Andy Bilson

CARING ABOUT POVERTY: Alternatives to institutional care for children in poverty

Entry to institutional care is being used as an ineffective and expensive response to child and family poverty in a number of countries. In this paper, the practice of using institutional care for children in poverty is examined, drawing on case studies from three countries–the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, and Sri Lanka. Research findings reveal that poverty is a major underlying cause of children being received into institutional care and that such reception into care is a costly, inappropriate, and often harmful response to adverse economic circumstances. We suggest that alternatives to care may be funded from resources currently committed to institutions by developing a policy of gatekeeping. However, alternative strategies must be responsive to local conditions, and all such strategies need to be developed in consultation with children, their families, and communities.

Independent Children’s Social Work Practice Pilots: Evaluating Practitioners’ Job Control and Burnout

Objectives: To investigate whether a new model that delegates some out-of-home care services from the public to the private and not-for-profit sectors in England enhances practitioners’ job control and stress levels. Methods: A 3-year longitudinal matched-control evaluation examined changes in Karasek demand-control model and Maslach burnout levels of 2,050 staff working in five social work practice (SWP) pilots, their host local authorities and comparable sites. Results: Mixed-effect models indicated no significant difference in main outcomes among SWP staff when compared to staff in host and comparison local authorities. There were notable differences in relation to job insecurity and social support. Conclusion: The minimal effects observed may relate to the diverse nature of SWPs with no specific work model predominating.

Towards aesthetic seduction using emotional engagement and stories

Purpose – This paper aims to provide principles and to give a case study of the application of Batesons ideas to promote epistemological change in organisations to deal with problems which many governments in English speaking countries currently attempt to address by control through detailed performance indicators and top‐down monitoring. It suggests that epistemological change requires an approach that goes beyond rational argument and provides an example of the way that emotional engagement and story telling can be built into action research based on cybernetic ideas.Design/methodology/approach – Bateson stresses the need for an epistemological change to embrace an understanding of the implications of circular causation to underpin our approach to problems and policy making. The case study shows how research using systemic principles can address epistemological change at all its stages including data collection and dissemination. In this way the research aims to become a conversation in which participa...

Policies on bruises in premobile children: Why we need improved standards for policymaking

This review of the 91 English childrens services departments with specific policies on bruising in premobile children found a major disjuncture between research evidence and its interpretation in guidance. Many policies require all premobile children found with a bruise to be seen urgently by a paediatrician, and in some, all bruised children are subject of a formal child protection investigation regardless of the explanations for the bruise or the views of front‐line practitioners. However, the research on bruises in premobile children on which these policies were based was found to be limited and contradictory and did not fully support the guidance given. National guidance given by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and many local policies state that bruising in premobile children is suggestive of physical abuse because accidental bruising is uncommon despite the only longitudinal study of bruising showing 27% of premobile children were bruised over an average of 7.6 weekly observations. The paper calls for an urgent review of these policies and guidance and improved standards for policymaking.