Introduction
This briefing has been compiled using the learning from multi-agency learning reviews undertaken by Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board during 2012/13.
The following information provides a range of ‘top tips’ for practitioners and managers to consider when working with children and families particularly where those cases are complex and where parents are resistant and challenging.
Neglect
· Focus on positive outcomes for the child and the family; the use of easy to understand language such as ‘I will’ statements encourages parents to feel empowered and offers assurances that they have understood what is being asked of them, this is particularly important for those parents who have a learning disability
· Consider the wider family; involving grandparents, aunts and uncles and other family members encourages contribution to a child plan and helps them to be kept informed of any developments. This helps to ensure that support can be offered on a consistent basis
· Consider the needs of those parents or carers who do not reside with the child, ensuring information is shared particularly for those parents who are in prison
· Maintain a level of professional curiosity when working with families and beware of disguised compliance[1]. This occurs when parents want to draw the professional’s attention away from allegations of harm and can make it difficult for practitioners to maintain an objective view of progress in safeguarding the welfare of a child (Brandon et al, 2008)[2].
· Recognise the additional vulnerability factors of young parents. Using a genogram[3], eco map or a family tree helps practitioners to understand who is involved with the family and allows for consideration of their inter-generational and community relationships
· Recognise the impact of families who move from one location to another (either within or out of a local authority) and how this affects information sharing between agencies.
· Prioritising the needs of the child helps to promote positive outcomes for them. If the goals of what you are working to achieve are clear, then the impact is easier to measure.
· Make sure that all of the practitioners involved with the family are invited to child protection conferences. Full attendance from key partners enables a richer appreciation of the information and informs assessments, recommendations and decision making. If you are the lead professional, make sure you share the outcome of the meeting with those practitioners who send apologies or who are unable to attend. If you can’t go then make sure you send a report from your agency.
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)[4]
· There is a danger that practitioners often label ‘teenagers’ as disruptive, aggressive and volatile, accepting that this is part of their persona and this can lead to the young person becoming disengaged with practitioners. It is important to maintain a focus on the child and their outcomes and not become distracted by their behaviours. Work with the young person to help identify an individual with whom the child/ young person can relate to and who can develop a trusting relationship with them .
· Remember to consider the wishes and feelings of the child and record these within your records. If this is difficult to capture because the child is very young or has communication difficulties, think about other techniques or tools that you can use to evidence their feelings and thoughts. Doing this helps to strengthen the voice of the child in future assessment and planning processes.
· Always check with the young person, the family and other practitioners, who is or has been working with the family. The involvement of practitioners from both adults and children’s services in the assessment process not only facilitates the sharing of information (both current and historical) but it also improves the quality and depth of that information. Think about who is best placed to provide the information and whether their availability could have an impact on the assessment process i.e. if the professional does not work during school holidays or is on leave or if the parent/ carer connected to the child does not live with them but is accessing a service such as housing or probation services.
· As a child moves from setting to setting (from early years provision through to further/higher education establishments) so should their information. This includes any previous welfare and safeguarding concerns. Agencies must obtain a full history of the child’s experiences and read all available historic records in order to help promote the welfare and safety of the child.
Children subject to a child protection plan for less than 90 days
· In accordance with the guidance provided in Working Together 2013 and local inter-agency procedures, attendance at child protection conferences must be a priority for agencies. Greater attendance provides further opportunities for cross-agency information sharing, meaning that risk & needs assessments are better informed. This is likely to lead to improved decision making and child protection planning.
· A number of cases in this audit involved family histories that were complex and confusing. This leads to an overwhelming amount of information which can be difficult for practitioners to deal with and sometimes leads them to put aside knowledge of the past and focus on the present, adopting what we refer to as the ‘start again syndrome’. Any new or re-assessment of a family must take into account the family’s history in order to make sense of the present.[5]
· Analysing risk and need can only be effective if there is a robust approach to gathering information. This includes historical information too. Creating a summary of historical information prior to the risk analysis/ decision making process enables other practitioners (who may be less familiar with the child) time to become familiar with the child’s background and assists them in understanding the reasoning behind any decisions made during the conference. Only then can there be a clear plan that is understood by practitioners, parents and children, where appropriate, that focuses on positive outcomes for the child and their family.
Domestic Abuse[6]
· Recognise that domestic abuse has a number of different impacts, both physical and emotional on children and this may be different at different ages. Even with very young children there will be an emotional impact of hearing and seeing domestic abuse.
· Ensure an assessment provides an analysis of the dynamics of the parental relationship and identifies where the risk lies. Information should be gathered from the perpetrator as well as the survivor where it is safe and appropriate to do so.
