. Data presented are cross-sectional. The study has a longitudinal design with follow-up assessments with three-year intervals until adulthood (2025).
Compared to previous surveys in the field, a relatively high response rate was achieved for this first wave, with information on mental health for 302 children (75 %). Mean age 8.98, 48.5% girls. Sufficient information to assess the child diagnostically was provided for 282 children. A total of 51.1% (n=144) qualified for one or more DSM-IV diagnoses. Of these, 23.8% had internalizing disorders, 30.5% had the externalizing disorders, whereas 19.1% had Reactive attachment disorder. Of the 144 children with disorders, 11.1% had at least one in all of the three main clusters, whereas 28.5% of the sample had at least one diagnose in two of clusters.
Conclusions: The prevalence of mental illness among foster children indicates the need for structured assessment of mental health of children placed out of home.
Speaker Information
Stine Lehmann is a child and adolescent psychologist. She has her clinical experience from specialist mental health service, and Acute Crisis Resolution team for youth and their families. In recent years, she held a position in Regional Office for Children, Youth and Family affairs, as a supervisor, lecturer and clinical consultant for child welfare. She now runs the first wave of a longitudinal study of foster children, aiming to; 1. Estimate the prevalence of mental disorders and comorbidity. 2. Explore predictive validity of a screening instrument for use in child welfare. 3. Examine attachment and emotion regulation, and the impact of these factors on mental health and social functioning.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 195 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Outcomes & Decision Making
Tracking a national cohort of children: Background and educational outcomes of children in care Speakers & Authors: Rami Benbenishty, Bar Ilan University, Israel; (speaker), Edna Shimoni, Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, Israel
The study aims a) to describe the extent and types of involvement of a national birth cohort with child welfare in the community and in a range of out of home placements; b) Identify family background characteristics associated with types of child welfare involvement; c) Associate between types of involvement and educational outcomes, controlling for background. A national birth cohort (born 1989;N = 125,982) was (back)tracked from 0 to 18 years old. Records from multiple data bases (e.g., census, welfare, education, health, police, and treasury) were merged, based on unique ID’s. A logistic regression was used to estimate propensity score, and ‘nearest neighborhood’ technique was employed to identify matches, yielding very good matching between welfare-involved and non-involved children. The probability of Israeli children to enter educational residential care throughout their childhood is 3.9%, religious boarding school 3.9%, welfare residential care 1.3%, youth authority facilities (juvenile delinquency) 0.4%, foster care 0.2%, and 1.4% to receive child welfare services in the community, without ever being placed. Parents’ education and family income are much lower and rates of criminal involvement much higher among children in care. Educational achievements of children in welfare placements, and especially in youth authority, are much lower compared with other children (e.g., 46.4% of the population completed matriculation exams successfully, whereas only 11.9% in residential care and 4.3% in youth authority facilities did). Educational outcomes for children in placement are low even after controlling for background. Changes in policy and practice are suggested.
Speaker Information
Rami Benbenishty is a professor of social work and is conducting research in several areas: children in out of home placements, youth leaving care, decision making in child welfare and school violence.
196 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Outcomes & Decision Making
Adjustment to independent life of young people aging out of care in Israel
Speakers & Authors: Yafit Sulimani-Aidan,Bar Ilan University; Rami Benbenishty, Bar Ilan University (presenter); Tamar Dinisman, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Anat Zeira, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.-Israel
In the last few decades, there has been an increased awareness of the state of young people aging out of care and their transition to adulthood. Many studies examined their situation after leaving care and presented a rather bleak picture in regard to different life areas. Nevertheless, no studies focused on their status while they are in care as predicting their adjustment after leaving care.
The present study examines the young people’s personal and social support variables on the verge of living care and their correlation with their adjustment to core areas of independent life (e.g. economic status and accommodation) after leaving care. We further examine what are the personal (e.g. optimism and readiness to independent living) and social (e.g support of parent and staff) variables on the verge of living care that correlate with their adjustment to these core areas of independent life.
The presentation discusses care leavers adjustment to their main occupations, accommodation and economic status and also the role of young people’s personal resources and social support. Intervention programs and future researchers are suggested.
Speaker Information
Rami Benbenishty is a professor of social work and is conducting research in several areas: children in out of home placements, youth leaving care, decision making in child welfare and school violence.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 197 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Outcomes & Decision Making
Introduction to decision making in child protection
Speakers & Authors: Rami Benbenishty, Bar Ilan University, Israel (presenter), Bilhah Arad-Davidson, Tel Aviv University, Israel
The judgment of whether a child is at risk and the decision whether to remove a child from home are hard to make. The majority of the cases can be classified as ‘gray instances’. These are cases in which it is not clear what would be the best move. The decisions are often made under less than ideal circumstances: under pressure of time, with inadequate resources for ensuring the child’s well-being, and often on the basis of insufficient and ambiguous information. Moreover, present knowledge of child development and the potential impact of social interventions and services do not provide clear guidelines as to the best course of action.
We have developed a descriptive model “Judgments and Decisions Processes in Context” (JUDPiC) that presents the processes and the factors leading to this decision. Our model identifies characteristics of the child and family (e.g., parent and child preferences regarding the intervention) and decision maker characteristics (e.g., expertise, attitudes) that lead to intermediate assessments and judgments (e.g., whether maltreatment is present and what are the risks to the child) that lead in turn to intervention decisions (e.g., whether to remove a child or reunify an already placed child). All these processes are embedded in contexts, such as the ecological context of the family, the organizational context of the decision maker and wider contexts that relate to the overall characteristics of the service system and the multiple cultural contexts in which the judgments and decisions are being made.
Speaker Information
Rami Benbenishty is a professor of social work and is conducting research in several areas: children in out of home placements, youth leaving care, decision making in child welfare and school violence.
Bilhah Arad-Davidson is a professor of social work and the incoming director of the School of Social Work in Tel Aviv University. She is conducting research in child welfare with an emphasis on decisions and circumstances leading to removal of children from home.
198 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Outcomes & Decision Making
A Controlled Study of Placement and Reunification Decisions in Israel
Speakers & Authors: Rami Benbenishty, Bar Ilan University, Israel (presenter), Bilhah Arad-Davidson, Tel Aviv University, Israel
Professionals are making many crucial decisions that have significant impact on their clients. One such decision is whether to remove a maltreated child from home to an out of home placement or to keep him at home, another example is the decision to reunify children in care with their families. This presentation will show the findings of a study of the decisions whether to remove a child from home and whether to reunify a child with his/her family after being in out of home placement. Specifically, this study aims to examine the effects of mother’s and child’s attitudes toward removal and reunification, workers’ personal and professional background, and workers’ attitudes and beliefs. The study used vignettes in an experimental factorial design (Practitioner vs. Student) X (mother’s attitude toward removal) X (child’s attitude toward reunification). The sample consists of 210 practitioners and 263 students.
The findings indicate that there are several differences between practitioners and students. In maltreatment assessments students tended to see more emotional neglect and more sexual abuse, compared with practitioners, Assessments of risk for emotional harm were slightly higher among the students compared with the practitioners. Three respondents’ attitudes were associated with the intervention recommendations: An attitude against removal of home of children at risk; The attitude to favor reunification and a short optimal duration of placement; and favoring parental participation. These attitudes lowered the probability to recommend removal from home. The findings will be discussed in the framework of a theory of Decision Making Processes in Context.
