On the basis of the second placement, that included Finding Placement in adoption this critical essay has been written (Gray, Plath and Webb, 2009). The critical discussion in this essay includes the decision-making process for assessing, intervention and evaluating of a social worker dealing with the placement of an adopted child in the context of my effectiveness as an agency’s remit. The remit for student’s placement dealt with placement to support children in needs of families. This essay discusses theoretical consideration of the principles adopted while dealing with the situation and a decision making an approach that can deal with the practice and evaluating the risk of harm or abuse or safeguarding along with the necessary legislation has been identified (Beckett, 2010). Evaluation of this case analysis allows arriving at an appropriate way to deal with the social work situation.
Insights into the context of the placement in view of the agency’s remit can reveal the situation that had been faced. The placement was with an adoption agency working in partnership with the Local Authority (Reynaert, Bouverne-de-Bie, and Vandevelde, 2009, pg. 518-534). The overarching aim was to provide secure and loving families for children in need of forever homes to support children and families for as long as they need. The agency ethos is underpinned by Article 21 of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child, which included that every child has a right to a family life which if it cannot be provided by the family of origin, should be provided by a permanent alternative family. It aims at recognizing children, who have suffered separations and adversity may require some support at different times in childhood and beyond and acknowledging the importance of early intervention or decision making for the child (Howell, 2009, pg. 149-166). Having in-depth knowledge about their birth family history and understanding the reasons for the separation is important in developing a positive sense of identity and in forming new attachments.
The Family Finding Team looks for adopters for all children, whether individuals or sibling groups. Similarly, the adopters are also varied, from couples to single adopters. It is important that the Family Finders have a strong understanding of the child and their needs, so as to find a suitable, safe and supportive family for them. The team consists of Head of the service, Consultant Social Worker, currently three Family Finding Social workers and the Team coordinator who supports the team with all administrative duties (O’Sullivan, 2010). My vital role within the agency is to find adopters for the children, who are able to meet the child’s needs and ensuring they are safe and are a supportive family. In my placement, there are no formal assessments tools and a defined procedure used to complete. Although at every stage of the process you will be assessing the compatibility and suitability of the match between the child and prospective adopters, in order to make a decision or recommendation for the right place for the child (Dyke, 2016). During this process, I ensured that the Adoption standards are followed and the needs and wishes of the child are at the center of the decisions made. This is done through various meetings like Permanency Planning Meeting, Looked after Child review whereby information is gathered from professionals and services involved. The scope of this discussion explores varied knowledge that is used for decision-making and for the appraisal procedure. The challenges that are faced in the process of evaluating the values of equality, diversity and while working with non-consensual adoption will be undertaken for this purpose (Payne, 2015).
In order to find placement for the child and look out for an appropriate family there needed to assessment and intervention (Brammer, 2009). The child is in a vulnerable state, hence appropriate evaluation and assessment will not only reveal the child’s past environment, but also future compatible environment in which the child can suitably be placed. The basic principle for assessment and intervention was based on the principles of equality and diversity. Equality principle entitles to be treated in a fair manner within society and behave in a fair manner with others. The principles of equality emphasize providing the adopted child with equal opportunities and access to resources, rights, and opportunities to be supported in a different manner. Diversity implies instilling culture and practice which recognizes, values, respects and harness difference in benefits amongst all (Jones, 2017). As discrimination implies differentiating amongst one to another, implies unfair treatment of others especially children who are adopted. In order to overcome discrimination, the principles of equality have to be focused on the primary aspect of social care. Focus while finding a family for the child in aiming at placement service was focused upon principles of equality, such that he gets opportunities in his life to prosper. While dealing with the child’s placement, a team has to be formed and each member’s opinion has to be obtained on various aspect of the placement. This will allow overcoming the issue related to diversity and help attain equality. Moreover, it will allow assimilating divergent views of all team members’s such that the child’s vulnerability can be overcome.
In order to assess and intervene in the case, principles of ADP/AOP was applied in the approach (Jeffery et al, 2013, pg.120). ADP (anti-discriminatory practice) and AOP (anti-oppressive practice) is a part of social work and is essential in social practice. Increasing diversity in globalization and technological adaptation requires conscious efforts to adapt. Though ADP and AOP are used in an interchangeable manner, the commitment of the same is at establishing social justice. This principle applied in the current approach aimed at developing sensitivity to existence around oppression and discrimination, such as to empathize with the child’s past condition. Recognizing that there is no comfortable ground while arriving at the solution and an effort to overcome traditional practice has to be aimed at (Beckett and Horner, 2015). Non-discriminatory and anti-oppressive assessment allows achievement of anti-discriminatory practice. It becomes pertinent that the child without family is more likely to face oppression and discrimination. However, making certain that AOP and ADP are suitable adhered to will enable overcoming of such vulnerabilities for the child.