· Observe the dynamics between parent/ child relationships. This is particularly important in pre verbal children and babies and children with communication difficulties. Record precisely what you see and explain what this tells you from a child development perspective.
· Speak to the children / young people in the household to understand their experiences of domestic violence and abuse.
· Be alert to the needs of young people who are in abusive relationships. Violence in young people’s intimate relationships should be viewed as a significant child-welfare problem that needs to be addressed with the young person.
· Do not rely on separation as the only means of protection or as a guarantee of the risks being eliminated. You may not be aware that relationships are continuing and risks may still be present through ongoing contact even after a relationship ends.
· Access specialist domestic abuse training and research to understand the issues and risks present within abusive relationships.
Children with disabilities
· Ensure any specialist assessment takes into consideration the family situation, family dynamics and possible safeguarding concerns.
· Focus on the child’s needs and ensure their basic rights are not being overlooked in the pursuit of wider support and engagement issues.
· Use specialist opinion to inform the wider circumstances of the case, not as the only option.
· Avoid over identifying with the parents and the challenges they face.
· Always capture the views of the child / young person even if they have communication difficulties, through observations of their presentation, interactions at home and in different environments.
· Do not assume that difficult to manage, aggressive or problematic behaviour is a result of a child’s disability or attribute behaviours to developmental difficulties rather than striving to understand the cause of these.
Sexual Abuse
· Ensure that there is clear evidence to support protective factors or persons identified as being a protective factor.
· Do not wait for a disclosure to act; consideration should be given to the presentation and behaviour of the child / young person in the context of known history.
· Remember children disclose in many different ways and not always directly.
· See past the outwardly caring and concerned parent and question further the cause of any behaviour or distressed presentation.
· Do not dismiss allegations or concerns if medical evidence is not found.
· Where one child in a family makes an allegation or disclosure ALL children in the family must be spoken to and assessed.
· Ensure that any disability or medical diagnosis is not used to explain / excuse behaviours / symptoms without full and proper assessment.
· Do not assume that sexualised behaviour, emotional or behavioural difficulties are a result of abuse in the past, (perhaps by a family member with whom there no longer is contact), as the abuse may be still occurring with another perpetrator.
Challenging / Resistant Parents[7]
· Remain calm and professional in your interactions with families.
· Maintain a focus on the child and their outcomes and do not be distracted by the behaviours presented by the parents.
· Recognise the impact of non-compliance on interventions and the outcomes for the child.
· Discuss the case in supervision / line management arrangements to consider different ways to work with the parents.
· Remember that if you are intimidated by parents, the child is living in that environment.
· Avoid applying an over optimistic view of small changes.
2
[1] ‘Disguised compliance’ involves a parent or carer giving the appearance of co-operating with child welfare agencies to avoid raising suspicions, to allay professional concerns and ultimately to diffuse professional intervention. Source: NSPCC http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/questions/disguised_compliance_wda74079.html
[2] Brandon, M. et al.(2008) Analysing child deaths and serious injury through abuse and neglect: what can we learn? A biennial analysis of serious case reviews 2003-2005. Research Report DCSF-RR023 (PDF). London: Department for Education and Skills (DfES).
[3] A genogram is a graphic representation of a family tree that displays detailed data on relationships among individuals. Genograms allow practitioners to quickly identify and understand various patterns in the patient's family history and maps out relationships and traits that may otherwise be missed. http://www.genopro.com/genogram/
[4] For further guidance please refer to the SSCB joint inter agency policy and procedure Section 4H Safeguarding Children from Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE):
http://www.staffsscb.org.uk/Professionals/Procedures/Section-Four/Section-4-Promoting-the-Welfare-Safety-of-Children-in-Specific-Circumstances.aspx
[5] SSCB inter agency policy and procedure: Section 4P: Child Neglect www.staffsscb.org.uk/Professionals/Procedures/Section-Four/Section-4-Promoting-the-Welfare-Safety-of-Children-in-Specific-Circumstances.aspx
[6] For further guidance please refer to the SSCB inter agency policy and procedure Section 4N Domestic Abuse and Violence
http://www.staffsscb.org.uk/Professionals/Procedures/Section-Four/Section-4-Promoting-the-Welfare-Safety-of-Children-in-Specific-Circumstances.aspx
[7] For further guidance please refer to: SSCB inter agency policy and procedure: Section 6G Working with Highly Resistant Families http://www.staffsscb.org.uk/Professionals/Procedures/Section-Six/Section-6-Further-Guidance-for-Practitioners.aspx