Speaker Information
Rami Benbenishty is a professor of social work and is conducting research in several areas: children in out of home placements, youth leaving care, decision making in child welfare and school violence.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 199 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Outcomes & Decision Making
Decision making in child welfare in The Netherlands (paper presentation inside the symposium ‘International study of decision making in child welfare’) Speakers & Authors: A. Carien Koopmans, University of Groningen; Mónica López, University of Groningen; Erik J. Knorth, University of Groningen; Cilia L.M. Witteman, Radboud University Nijmegen
In The Netherlands, the process of decision-making concerning family foster care placement is more and more important as a point of application to optimize the quality of care for children and to know what factors influence these decisions (Knorth & Koopmans, 2012).
The participants in the Dutch sample were 212 child and youth care professionals and 342 students. The sample was predominately female (84%). The average age was 39 years for the practitioners and 24 years for the students. Professionals were recruited by contacting six local child welfare authorities (out of 15). The sample represents different training histories and backgrounds among the social workers involved in the decision-making process regarding out-of home placements. Students in their final stage of bachelor and master education (Social Work, Child and Youth Care, Pedagogy, Psychology) were recruited at four universities in the north and south of the Netherlands.
Analyses revealed significant differences between the professionals and students in both their assessments: professionals tended to find more sexual abuse than students and the assessment of risk for physical harm was also higher for them. There were no significant differences in removal decisions between practitioners and students. With respect to the most adequate intervention, 29% of the total sample suggested to place the child with a foster family. In this presentation, we will examine and discuss the rationales that practitioners and students give for their judgments, as well as the influence of their attitudes towards key issues in child protection and welfare.
Speaker Information
A. Carien Koopmans has worked for the University of Groningen as a junior researcher since 2007 and is a member of the department Special Needs Education and Youth Care. She is very curious to find effective and innovative practices for children in need and her main research interest is decision making in child welfare. She is finishing a master thesis in Dutch Law. She also actively participates in the scientific APFEL Network for the promotion of foster care at a European level. Currently, she is coordinator of the Dutch research group involved in the international decision making study initiated by Rami Benbenishty.
200 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Outcomes & Decision Making
Decision making in child welfare in Spain (paper presentation inside the symposium ‘International study of decision making in child welfare’) Speakers & Authors: Mónica López, University of Groningen; Iriana Santos, University of Cantabria; Jorge F. del Valle, University of Oviedo
The Spanish sample was made up of 202 practitioners and 211 students. 338 (82.4%) of all participants were females. The professionals were recruited by contacting the Child Welfare Services and child care institutions in seven Spanish Local Authorities (out of 17). This sample represents the different academic and training backgrounds among Spanish professionals involved in child welfare decision making processes. Students were recruited in classes in five universities and four different degrees (Social Work, Psychology, Social Education and Pedagogy).
Analyses revealed that students tended to see more physical abuse than practitioners. Mothers’ attitude toward removal did not show a significant impact on assessments regarding maltreatment. Assessments of risk for emotional harm were higher among students compared with practitioners. As regards the suggested intervention (to remove the child from home or propose different actions which do not involve child removal), none of the respondents recommended no further action, 57% recommended to place the child with a foster family, either voluntarily (35.8%) or based on court order (21.3%), and 42% recommended a direct social work intervention. There were no significant differences in removal decision between practitioners and students. Mother’s attitude toward removal did not have a significant impact on the suggested intervention. Only 8%of the total sample recommended the reunification of the child with parents (although 43% of the respondents were against removal initially). There were significant differences between the groups of respondents since students recommended reunification at a three times higher frequency than practitioners (12% against 4%).
Speaker Information
Mónica López is European Doctor of Psychology by the University of Oviedo (Spain). In 2004 she joined the Child and Family Research Group, directed by Jorge del Valle. Her main research topic is family foster care and she has developed the first nationwide evaluation of this intervention in Spain. Currently, she has a post doctorate position at the University of Groningen where she is focused on an international project about decision making processes in child welfare.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 201 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Outcomes & Decision Making
A comparative cross-national view of the findings and their implications
Speakers & Authors: Rami Benbenishty, Bar Ilan University, Israel (presenter), Bilhah Arad-Davidson, Tel Aviv University, Israel
We used an experimental design – case characteristics X participant characteristics X Country. This design provides opportunities to test the model Judgment and Decision Processes in Context (JUDPiC) in each country and assessments whether country context impacts the model.
Our findings indicate that there are many cross country differences. Whereas Spanish and Israeli professionals do not differ in their attitude against removal of children, German professionals tend to support this attitude significantly less. They also support less the attitude that placements should be short. On the other hand, German and Spanish practitioners have similar attitude toward parent participation in the decisions, and are both significantly differ from the Israelis who have a much stronger attitude toward parent participation.
Major differences were found with regard to the tendency to recommend removal from home. Thus, whereas 25.5% of Israeli practitioners recommended removal from home, in Spain it was 53.0%, and 40.5% in Germany. Similarly, whereas 61.6% of Spanish students recommend removal, Northern Ireland students 40.9%, and in Germany 43.1%, only 26.6% of the Israeli students recommended removal. In contrast, there were no differences in the practitioners’ recommendation whether to reunify the child in these particular vignettes and more than 95% were against reunification. Interestingly, the range of these recommendations across students in different countries is much wider – from 85% among Israelis to 94.7% in Northern Ireland. The findings and their implications for our understanding of decision making in child welfare will be discussed.
Speaker Information
Rami Benbenishty is a professor of social work and is conducting research in several areas: children in out of home placements, youth leaving care, decision making in child welfare and school violence.
Bilhah Arad-Davidson is a professor of social work and the incoming director of the School of Social Work in Tel Aviv University. She is conducting research in child welfare with an emphasis on decisions and circumstances leading to removal of children from home.
202 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Research
Careleavers in Higher Education - Biographical Analyses
Speakers & Authors: Benjamin Strahl, University of Hildesheim, Katharina Mangold, University of Hildesheim
This presentation describes first findings of a research project addressing the low participation of care leavers in post-secondary (higher) education in Germany and the difficulties and lack of support they experience in higher education institutions (HEI) that may result in their dropping out. In Germany, there is a lack of knowledge about young care leavers and their efforts and opportunities regarding education, especially higher education. This knowledge gap hinders efforts to promote higher education among care leavers.
This project combines research on social support structures of care leavers with a participatory intervention which created a social support network of care leavers who are already students in HEI. This support network aims to empower the involved group of care leavers and promote participation of other care leavers in higher education both in residential care and HEI. The project works on both sides of the divide in order to increase mutual awareness and improve the design of new processes both in HEIs and in residential care in order to help care leavers aspiring to higher education prepare, apply to and take full advantage of the HEI educational process. This presentation will show first results from narratively structured in-depth interviews with care leavers in higher education. It will then focus on the meaning of social support before, during and after transitioning from care.
Speaker Information
Benjamin Strahl is a Research Assistant at the University of Hildesheim. He studied Pedagogy at the University of Tuebingen from 2004 to 2010. In his years of studies he was particularly engaged in child and youth care, psychiatric issues of children and adolescents, and educational theories. Before he started working on the project “Higher education without family support” he was employed as a social pedagogue. He participated in an innovation project of residential care settings aiming at an intensive collaboration with birth parents (family integration programme).