Theory applied for the purpose of evaluating the social case is ecological systems theory. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory aims at explaining the inherent qualities of a child along with the environment he interacts with, which will influence his growth and development. The theory aims at stressing the importance of analyzing a child in varied environments which are known as the ecological systems, for analyzing his development. The immediate environment system of the child is termed as the microsystem, it is the smallest environment which includes home, daycare, school, community environment or peer groups (Heslop and Meredith, 2018). Mesosystem is the connections which the child develops in his school or outside environment. This system includes interaction that a child develops in essence of the system of the microsystem. Exosystem is focused on the indirect environment, it includes linkages which might exist amongst two or more settings, one amongst them might include indirectly developing the child. Macrosystem includes the social and cultural values, which are the distance collection of individuals and places affecting the child. Chronosystem takes into consideration the changes that occur overtime period. It includes the influence of changes and constancy in the child’s environment hence encompassing changes to the child’s family structure, address, parent’s employment status, societal changes such as wars and economic cycles as well (Gray, Joy, Plath and Webb, 2014, pg. 23-40). Evaluation of the child’s case reveals that there might have been some risks or vulnerabilities in the child’s family which has led to the need for placement. While assessing or evaluating a new family where the child can be placed in a suitable manner, continuous assessment has to be undertaken to reveal that such instances does not arise. Without bringing about many changes to each of the system as defined in the above discussions, the risks or vulnerabilities will have to be filtered out. Thereafter, a yearly assessment of such vulnerability and risks has to be assessed.
Though the theory is useful in explaining influences in a child’s development and growth, it overlooks the importance of context. The influence of context factor into the development of a child is a crucial factor. Each child’s context might be different, which leads to the formation of a separate type of environment. The theory fails at understanding that children can cross-boundary to develop complex identities. The theory views children as an object and moreover systems are not linear in nature. However, this theory can contribute to understanding the dynamic interactions between various personal and environmental factors. The ecomap method is generally used by a social worker for depicting the social and personal relationship of the child with his environment (Cocker and Hafford-Letchfield, 2014). The ecomap method is used for tracing of the child to be placed for adoption relationship with his environment surrounding.
Task-centered practice (TCP) includes a social work technology to arrive at specific, measurable and achievable goals. A TCP allows a social work practice model encompassing four steps process to resolve targeted problems. The first step aims at defining target problems, then establishing goals to help attain targeted problems. The third step includes the child and the agent sharing outcomes of the species carried out steps. The tasks focus on a central goal setting process for arriving at the results of placing the child in an appropriate family (Rutter and Brown, 2015). The TCP approach allowed partnering with service users and significant others so as to place the child in an appropriate family. Working in partnership in statutory setting and the legislation requires adhering to Working Together 2015, Children Act 1989 and Adoption Framework. The statutory duties of local authority’s in children’s social care is included in the Children Act of 1989, Working Together to Safeguard Children and the Adoption and Children Act 2002, specifies that child placement as a part of social work operates within the legislative framework including law, regulation, and guidance (Howe, 2009). The various acts while partnering of care ensures children wellbeing of children right from infancy to the period in adulthood.
A systematic decision-making approach is integral which is best undertaken by the organization’s structure, referred to as the Unit Model. The entire workforce of the organization is organized into small teams, consisting of a Consultant Social Worker, a placement agent, unit Clinician and two Social workers (Munro, Brown and Manful, 2011). These Units organized into groups with similar services with the group manager undertaking managerial levels of responsibility. This Unit model of an organization’s structure helps to undertake systematic decision-making for children placement and it brings about improvement to such decisions. The Unit model allowed bringing together the various skills present amongst the member of the team, brainstorming ideas regarding the child’s placement and in enhancing the overall effectiveness of the entire process. The unit model reduces individualistic decision-making, which could have led to unconscious discrimination against certain service group users on someone’s personal biases (Wilkins and Godfred, 2013). Through Unit meetings, it was possible to evaluate the various environments that were impacting the child and in adopting a task-centered approach for selecting an AOP and ADP environment for the child.
