Maria Harries

Reforming Child Protection

Child protection is one of the most high profile and challenging areas of social work, as well as one where childrens lives and family life are seen to be at stake. Vital as child protection work is, this book argues that there is a pressing need for change in the understanding and consequent organization of child protection in many English speaking countries. The authors present compelling evidence from around the globe demonstrating that systems across the Western world are failing children, families and social workers. They then set out a radical plan for reform: Providing an overview of contemporary child protection policies and practices across the English speaking world. Presenting a clear and innovative theoretical framework for understanding the problems in the child protection system. Developing an alternative, ethical framework which locates child protection in the broader context of effective and comprehensive support for children, young people and families at the neighbourhood and community levels. Grounded in the recent and contemporary literature, research and scholarly inquiry, this book capitalises on the experiences and voices of children, young people, families and workers who are the most significant stakeholders in child protection. It will be an essential read for those who work, research, teach or study in the area.

No-suicide contracts and no-suicide agreements: a controversial life

Objective: In this paper we describe the origins of suicide prevention contracting, identify the historical factors that led to the adoption of the intervention, and describe legal tensions that have emerged during its use. Conclusions: It would appear that one of the most frequently used clinical interventions for responding to suicidality has established a place in clinical practice without evidence attesting to its efficacy. We develop some propositions about how and why this clinical technique has been able to consolidate its place in mental health practice and, in so doing, suggest that the original technique was able to secure a clinical place without much apparent resistance because of the confluence of a number of emerging theories and community trends.

Reflections on Recovery in Mental Health: Perspectives From a Muslim Culture.

This article describes the outcomes of research into how individuals with mental health problems at the National Centre of Mental Health in Jordan perceived the causes of their mental health problems, the coping strategies they employed, how they sought help, and how they experienced what is termed the process of recovery. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 male and 10 female patients diagnosed with a range of mental health problems. The research suggests that each person perceived recovery uniquely and that, for some, religion was viewed as being central to recovery. The research also suggests that social workers and other mental health professionals working with Muslim patients can better contribute to their recovery if they understand and respect the central role of these patients’ religious beliefs and “faith journeys.”

Responding to information about children in adversity: ten years of a differential response model in Western Australia

This article uses a comprehensive database about children in adversity collected over the 16-year period from 1990 to 2005 in the state of Western Australia. The focus of this interrogation is the effect of major changes in responses to information about children brought to the attention of the Western Australian statutory authority in a 10-year period during this 16 years. The initiative for these changes was termed New Directions, and its associated policy and practice changes were aimed at differentiating information expressing concerns about children and families from allegations of child maltreatment. They emphasized the provision of supportive and empowering services to families experiencing difficulties - a form of differential response to children in adversity. The article covers the period leading up to the policy and practice change and the 10 years during which these changes were implemented. It examines some effects of the new policy and comments on whether the changes resulted in missed opportunities to protect children from harm, which in turn, might have led to higher rates of re-reporting. The authors present an overall picture of the nature of the information accepted by the statutory authority and how the interpretation of that information might have affected subsequent outcomes for children. In doing so, it shows that the policy and consequential practice changes associated with a differential response mechanism had long lasting positive effects that, despite dire warnings, did not compromise the protection of the small group of children identified as requiring protective interventions.

Gaining Control: A New Perspective on the Parenting of Children with AD/HD

This qualitative research explored parents’ perspectives of parenting a child with AD/HD-Combined subtype (CT) who was unmedicated. Sixteen parents were interviewed twice and two parents were interviewed once. Data were analysed using grounded theory methods. Findings indicated that parents’ perspectives were primarily concerned with trying to control their child’s difficult behaviours. The substantive theory of Gaining Control that emerged explains the processes that parents used to try to control these behaviours. Two parental controlling/coping pathways were identified. An emotional pathway was associated with negative parental behaviours, poor outcomes, and high distress. The cognitive pathway was associated with surprisingly positive outcomes and low levels of distress. Important outcomes identified included achieving a positive cooperative relationship and highly elevated volitional performance. Processes and subprocesses are described and explained in detail. These findings may have significant clinical and educational implications for enhancing outcomes for the parents and their child.

Working ethically in child protection

Part 1: Ethical Theory and Historical Frameworks for Practice 1. The Ethical Landscape in Child Protection 2. Established Ethical Frameworks 3. Emergent Ethical Theories 4. Ethical Decision Making Part 2: The Context of Child Protection Practice 5. Competing Perspectives on Child Protection and Family Welfare 6. System Mandates, Policy, Theory and Practice 7. Service-user and Other Perspectives 8. Needs and Circumstances of Service Users Part 3: Professional Ethics and Ethical Child Protection and Family Welfare Practice 9. Ethics, Organisations and the Law 10. Ethical Principles in Child Protection Part 4: Practising Ethically 11. A Relational Approach to Child Protection 12. Applying an Integrated Framework 13. Working Ethically Across Cultures: A Focus on Fathers 14. Sharing Information: A Risky Business? 15. Travelling Hopefully