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 203 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Research
Better data and fresh insights: Findings from the Victorian Looking After Children 2011 outcomes data project Speakers & Authors: Ruth Champion (Presenting author), Senior policy and program adviser, Victorian Department of Human Services, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Sarah Wise, General Manager Policy Research and Innovation Unit, Anglicare Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
This presentation features the latest milestone in the Looking After Children outcomes data program initiated by the Victorian Department of Human Services in meeting its aims of increasing compatibility between the practice and outcomes measurement capacities of the approach. Earlier work to redevelop the Assessment and Progress Records (A&PR) is discussed as a prelude to the presentation of findings from the 2011 outcomes project.
Results of an analysis of 1,388 cases over three time-points (2007-08, 2008-09 and 2010-11) show little difference in outcomes of different samples of Victorian children in out-of-home care over this period. Findings from a cross-sectional analysis of data collected on 511 children in 2010-11 (after the A&PR redevelopment), including derived Goodman’s Strength and Difficulties scores and self-care skills scores, broken down by various demographic characteristics offer new insight into the development of Disability and Aboriginal clients. The presentation concludes with a discussion of the possibility and utility of collecting scientifically rigorous outcomes data in the course of daily practice.
Speaker Information
Ruth Champion is a social worker who is employed as a Senior Policy and Program Adviser within the central office Child Protection, Placement and Family Services Branch of the Department of Human Services in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She has a long-standing interest in Looking After Children and since early 2002 has been overseeing the on-going implementation of Looking After Children across the whole of the Victorian out of home care service system, on behalf of the department.
204 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Research
How to use available data from administrative registers to answer practice-based research questions? Speakers & Authors: Germie van den Berg, PhD; Altra Youth Care and Special Education, Amsterdam = presentation speaker, Sanne Pronk, MA; Altra Youth Care and Special Education, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, With the cooperation of Marc Delsing, PhD; Praktikon, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Altra is an organisation for youth and family care and a secondary school for special education in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. We provide a wide range of treatment programs, including short- term emergency care, day care for preschool children with developmental problems, in-home parenting programs, training programs on behavioural problems, care for teenage mothers and their babies, social work at primary schools, and counselling in schools. In total, we provide services to more than 5000 clients and pupils each year.
The costs of the youth care system mainly are subsidized by the Dutch government. In order to be able to give account for the subsidy, we register a great amount of administrative data. We collect data about client and treatment characteristics like sex, age, ethnic background and treatment duration. Also we monitor outcomes of the treatment programs and collect data about client satisfaction, goal attainment, dropout rates, and problem reduction. Results presented by descriptive analyses are reported to the Dutch government. But what can we learn more from these data?
In this presentation we explore how to use these available data to answer practice-based research questions for the purpose of improving the quality of our treatment programs. For example, do we find similar treatment results for ethnic minority children (71%) compared to Dutch children (28%)? Or, do drop-outs differ in their client and treatment characteristics from children who completed the treatment programs? Is there a correlation between treatment duration and outcome? We present some surprising findings.
Speaker Information
Germie van den Berg graduated in 1991 as a mental health scientist at the University of Maastricht. First she worked as a junior therapist, treating spider phobics with exposure in vivo sessions. Then she started her PhD at the University of Amsterdam. This project focused on social interactions between child care workers and children in residential care. For several years as a consultant she was involved in projects about social work. Since 2005 she has worked at Altra Youth Care and Special Education in Amsterdam. Her main job is coordinating research projects focused on the effectiveness of youth and family care.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 205 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Research
Looked After Children and the Internet: A Pilot Study
Speakers & Authors: Robin Sen, University of Sheffield, UK
This pilot gained the insights of six care leavers and four looked after young people into their use and experience of mobile phones and the internet. Data consisted of two interviews with each participant. The first consisted of a series of questions about internet use, alongside four vignettes relating to ‘sexting’, a friends request from Facebook, unsolicited contact from a birth family member and cyber-bullying. For the second interview, participants kept a daily log of their internet during one week, which was then discussed. This paper will contextualise the study’s findings by placing them alongside those of two large studies of internet use amongst the broader population of children and young people, the European Union Kids Online (2010) and United Kingdom Children Go Online (2003-05).
The study found that internet and mobile phones played a key role in young people’s social interaction. They were less prominently used for educational reasons. Some young people worried about the amount of time they spent using the internet for social contact, while the lack of internet access was also sometimes an issue, particularly for those who had left care. Young People all felt comfortable managing their own use of the internet and mobile phones but strategies and experiences of managing potential hazards arising from it varied considerably. In conclusion the paper will highlight the need for professional practice with looked after children which is aware of the hazards that the internet can pose while recognising its centrality in children and young people’s social experience.
Speaker Information
Robin Sen practiced as a child and family social worker with a particular focus on work with looked after children. He has been a lecturer in social work at the University of Sheffield since 2010 and previously taught social work at the University of Strathclyde.
206 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Research
The LAC (Looking After Children) approach: A study on its impact on the development of children and the care provided to them Speakers & Authors: Marie-Andrée Poirier, Ph.D. Social Work, School of Social Work Montréal University, Marie-Claude Simard, Ph.D. Social Work, Centre jeunesse de Québec-Institut universitaire, Isabelle Beaumier, M.A. Social Work, Centre jeunesse de Québec-Institut universitaire, Sophie Léveillée, M.A. Psychology, School of Social Work Montreal University
In 2004, all youth centres in Québec began implementing the Looking After Children approach (In French: S’occuper des enfants or SOCEN) and the Canadian version of the Assessment and Action Record (AAR-C2). The LAC approach was implemented at the Centre Jeunesse de Québec – Institut universitaire (CJQ-IU) in 2009, accompanied by a research study. This presentation will describe the study, which deals with the impact of the LAC approach on the quality of services provided to placed children and, ultimately, on their well-being and development.
The development of a group of children involved in the SOCEN (LAC) project was monitored through the perceptions of their foster parents to achieve this goal. The same procedure was carried out with foster parents whose children received regular services at the CJQ-IU. To do this, two research activities were conducted with both groups: case analyses of the children and semi- structured interviews with the foster parents at two intervals. During the interviews, a face-to- face interview outline composed of multiple choice and short response questions was used along with standardized tools (for example the Child Behavior Checklist). The variables investigated concerned the children (behaviour, attitudes).
This is the first study with a control group conducted in a youth centre, which will allow comparing the results between the two groups. Did the practices of the care workers involved in the SOCEN (LAC) project different from those of the care workers did not use this approach? Did the behavior of the children change? This presentation will attempt to answer these and other questions.
Speaker Information
Isabelle Beaumier, M.A. in Social Work, is a research officer at Le Centre jeunesse de Québec - University Institute since 2009. Her research interest concern foster parent and their role, child in family foster care and the evaluation of programs and services in child welfare. She is a member of the JEFAR research center at Laval University.
Sophie Leveille, M.A. in Psychology, works as a research officer at the School of Social Work at Montreal University and as a scientific coordinator at the Groupe de recherche et d’action sur la victimisation des enfants (GRAVE). Her research interests focus on child maltreatment, violence against women within the family context, partnership activities and the evaluation of the alignment of services provided to women victims of domestic violence and to male abusers.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 207 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Research Informing Interventions
From Care to Adulthood: theorising research on interventions
Speakers & Authors: Professor Mike Stein, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York
This presentation aims to explore how theoretical perspectives can contribute to international empirical studies of interventions, in enhancing our knowledge of transitions from care to adulthood.