In order to evaluate the case varied knowledge in research, policy, and legislation was needed. Knowledge of research was needed for EBP as it could contribute in an effective manner to the current case evaluation. Evidence-based practice (EBP) includes a conscientious, judicious and explicit application of current best evidence in undertaking decisions related to an individual. EBP allows integrating patient values, clinical experience along with best research evidence for decision making in the care environment (Kirkman and Melrose, 2014). Clinical experience indicates the assimilated agent’s experience in, education and skill levels. EBP was adopted by each member in the Unit model such that all skills, expertise with knowledge can be assimilated. EBP provides bringing in experiences as a way to devise an appropriate care environment for the individual involved in the case. EBP is integral in this case as a child’s development will be impacted for the selected for placement and this will be devised by way of research, child’s values and preferences (Taylor, 2017). The child’s values and preferences will be selected based upon the child’s previous family settings and then will be matched with the placement’s family values and cultures. This will ensure that the influences remain similar in pre and post-placement period. Working with individuals in the team member does not imply it will work for varied individuals. EBP is needed for arriving at a suitable outcome for the child but there are certain limitations and criticism as well. The major limitation of EBP is that the best evidence is not available. In absence of availability of reliable data, it becomes difficult to draw conclusions which in turn hinders decision-making process of the unit and reduces the likelihood of a favorable outcome (Sen and Broadhurst, 2011). Another pertinent limitation encompasses the current environment changes of the child more dynamically as compared to the past. This limits the relevance and applicability of scientific and experimental evidence that was generated in a separate manner.
Knowledge of legislation needed was in the domain of Working Together 2015, Children Act 1989 and Adoption Framework. The knowledge regarding this legislation allowed to undertake procedures in conformance to the standards as specified in these legislations (Roesch-Marsh, 2017). A major practice that is accommodated in this case evaluation is Stephen Webb’s adherence to an ethical stance as being the key strength in social work. Ethical stance allows progressive and distinctive practice applications. The effectiveness of my current practice will be evaluated in accordance with the ethical stance that I have undertaken. In case the goals related to placement is achieved in accordance with the task-centered approach then my practice will be deemed to be effective. As a relatively inexperienced practitioner being able to develop an evidence-based protocol for guiding decision can be considered to be a measure of effectiveness (Kemshall, Wilkinson and Baker, 2013). Reducing the risks of placement breakdown and improving long-term outcomes for adopting parents and children will ensure the effectiveness of the overall procedure.
Social organizations need to ensure bureaucratic structures and systems improve protection of vulnerable children (Taylor, 2013). This can be ensured by scrutiny and control decisions undertaken by agents. Though management decisions are applied to social workers and agents responsible for child placement, a social worker’s behavior is seen to be important. Risk and safeguarding of children are integral in social work, it has gained tremendous prominence with the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 coming into effect from April 2016. With major legislative changes being brought about will help focus on themes of suicide, self-harm, female genital mutilation, domestic abuse and internet and technology-based abuse and child sexual exploitation (Webb, 2016). There are a number of boards for the purpose of registering complaints and safeguarding of children in accordance with the law, regulations, and guidance. When dealing with children with specific placement needs, then an agent needs to be aware of the aspects of well-being. In order to manage issues related to risks and safeguarding, individual views of the Unit members, wises and feelings need to be ascertained. A role member in support has to be developed, who will participate in decisions and be able to communicate regarding the child’s right for promoting and protecting dignity (Le Guin, 2015). Prior to placing of the child in the new environment or new family, environmental factors have to be analyzed in great detail to evaluate the possibility of the existence of such threats. The new definition of a ‘Child at Risk’ has replaced the term ‘Child in Need’ under section 17 of the Children Act 1989. It has been seen as a duty of local authority and social workers, especially agency remit to evaluate a child at risks and to report it under Section 130 of the Act. In the present case where the child has suffered the loss of family due to reasons whatsoever is at a greater vulnerability in facing the various risks (Trevithick, 2014). While finding placement and then finally placing the child in the foster care, it is a general assumption that the child does not further require evaluation. this prevents the inability to recognize any potential harm being caused to the child in the new environment. The assessment cycle according to the new act and regulations encompasses continuous gathering of information, its analysis, decision making, planning intervention and delivering of the assessment, evaluation and review report. The new legislation guidance procedure states a systematic methodology which needs to take place at least once every year to denote Signs of Safety principles.
Conclusion
While conducting role as a social worker, there can be various conflicts that need to be faced with values of knowledge, equality, and diversity. Dealing with any case of foster care requires assessing of the previous environment and then finding suitability to the new environment. However, during such child placement, elements of law, knowledge, and research along with values and cultures have to be kept in mind. Decision making has to be task-centered and emphasize the complexities of finding placement. A complete and comprehensive placement is one which provides a safest and secure option for the child along with the opportunity to promote the well-being of children. The child needs to be continuously supported and protected through the traumatic life-changing set of the event on the basis of EBP such vulnerability of the child can be reduced as much as possible.