First, it will include a discussion of social exclusion, showing its potential to connect care leavers with other socially excluded groups, whilst at the same time neglecting differences in outcomes between groups of care leavers. Second, it will consider the relationship between ‘universality’ and ‘selectivity’ in providing services for care leavers, arguing the need for a twin track approach. Third, it will explore the potential a life course perspective in providing a holistic approach to understanding care leavers experiences, including the recognition of human agency and the implications of this for young people’s participation. Fourth, it will consider the application of attachment theory, including the legacy of instability and placement disruption for young people lives after care. Fifth, it will discuss how perspectives on social transition can contribute to a greater understanding of the leaving care process and its implications for policy and practice.
In conclusion, the presentation will introduce a resilience framework. This will apply resilience promoting factors from the research literature, to young people making the transition from care to adulthood, and show the potential of resilience to give coherence to the ideas and concepts discussed above.
Speaker Information
Professor Mike Stein is currently Research Professor in the Social Policy Research Unit at York University. During the last 30 years, he has have been researching the problems and challenges faced by vulnerable young people, including care leavers, young people running away from home and the neglect and maltreatment of adolescents. He is a joint co-ordinator of the International Research Network on the Transitions to Adulthood for Young People Leaving Public Care (INTRAC) and has published extensively in the field (see www.york.ac.uk/spru).
208 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Research Informing Interventions
Lessons Learned from Experimental Evaluation of Services for Care Leavers in the US
Speakers & Authors: Mark E. Courtney, School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago
This presentation utilizes findings from the Multi-Site Evaluation of Foster Youth Programs (“Multisite Evaluation”) (Courtney et al., forthcoming) to identify shortcomings of current approaches to addressing the needs of youth making the transition to adulthood from state care in the USA. The Multi-Site Evaluation involved the only experimental evaluations conducted to date of the effectiveness of interventions targeting youth aging out of state care. The programs evaluated included a classroom-based life skills training program, a tutoring mentoring program, an employment support program, and intensive case management focused on preparing youth for independent living. No significant impacts on targeted outcomes were found for the first three programs. However, the intensive case management program produced positive results on several outcomes; most notably, program group members had significantly higher levels of college enrolment and persistence. Although only one of the programs had positive impacts on targeted outcomes, each evaluation provides lessons for future program development.
The process of identifying programs to be studied in the Multisite Evaluation also identified a number of challenges to the development and evaluation of independent living programs, including: lack of well-developed conceptual models to inform service development or logic models for specific interventions; poor understanding of population characteristics and program referral processes, resulting in poor service targeting; weak intervention dosages; limited understanding of the level of youth engagement in programs; and, poor understanding of key aspects of the local policy and practice context. Strategies for minimizing the impact of these challenges on future evaluation efforts are discussed.
Speaker Information
Mark E. Courtney is a Professor in the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago. He is a faculty affiliate of Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, which he served as Director from 2001 to 2006. His current work includes studies of the adult functioning of former foster children, experimental evaluation of independent living services for foster youth, reunification of foster children with their families, and the influence of juvenile courts on the operation of the child welfare system.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 209 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Research Informing Interventions
Predicting outcomes in supported transitional living: A longitudinal study
Speakers & Authors: Nicholas G. Tessier (School of Psychology and Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa, Canada); Robert J. Flynn (School of Psychology and Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa, Canada); Joël Beaupré (Department of Sociology and Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa, Canada)
Flynn and Tessier (2011) showed that a small number of promotive and risk factors were able to predict educational and employment outcomes in a cross-sectional sample of young people residing in transitional living in Ontario, Canada. The present study will expand upon these findings in two ways: it will employ a broader range of both predictor and outcome variables and use a longitudinal analysis. The research sample will consist of some 250 young people (55% female, 45% male) who have made the transition from care to supported transitional living (Extended Care and Maintenance, or ECM), in Ontario, Canada. Data on the promotive and risk factor predictors were gathered while the young people were still in out-of-home care (i.e., when they were 17 years of age or younger). The outcome data were collected after the young people had moved to supported transitional living (i.e., ECM, when they were 18 or older). The predictive factors will include gender, age, self-care skills and resources, developmental assets, type of care setting, cognitive functioning, health status, and soft-drug use. The outcome variables will include education status, employment status, and depressive affect. The measurement and programmatic implications of the findings for improving young people’s preparedness for transition from care will be discussed.
Speaker Information
Nicholas Tessier is a doctoral student in clinical psychology and pre-doctoral intern at the University of Ottawa (Canada). His doctoral thesis, to be completed in 2012-2013, will consist of three studies of the major transitions made by young people within and from the child welfare system in Canada.
Robert Flynn is an emeritus professor in the School of Psychology and a senior researcher at the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services (CRECS) at the University of Ottawa. He is a member of INTRAC, an international group of researchers interested in transitions from public care.
Joël Beaupré is an MA student in sociology at the University of Ottawa. He is also the research coordinator at CRECS of a new prospective longitudinal study of transitions within and from child welfare services in Eastern Ontario. His MA thesis will be based on the data collected in the transitions study.
210 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Research Informing Interventions
Procedures when Young People Leave Care in Sweden - the discourse of unawareness?
Speakers & Authors: Yvonne Sjöblom, Departmaent of Social Work, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg
This presentation will discuss why there are so few interventions in Sweden directed towards care leavers, how the needs of this group are perceived within social service organizations and how the lack of interventions can be explained.
The research presented looked at different procedures in the local authorities when young people leave out-of-home care placements and find out how their needs are understood and what support young people leaving care (YPLC) can get from the social service units. Data is based on structured telephone interviews with 111 managers of social service units in two Swedish regions (answering rate was 99, 1 per cent).
The research found that the majority of the managers were attentive of the difficulties YPLC may encounter but displayed little awareness of the consequences of a prolonged transition to adulthood. Instead, they perceived independent living as “normality” for this group. Several managers referred to the general support of the Swedish welfare state, meaning they had the same access to support as all other young people in Sweden. Consequently, YPLC are at risk of facing a compressed transition to adulthood. Paradoxically, the family-oriented perspective, combined with the Scandinavian welfare-system, creates a situation where the needs of young people and their vulnerable position during their transition to adulthood are concealed without being afforded appropriate awareness and interventions.
Speaker Information
Yvonne Sjöblom, PhD, Associated Professor is a senior lecturer and researcher at the Department of Social Work at Stockholm University and Linköping University. Her main research interest is child welfare with focus on vulnerable groups of young people and their transition to adulthood.
Ingrid Höjer, PhD, Associated Professor, is a senior lecturer and researcher at the Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg. Her main research interest is child welfare, with focus on foster care. She has performed research projects on foster families, sons and daughters of foster carers, and parents with children in foster care. Her recent research is directed towards different aspects of young people leaving care.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information BACK TO CONTENTS 211 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Residential 3
The emergence of social pedagogy in Scotland; the impact of in-service inter- disciplinary training Speakers & Authors: Dr. Ian Milligan, International Lead, CELCIS
This presentation will report the results of an evaluation of in-service social pedagogy training provided to a group of 18 education and social work professionals employed by Orkney Islands council. It will set the findings in the context of other social pedagogy developments in Scotland, such as new degree-level courses and the adoption of a social-pedagogy-informed approach to intervention by a number of child care organisations.
The evaluation was carried out by the author and a colleague and sought to discover the impact of the 10-day programme on the practice of participants, with a particular focus on inter-professional collaboration. The training and development programme was commissioned by Orkney Islands council as part of a wider strategy to enhance inter-professional co-operation in relation to children in care and those on the ‘edge of care’ who may be considered for specialist residential education services which are only available on mainland Scotland, and thus at a considerable distance from the children’s families.
The research was based on questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and group discussions with all the participants. Interviews were carried out at 2 intervals; 6 weeks and 6 months following completion of the training.
Speaker Information
Ian Milligan, PhD, is a senior lecturer and service lead for international work at CELCIS, and was Assistant Director of SIRCC. With SIRCC colleagues he has carried out research and published widely on residential child care. He has advised the Scottish and UK governments on policy and practice in residential child care, and is interested in developing social pedagogy and resisting risk-averse practice. He is part of the CELCIS team working on a Handbook to support the implementation of the United Nations Guidelines on Alternative Care of Children.
212 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Residential 3
Assessment of formal and informal social support at residential care: perspectives of young people Speakers & Authors: Eunice Magalhães, Maria Manuela Calheiros, João Graça, Centre for Psychological Research and Social Intervention; ISCTE - Lisbon University Institute, Portugal
Social support seems to be associated with positive outcomes on youth psychological well-being. Informal social support has been extensively studied, nevertheless, formal social support has not been emphasized on literature and, consequently, no specific measures exist. This study adds evidence from both types of social support in youths at residential care.
43 youths (58% females) completed the “Institutional Support Questionnaire” (Calheiros & Paulino, 2007) which assesses 2 dimensions: structural (i.e., time, localization and bureaucracy) and functional (i.e., emotional/relational, informative, tangible and esteem support). Additionally, youths completed the “Social Support Questionnaire” (Saranson, Levine, Basham, & Saranson, 1983) which assesses two dimensions: available support (the number of people on their network), and satisfaction with support.
Considering the formal and functional support, results revealed that dimensions of emotional and esteem support were more positively evaluated by the participants, which reflect empathic behaviors, acceptance and concern from behalf of the professionals regarding youths’ problems. Participants also reveal to be satisfied with the formal and structural support, and reported reduced levels of bureaucracy. Congruent with the results concerning formal support, high levels of satisfaction with the available informal support were also found. Youth at residential care need a special protection by formal services as they are under the state responsibility. The assessment of formal and informal perceived social support in this population seems to be even more important because these adolescents do not live with their family and, consequently, they rely on formal services to ensure the social support that they needs.
Speaker Information
Eunice Magalhães is a master in Educational and Schoolar Psychology and a PhD student of Psychology at ISCTE-IUL. Her master dissertation was about victimization in childhood and adolescence. Her scientific and professional interests include child victimization, forensic evaluation of child sexual abuse, and psychosocial functioning of adolescents at residential care. Her professional practice includes the assessment and intervention with families and youths at risk.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 213 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Residential 3
Increasing quality in residential care: let youngsters and careworkers do the talking!
Speakers & Authors: Marjan I. de Lange, MSc, Netherlands Youth Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
This presentation will present a Toolkit for youngsters and care workers to talk about and increase the quality of residential care. We developed this Toolkit with 6 youth care providers and started with selecting 16 quality criteria based on perspectives from clients; research on what works in residential care; and safety-indicators for residential care.
An example of a criterium is ‘residential care is as normal as possible’. To use the criteria for talking about it with youngsters, we translated each criterium into indicators. An example of an indicator is ‘I can invite my friends and family into the residential home. They can join our meals’. We used the criteria and indicators to develop a Toolkit with questionnaires and manuals to discuss the subject with both youngsters and care workers. They talk about what’s going well and what could be better in two separate sessions. After these sessions, they draw up a plan together with three goals to increase the quality of residential care. They also monitor the changes together.
In six pilots we tested the Toolkit. Youngsters were very enthusiastic about talking together about the quality. They could point out what went well and what could be better. In the presentation we will show their opinions more in detail. The youth care providers were also very content with the Toolkit. It gives care workers the opportunity to talk with youngsters about the quality of their care and to take the perspectives of youngsters into account when they improve the quality of residential care.
Speaker Information
Marjan de Lange is a child and family psychologist and senior advisor at the Netherlands Youth Institute. The Netherlands Youth Institute is the Dutch national institute on children and youth matters. The Institute aims to improve the physical, cognitive, mental and social development of children and young people by improving the quality and effectiveness of the services rendered to them and to their parents or carers. Mrs. de Lange is an expert on residential youth care and the treatment of children with behavioral problems and conduct disorders.
214 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Residential 3
Young People’s Experiences of Participating in Programmes
Speakers & Authors: Mhairi Gallacher, Programmes Worker, Kibble Education and Care Centre
The presentation will provide an overview of research which has been undertaken at Kibble to inform the implementation of intervention programmes to address young people’s offending behaviour. While a significant body of research literature has emerged in past years evaluating the effectiveness of programmes in reducing reoffending, little research attention has been paid to evaluating the process of actually taking part in these programmes, particularly from the perspective of young people.
To address this, a qualitative research project was undertaken at Kibble, exploring young people’s experiences of programme participation. The presentation will provide an overview of the main themes which have emerged from this project (illustrated by the use of quotations from the participants themselves), which may be of particular interest to practitioners working directly with young people. The presentation will go on to show how the findings from this project have been used to influence on-going research and practice developments within Kibble.
Speaker Information
Mhairi Gallacher is a Programmes Worker within Kibble Education and Care Centre’s Specialist Intervention Services. Mhairi is involved in the delivery of intervention programmes for young people who attend or reside in Kibble’s day, residential and secure services.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 215 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Residential 3
The place of external consultancy in transforming residential child care organisations and maintaining quality Speakers & Authors: Judith Furnivall, CELCIS
This presentation aims to examine the role of external consultancy as a catalyst for change in residential child care and as a resource in supporting staff and developing practice. It will draw on ten years’ experience of providing external consultancy to residential child care providers, primarily in Scotland but also elsewhere in the UK. A description of the types of intervention undertaken, an examination of impact and an analysis of the key factors in successful consultancy will be provided. This will be located in a review of the wider use of consultancy in residential child care and compared with other approaches such as training or performance management to initiate or maintain changes in practice. The importance of relational work that acknowledges the pain and difficulties inherent in the work for staff combined with a focus on the real lives and experiences of young people will be highlighted. An argument will be presented that investing in external consultancy for residential child care staff is both an effective and ethical intervention that reduces stress for staff and improves outcomes for young people.
Speaker Information
Judy Furnivall is a lecturer at the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS). She previously worked at Peper Harow Therapeutic Community for seven years. Since moving to Scotland, she has worked as a lecturer, researcher, trainer and consultant with a particular focus on residential child care. She emphasises the importance of promoting secure attachments and adopting a trauma informed perspective in work with vulnerable children but recognises the importance of building resilience. Her interests include the education and health of looked after children, therapeutic care, the interface between fostering and residential care and the dynamics of organisations.
216 BACK TO CONTENTS EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Youth Empowerment
Advocacy for children who are looked after: Securing their rights?
Speakers & Authors: Susan Elsley, Independent Consultant
Advocacy has long been seen as a way of securing human rights. For children and young people who are looked after it can provide them with tools to help influence crucial decisions by enabling their voices to be heard. The principle that there should be advocacy support for children and young people is generally accepted in the UK. Advocacy is regarded as an important way of supporting children and young people who are looked after. At the same time the availability of advocacy is often partial and inconsistent. There is confusion over what advocacy is, and its similarity or difference to other forms of support for children and young people. The pool of trained advocates is small and there are few statutory commitments to providing advocacy.
This presentation will draw on recent policy activity and research in Scotland on advocacy. It will consider advocacy’s role in supporting children and young people’s participation in line with UN Committee on the Rights of the Child General Comment No. 12 on the child’s right to be heard. It will explore whether advocacy’s role in securing children’s human rights is well recognised in policy and services. It will consider if there are effective mechanisms for ensuring its quality.