References
Beckett, C. and Horner, N., 2015. Essential theory for social work practice. Sage.
Beckett, C., 2010. Assessment & intervention in social work: Preparing for practice. Sage.
Brammer, A., 2009. Social work law. Pearson Education.
Cocker, C. and Hafford-Letchfield, T. eds., 2014. Rethinking anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive theories for social work practice. Palgrave Macmillan.
Dyke, C., 2016. Writing analytical assessments in social work. Critical Publishing.
Gray, M., Joy, E., Plath, D. and Webb, S.A., 2014. Opinions about evidence: A study of social workers’ attitudes towards evidence-based practice. Journal of Social Work, 14(1), pp.23-40.
Gray, M., Plath, D. and Webb, S., 2009. Evidence-based social work: A critical stance. Routledge.
Heslop, P. and Meredith, C., 2018. Social Work: From Assessment to Intervention. SAGE Publications Limited.
Howe, D., 2009. A brief introduction to social work theory. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Howell, S., 2009. Adoption of the unrelated child: Some challenges to the anthropological study of kinship. Annual Review of Anthropology, 38, pp.149-166.
Jeffery, D., Clement, S., Corker, E., Howard, L.M., Murray, J. and Thornicroft, G., 2013. Discrimination in relation to parenthood reported by community psychiatric service users in the UK: a framework analysis. BMC psychiatry, 13(1), p.120.
Jones, E., 2017. Critical thinking and professional judgement for social work.
Kemshall, H., Wilkinson, B. and Baker, K., 2013. Working with Risk: Skills for contemporary social work. Polity.
Kirkman, E. and Melrose, K., 2014. Clinical judgement and decision-making in children’s social work: An analysis of the’front Door’System. Department for Education.
Le Guin, U.K., 2015. The dispossessed. Hachette UK.
Munro, E.R., Brown, R. and Manful, E., 2011. Safeguarding children statistics: the availability and comparability of data in the UK. London: Department of Education.
O’Sullivan, T., 2010. Decision making in social work. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Payne, M., 2015. Modern social work theory. Oxford University Press.
Reynaert, D., Bouverne-de-Bie, M. and Vandevelde, S., 2009. A review of children’s rights literature since the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Childhood, 16(4), pp.518-534.
Roesch-Marsh, D.A., 2017. Writing Analytical Assessments in Social Work, Chris Dyke, Chris Dyke. The British Journal of Social Work.
Rutter, L. and Brown, K., 2015. Critical Thinking and Professional judgement for social work. Learning Matters.
Sen, R. and Broadhurst, K., 2011. Contact between children in out?of?home placements and their family and friends networks: A research review. Child & Family Social Work, 16(3), pp.298-309.
Taylor, B., 2013. Professional decision making and risk in social work. Learning Matters.
Taylor, B.J., 2017. Decision making, assessment and risk in social work. Learning Matters.
Trevithick, P., 2014. Humanising managerialism: Reclaiming emotional reasoning, intuition, the relationship, and knowledge and skills in social work. Journal of Social Work Practice, 28(3), pp.287-311.
Webb, S.A., 2016. Professional identity and social work. The Routledge Companion to the Professions and Professionalism, pp.355-370.
Wilkins, D. and Godfred, W.D.B., 2013. Critical Analysis Skills for Social Workers. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Essay Writing Service Features
Our Experience
No matter how complex your assignment is, we can find the right professional for your specific task. Contact Essay is an essay writing company that hires only the smartest minds to help you with your projects. Our expertise allows us to provide students with high-quality academic writing, editing & proofreading services.
Free Features
Free revision policy
$10Free bibliography & reference
$8Free title page
$8Free formatting
$8How Our Essay Writing Service Works
First, you will need to complete an order form. It's not difficult but, in case there is anything you find not to be clear, you may always call us so that we can guide you through it. On the order form, you will need to include some basic information concerning your order: subject, topic, number of pages, etc. We also encourage our clients to upload any relevant information or sources that will help.
Complete the order form
Once we have all the information and instructions that we need, we select the most suitable writer for your assignment. While everything seems to be clear, the writer, who has complete knowledge of the subject, may need clarification from you. It is at that point that you would receive a call or email from us.
Writer’s assignment
As soon as the writer has finished, it will be delivered both to the website and to your email address so that you will not miss it. If your deadline is close at hand, we will place a call to you to make sure that you receive the paper on time.
Completing the order and download