The presentation will conclude by arguing that advocacy is a barometer for effectiveness in delivering on children’s right to be heard. However, there should be more rigorous approaches to securing high quality services and wider understanding of the role of advocacy in supporting looked after children.
Speaker Information
Susan Elsley is an independent consultant in children’s rights, policy and research and a part time Senior Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. She has a longstanding interest in children’s participation and the interface of policy, research and practice. She has recently undertaken work for the Scottish Government on advocacy support for children and young people.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 217 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Youth Empowerment
Client perception of working alliance with youth care workers: Construction and validation of an alliance questionnaire Speakers & Authors: Dr. Marion van Hattum, Associate Professor, Key Factors in Youth Care, HAN University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands. Rinie van Rijsingen, Researcher, Lindenhout Youth Care Centre of Expertise, The Netherlands, Inge Smit-van der Tak, Teacher Social Work and member Key Factors in Youth Care research group, HAN University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands Dr. Huub M. Pijnenburg, Professor Key Factors in Youth Care, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
Most evaluative research in youth care addresses the efficacy of specific interventions, rather than the contribution of intervention-nonspecific or common factors to youth care outcome. As argued by Pijnenburg (EUSARF 2010), a growing body of research suggests that the contribution of interventions is relatively small by comparison to the influence of common factors. Likely the most influential of these factors is the development of working alliance between professional and client, i.e. the development of an affective bond, and a shared understanding of the aims and tasks of this collaborative effort. Nonetheless, alliance assessment throughout the care process is far from common practice.
The Youth Care Alliance Scale was developed to facilitate such assessment and feedback. The YCAS is easily administered. It invites clients to reflect on the alliance they experience with their youth care worker by means of 20 basic questions. The instrument is suitable for parents and adolescents; construction of a version for children ages 6-12 is under way. The instrument is based on an elaborate literature review and outcomes of earlier Dutch studies on what works in youth care. The YCAS is currently being validated in a study conducted in the context of Intensive Family Preservation Services for families. The presentation focuses both on the development of the instrument and on outcomes of the current validation research. In conclusion, it will discuss possibilities for application of YCAS in assessing and boosting the quality and outcome of youth care.
Speaker Information
Dr Marion van Hattum is Associate Professor Key Factors in Youth Care at HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. She is also programme director Social Practice Development in the Master Social Work of the HAN Master Programmes. She contributes to knowledge development, professionalisation and effectiveness of social workers and of youth care and welfare organisations. At the moment, she studies the alliance between social professionals and clients, and their social network, as well as key factors in effective social work policy.
218 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Youth Empowerment
Key messages and issues about Social Work Practices (SWPs) from children and young people’s perspectives Speakers & Authors: Dr Julie Ridley, University of Central Lancashire
The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 allowed the delegation of local authority functions in relation to looked after children and care leavers to Social Work Practices (SWPs). SWPs were expected to deliver more consistent and stable care. Six pilots started in 2008, and a team of researchers led by Prof Nicky Stanley at University of Central Lancashire, was commissioned (2008- 2012) by the DCSF (now DfE) to evaluate the pilots. The aim of the presentation is to show the key findings in relation to the children and young people’s perspectives, summarise the key messages, draw conclusions and highlight future implications in the context of future waves of SWPs.
A matched control design with integral process evaluation was used. Qualitative interviews, questionnaire surveys and analysis of secondary data captured information about impact of the pilots on children and young people, families, carers, local authority social workers and SWP staff, and professionals working in other agencies. Over 200 interviews were carried out with children and young people in 11 local authorities.
The majority of children and young people in all sites (pilots & comparison) were happy with their workers’ accessibility and responsiveness. The model facilitated features of good practice to an extent but the presenters also found examples of good practice and some negative comments in all sites. Some benefits of small practices were that children and families were known to the team, quicker decision making, and accessible offices. This presentation will conclude that key to good practice lies in involving children and young people fully in service delivery changes.
Speaker Information
Dr Julie Ridley is a Senior Research Fellow within the School of Social Work at University of Central Lancashire. Dr Ridley was part of the national research team evaluating pilot Social Work Practices (SWPs) for the Department for Education. Her research has included evaluating aspects of ethnicity in relation to adoption practice in social work; examining mental health policy and user experiences; exploring the promotion of personalisation and self-directed support policy; supported employment and the impact on quality of life; the effectiveness and quality of mental health advocacy; and health and social care professionals’ experience and views of disclosure of disability.
EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 219 Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Youth Empowerment
‘Not Victims but Activists - Children and Young People in the Face of Adversity’
Speakers & Authors: Prof. Robert Gilligan , Trinity College Dublin, Galina Markova, PhD, New Bulgarian University
The presentation draws on a recent qualitative study funded by the OAK Foundation of 70 young people in Bulgaria who have been exposed to sexual abuse, or to conditions with high risk of sexual abuse and exploitation. This study uses a very person-centred and strength focused methodology to investigate the experiences of the young people. It explored the risks and protective factors which the young people and parents themselves identified in their own narratives. The young people have had encounters with a range of official services, including institutional care. The findings to be presented will highlight selected examples of the agency and capacity of young people and their parents in finding support in even very challenging and oppressive contexts. The study indicates that at least some young people can draw on unexpected resources even in very unlikely circumstances. It also suggests that children in such circumstances cannot be regarded only as helpless and passive victims. The possible implications for professional practice in the field of child and youth protection will be considered.
Speaker Information
Robbie Gilligan is Professor of Social Work and Social Policy at Trinity College Dublin and associate director of the Children’s Research Centre. He has written extensively on child care and foster care. Professionally, his policy and practice focus is in the field of child and family welfare. He has a particular interest in the application of resilience and strength – based perspectives in interventions with children and families experiencing adversity. This interest in resilience also informs his research and publications.
Galina Markova, PhD is the director of the Know How Centre for Alternative Care for Children at the New Bulgarian University. She teaches and supervises social workers at the MA Clinical social work at the Bulgarian Institute of Human Relations. Her field of expertise is transformation of institutionalized care for children into community-based one. Her interest in integration of the strength-based perspective in the development of community services for children and families.
220 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Friday 7th September | Parallel Session | 14.30 to 16.30
Youth Empowerment
Our story: Young people’s ratings of life outcomes using the Canadian Looking After Children Assessment Tool Speakers & Authors: Dr. Bernadette Gallagher, Director of Education, Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies, Margaret Barr, Director of Residential and Children Services, Children’s Aid Society of Brant, Myra Hurst, Manager of the Ontario Pratice Model, Ontario Association of Chidren’s Aid Societies
This presentation will show how cared for young people perceive their life success related to outcomes in health, family and social relations, social presentation, emotional and behavioral development and self-care. The presenters will demonstrate how the Canadian Looking After Children tools extracts the self-ratings of young people (aged 10-17 years) to understand how well young people from a Southern Ontario Child Welfare agency say they are doing in care.
In conjunction with the young persons’ perception, ratings of child welfare professionals regarding the acquisition of assessments that would lead to the achievement of life outcomes by using the Developmental Assessment Tool. The goal is to examine the synergy between how young people see their future and how likely child welfare professionals believe the same young people can achieve the building blocks that help them grow up healthy, caring and responsible. Ultimately, the question explored was how can the child welfare system contribute to the stronger development of internal and external assets so young people have increased opportunities to succeed in adulthood.
Speaker Information
Dr Bernadette Gallagher is the Director of Education at the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies and is responsible for the training and education for child welfare professionals, caregivers, managers, and trainers for the Province of Ontario, Canada. Dr Gallagher has over 20 years of experience in child welfare. Research interests include social justice issues, voice of service users in child welfare, social work practice and participatory action research. Ms Margaret Barr is the Director of Clinical and Residential Services at the Children’s Aid Society of Brant. Ms Barr has over thirty years of experience in child welfare. Clinical specialities include children’s mental health and early child development. Ms Barr has represented the Looking After Children and her Southern Ontario agencies at International Conferences including Montreal, Canada; Sydney Australia, and Oxford, England. Ms Myra Hurst is the Manager of the Ontario Practice Model at the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies. Ms Hurst has over twenty five years of experience in child welfare practice. Current practice focuses on training and assessment of caregivers and supporting the implementation of the Looking After Children program for the Province of Ontario.
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Speaker & Author Glossary
Ainsworth, Frank (p.44) Daly, Daniel L. (p. 182) Aitken, Jade (p.126, 127) Damen, H. (p. 31) Albæk Nielsen, Alva (p. 129) Davidson, Jennifer (p. 7) Andreassen, Tore (p. 51) de Beer, Coenraad (p. 93) Andries, Caroline (p. 68, 118, 157) de Kwaadsteniet, Leontien (p. 188) Anglin, James (p. 88) de Lange, Majan I. (p. 213) Arad-Davidson, Bilhah (p. 197, 198, 201) De Maeyer, Skrallan (p. 68, 118, 157) Arnau, Laura (p. 49, 139) De Meyer, Ronald (p. 149-150) Backe-Hansen, Elisabeth (p. 159) Dekker, Marielle (p. 21, 189) Bakketeig, Elisiv (p. 159) Dekker, Jeroen J.H. (p. 189) Barkman, Johanna (p. 94) Delgado , Paulo (p. 156) Barnes, Pamela (p. 40) Delsing, Marc (p. 149-150, 204) Barr, Margaret (p. 220) Denecheau, Benjamin (p. 180) Barrett, Whitney (p. 167) Dettlaff , lan J. (p. 151) Bartelink, Cora (p. 188) Di Masi, Diego (p. 76, 100) Baumann, Donald J. (p. 151) Dinisman, Tamar (p. 196) Beaumier, Isabelle (p. 206) Dixon, Jo (p. 123) Beaupré, Joël (p. 128, 209) Dolev, Hilla (p. 111) Bell, Tessa (p. 114) Donaldson, Julia (p. 137) Benbenishty, Rami (p. 195-199, 201) Donnelly, Brian (p. 147) Berti, Chiara (p. 78) Duncalf, Zachari (p. 81) Biehal, Nina (p. 41, 79) Dupuis, Gilles (p. 134) Bishop, Natasha (p. 70) Durning, Paul (p. 153) Boddy, Janet (p. 28) Edwards, Kym (p. 141) Boendermaker, Leonieke (p. 103) El-Hachem, Laura (p. 134) Boomkens, Cynthia (p. 103) Elliott, Lawrie (p. 64) Borenstein, Juliette (p. 107) Elsley, Susan (p. 216) Bot, Sander (p. 34) Emond, Ruth (p. 146) Bowley, Sharn (p. 126) Etzion, Dafna (p. 61) Boyce, Pauline (p. 58) Evenboer, K.E. (p. 43) Brandon, Marian (p. 70) Exenberger, Silvia (p. 93) Bravo Arteaga, Amaia (p. 98, 130) Ezell, Mark (p. 39) Brownell, Marni (p. 187) F. Del Valle, Jorge (p. 8, 98, 121, 130, 200) Bryce, Graham (p. 137) Fafard, Guylaine (p. 27) Burkhart, Barry (p. 89) Fallon, Barbara (p. 152) Buys, Nicholas (p. 165) Ferrier, David (p. 40) Calheiros, Maria Manuela (p. 25, 67, 212) Filella, Gemma (p. 49, 139) Cameron, Seán (p. 142) Fluke, John D. (p. 151, 187) Cameron, Claire (p. 176) Flynn, Robert J. (p. 115, 119, 128, 166, 193, 209) Canali, Cinzia (p. 42, 52) Foster, Jessica (p. 125) Casas, Ferran (p. 143) Fouquette, Nathalie (p. 23) Chamberlain, Patti (p. 56) Frissen, Karin (p. 183) Chamberland, Claire (p. 27, 185) Furnivall, Judith (p. 215) Champion, Ruth (p. 203) Gabriel, Thomas (p. 22) Cheung, Connie (p. 116) Gadda, Andressa (p. 177) Choi-lin, Londy (p. 104) Gallacher, Mhairi (p. 214) Christiansen, Øivin (p. 92) Gallagher, Bernadette (p. 220) Christie, Linda (p. 109) Gendron, Sylvie (p. 134) Clément, Marie-Ève (p. 185) Gilbert, Ruth (p. 187) Connelly, Graham (p. 58) Gill, Chloe (p. 75) Connolly, Sara (p. 70) Gilligan, Robert (p. 85, 146, 171, 219) Cooper, Neil (p. 70) Giovanni, Sesto S. (p. 69) Costa, Manuela (p. 97) Gladstone, James (p. 178) Courtney, Mark E. (p. 208) Goense, Pauline (p. 103) Creed, Peter (p. 165) Gonzalez-Izquierdo, Arturo (p. 187) Cressey, Charles O. (p. 80) Gorza, Maud (p. 110) Cross, Richard (p. 53) Graça, João (p. 25, 212) Dadds, Simon (p. 23) Green Lister, Pam (p. 136) Dale, Hannah (p. 65) Grietens, Hans (p. 1, 29, 121, 169) Daly, Wayne (p. 91) Guhirwa, Harriet (p. 125) EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information 223 Speaker & Author Glossary
Gulliver, Pauline (p. 187) López, Mónica (p. 121, 199-200) Harder, Annemiek T. (p. 140) Lurie, Jim (p. 191) Harrison, Terri (p. 37) Lushey, Clare (p. 127) Hart, Di (p. 75) MacLeod, Iain (p. 162) Hauari, Hanan (p. 60) Magalhães, Eunice (p. 212) Havik, Odd. E (p. 197) Maginn, Colin (p. 142) Havik, Toril (p. 197) Malo, Claire (p. 135) Heiervang, Einar R. (p. 194) Mangold, Katharina (p. 202) Hélie, Sonia (p. 135) Markova, Galina (p. 171, 219) Henderson, Marion (p. 64) Marquis , Robyn A. (p. 119) Hesjedal, Elisabeth (p. 145) Martin, Stephanie (p. 63) Hetland, Hilde (p. 145) Martin, Eduardo (p. 133) Hicks, Leslie (p. 36) Martins, E. (p. 55) Höjer, Ingrid (p. 90, 210) Marzo, Maite (p. 49, 139) Holden, Martha (p. 86-87) Massé, Line (p. 95-96) Hollingworth, Katie (p. 28) McAuley, Colette (p. 45) Holmes, Lisa (p. 56, 163) McCreadie, Joanna (p. 109) Horgan, Aoife (p. 174) McDermid, Samantha (p. 163) Horgan, Deirdre (p. 155) McKeever, Shann (p. 182) Hurst, Myra (p. 220) McMullen, Sherri (p. 117) Ignace, Vermaes (p. 183) McNamara, Patricia (p. 32, 77, 107) Ius, Marco (p. 24, 76, 100) McNitt, Myrna (p. 33) Iversen, Anette Christine (p. 144-145) McPheat, Graham (p. 175) Izzo, Charles (p. 86) Mei-ching Wong, Mooly (p. 104) Jacinthe, Lachance-Fiola (p. 134) Menzies Munthe-Kaas, Heather (p. 181) Jakobsen, Turf (p. 105) Metselaar, Janneke (p. 102) James, Sigrid S. (p. 184) Michael, Erik (p. 193) Jämsen, Elisa (p. 94) Milani, Paola (p. 24, 76, 100) Jariot, Mercè (p. 49, 139) Miller, Meagan (p. 115, 193) Jelicic, Helena (p. 75) Milligan, Susan (p. 23) Johnsen, Anja (p. 144) Milligan, Ian (p. 211) Join-Lambert, Milova Hélène (p. 74) Milne, E.J. (p. 168) Joly, Marie-Pierre (p. 120) Minnis, Helen (p. 137) Jud, Andreas (p. 154) Moldestad, Bente (p. 57) Juffer, Femmie (p. 21) Montserrat, Carme (p. 106, 143) Kannerhuis, Leo (p. 101) Moreau, Jacques (p. 134-135) Katzarova, Yana (p. 171) Morton, Lucy (p. 137) Keller, Samuel (p. 22) Munro, Emily (p. 127) Kendrick, Andrew (p. 9) Murray, Claire (p. 35) Keyes, Corey (p. 193) Nadeau, Danielle (p. 113, 115, 117, 140) Kindler, Heinz (p. 30) Nanninga, Marieke (p. 192) King, Steven (p. 141) Nikkanen, Marko (p. 94) Knorth, Erik J. (p. 29, 102, 121, 189, 199) Nixon, Catherine (p. 64) Koopmans, A. Carien (p. 199) Nunno, Michael (p. 86) Kufeldt, Kathleen (p. 33) O’Donnell, Melissa (p. 187) Kuhn, Frank (p. 89) Ogden, Terje, (p. 7) Kulig, Beata (p. 124) Oranen, Mikko (p. 94) Kurtze, Nanna (p. 181) Oriol, Xavier (p. 49, 139) Laakso, Riitta (p. 160) Oterholm, Inger (p. 173) Lacerte, Denise (p. 113) Overbeek, Thérèse (p. 183) Lacharité, Carl (p. 73, 185) Pagés, Adrià (p. 49, 139) Laframboise, Andréanne (p. 166) Palareti, Laura (p. 78) Lai-chong, Joyce (p. 104) Pandolfi , Luisa (p. 83) Landsverk, John (p. 56) Patrício, Joana (p. 25) Lausten, Mette (p. 122) Peregrino, Antoni (p. 49, 139) Lavergne, Chantal (p. 135) Perry, Bruce (p. 4) Lehmann, Stine (p. 194) Pijnenburg, Hubert M. (p. 32, 77, 107) Leslie, Bruce (p. 36, 178) Poirier, Marie-Andrée (p. 120, 206) Lessard, Danielle (p. 27) Pösö, Tarja (p. 131, 160) Léveillée, Sophie (p. 206) Premoli, Silvio (p. 69) 224 EUSARF 2012 | Conference Information Speaker & Author Glossary
Pronk, Sanne (p. 204) Thompson, Ronald W. (p. 182) Richard, Marie-Claude (p. 84) Thune Hammerstrøm, Karianne (p. 181) Ridley, Julie (p. 218) Tilbury, Clare (p. 165) Roesch-Marsh, Autumn (p. 146) Tillard, B. (p. 55) Rogers, Justin (p. 164) Timmerman, Margaretha C. (p. 189) Rolls Reutz, Jennifer (p. 56) Todd, Alison (p. 72) Rolstad Nordlund, Kristina (p. 181) Torbenfeldt Bengtssn, Tea (p. 129, 179) Romano , Elisa (p. 114) Turlais, Amélie (p. 153) Romi, Shlomo (p. 64) van Andel, Hans (p. 29) Rosandich, Joanne (p. 52) Van Audenhove, Sharon (p. 170) Rosandich, Frank (p. 52) van den Berg, Germie (p. 204) Sainero Rodríguez, Ana (p. 98, 130) van den Bergh, Peter M. (p. 31, 102) Sala, Josefina (p. 49, 139) van Hattum, Marion (p. 112, 217) Saldana, Lisa (p. 56) Van Holen, Frank (p. 31, 68, 118, 107) Santerini, Milena (p. 69) van Rijsinge, Rinie (p. 217) Santos, Iriana (p. 200) van Rooije, Marjolijn (p. 38) Schofield, Gillian (p. 50) van Santen, Eric (p. 82) Secanilla, Esther (p. 49, 139) van Yperen, Tom A. (p. 102, 148 188) Selwyn, Juliette (p.108) Vanderfaeillie, Johan (p. 31, 68, 118, 157-158) Sen, Robin (p. 136, 205) Vanschoonlandt, Femke (p. 68, 118, 157-158) Serbati, Sara (p. 24, 76, 100) Vecchiato, Tiziano (p. 42, 52) Shimoni , Edna (p. 195) Veerman, Jan W. (p. 148-150) Silva, Carla Sofia (p. 67) Verreault, Martine (p. 95-96) Simard, Marie-Claude (p. 206) Verret, Claudia (p. 95-96) Sjöblom, Yvonne (p. 90, 210) Vierula, Tarja (p. 71) Skilbred, Dag (p. 57) Villaba, Andreu (p. 49. 139) Sladovic, Franz Branka (p. 59) Vinke, Anneke J.G. (p. 21) Small, Richard W. (p. 80) Vitale, Alessia (p. 26) Smith, Annie (p. 63, 66) Wade, Jim (p. 41) Smith, Elliott (p. 86) Wagstaff, Matthew (p. 123) Smit-van der Tak, Inge (p. 217) Wall, Shelley (p. 141) Söderqvist, Åsa (p. 172) Walter, Chris (p. 97) Soldevila, Anna (p. 49< 139) Ward, Harriet (p. 5, 56) Soltys, Anna (p. 124) Warwick, Ian (p. 28) Spath, Robin (p. 39) Watson, Lorna (p. 65) Statham, June (p. 28) Steckley, Laura (p. 138, 162) Webster, Susan (p. 62) Steffens, Harriët (p. 103) Whittaker, James K. (p. 80) Stein, Mike (p. 124, 207) Wight, Daniel (p. 64) Storø, Jan (p. 161) Wijedasa, Dinithi (p. 132) Strahl, Benjamin (p. 202) Wilson, Anne (p. 167) Strijbosch, Eefje (p. 112) Wilson, Sarah (p. 168) Stroobants, Tim (p. 158) Wise, Sarah (p. 203) Sulimani-Aidan, Yafit (p. 196) Witteman, Cilia L.M. (p. 188, 199) Susuman, Sathiya (p. 54) Wojtasinska, Anna (p. 124) Tankred Luckow , Stine (p. 186) Wollscheid, Sabine (p. 99) Temple-Smith, Meredith (p. 62) Wong, Michelle (p. 66) ten Berge, Ingrid J. (p. 188) Tervo, Jaana (p. 94) Zarate, Nair (p. 49, 139) Tessier, Nicholas G. (p. 128, 209) Zeira, Anat (p. 47, 196) Thoburn, June (p. 46, 70) Zemach, Tamar (p. 111)
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