Describe Health and Social care service provision for looked after children and young people

Caring for children and young people

The term Looked after children refers to children that are looked after by the state.

‘The term 'looked after' was introduced by the Children Act 1989 and refers to children who are subject to care orders and those who are voluntarily accommodated. ‘

P3 – Describe Health and Social care service provision for looked after children and young people.

Voluntary organisation - The NSPCC is a charity that aims to stop child abuse and cruelty to children. The charity does a lot of research and identifies areas of need, and then work towards changing those areas through campaigning and raising money. They have identified needs within children in the care system. Children in the care system commonly need the support that the NSPCC provides, as many of these children are vulnerable. Many have come from an unstable family background, where there may be incidences of abuse in its many different forms. ‘58% of looked after children in England and Wales on 31 March 2010 became looked after because of abuse or neglect.’ - http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/resourcesforprofessionals/looked_after_children_statistics_wda79691.html

Although many of these children benefit from being in care, many may still be at risk of abuse. This can be from their carers, other young people and people in the community, neglect from the care system, their family and even themselves. The NSPCC are aware of the misconception that abuse in care is a thing of the past. ‘The numerous inquiries into abuse in children's homes in the 1970s and 1980s led to significant changes in policy and practice and these appear to have reduced the incidence of organised abuse. This has led to the mistaken assumption that abuse in care is largely a thing of the past, but sadly this is not the case.’ http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/resourcesforprofessionals/looked_after_children_introduction_wda79712.html

NSPCC think that the care system does not do enough in some cases, to compensate for what the child has been through. This is why charities like the NSPCC are important; to raise awareness, provide additional support and to make a difference; they have managed to change laws regarding child protection.

The organisation provides the Childline and NSPCC Helplines. Trained volunteers are at hand to give support and advice. These helplines are free and confidential, and the child can also contact them through text messaging and online. The later two methods are suitable options incase the child feels uncomfortable ringing up. ‘ChildLine counselled 3,196 looked after children and young people, equating to one in 26 of all looked after children in the UK (NSPCC, 2011).’ http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/resourcesforprofessionals/looked_after_children_statistics_wda79691.html

Educational institutions

The school works towards the child being stable in education. Many children in care have barriers to progression in learning, due to past or current experiences etc. The child may miss school and their learning has been disrupted in the past. The school is a place where the child is the same as the other pupils, and the school promotes equal opportunities to all pupils.

Under legislation, one teacher will act as a mentor to each child, and has the responsibility to promote the child’s educational learning.

‘From 1 September 2009 the governing bodies of all maintained schools are required under the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 (the 2008 Act) to appoint a designated teacher to promote the educational achievement of looked after children on the school roll.’ - https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/SchoolsSO/Page9/DCSF-01046-2009

The teacher will work with the local authority in promoting educational achievement. ‘The role of the designated teacher needs to be understood as part of the wider statutory responsibilities on local authorities for looked after children, both in terms of arrangements for their care and the particular duty on local authorities under the Children Act 1989, to promote the educational achievement of the children they look after.’

https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/01046-2009BKT-EN.PDF

As part of the child’s overall care plan, the child has a personal education plan (PEP). The PEP will be passed on to the designated teacher when the child becomes looked after, or when the child joins the school. This is developed by the designated teacher throughout their time in the school. The PEP is shared by all of the teachers in the school, so that they can monitor their progress, and are all aware of how to provide support and guidance to the child during their educational period, in order for them to achieve. Teachers must ...

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https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/01046-2009BKT-EN.PDF

Social service department

The court may order the social services department to ensure that a child is safe. To do this, the court will give a share of the parental responsibility to the social services. Social workers will work on behalf of the social services department and will make important decisions regarding the child. These decisions are discussed with anyone else who has parental responsibility, and also the child themselves. However, if an emergency care order is needed, then social services have the power to have the final say. Social services are in charge of arranging who the child lives with.

NHS -

The looked after children service within the NHS provides support and assessment to the children and carers. The NHS provide the health care that the child needs. They accept referrals from places such as social services and schools.

They also provide specialist organisations that are useful to a lot of LAC children. The NHS provides ‘CAHMS looked after children team’. CAHMS is an organisation that looks after the mental health of children and adolescents. Children and young people in care have a higher incidence of mental and emotional problems, compared to those who are not looked after.

Job roles

Social workers - The Social Workers job is to ensure that the child is at the heart of the provision. They support the child and the family, ensuring that the child is safe and reach their full potential. Social workers work closely with the parents in order to work out a care plan that is best for the child, promoting the child’s welfare. The care plan is made with input from the parents and the child. Part of the social workers role is to empower the child and act as an advocate, making sure that their voice is heard.

The social worker will work with the parents and never exclude them, unless necessary.

The social worker also works alongside other professionals and agencies, such as teachers and health professionals, to ensure that their health and educational needs are met. The child’s PEP (personal education plan), which is kept by the school, also has the input of the social worker. ‘Each child in care has a personal education plan, which the child’s teacher, social worker and the education liaison officer help to write. The personal education plan can include information on literacy (reading and writing), bullying, achievements and plans for the future.’ http://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en-gb/DNAP-75NFTG

Foster parents – Fostering is a big part of the care system. ‘About 79 percent of children who are looked after away from home in the UK live with foster families.‘

Foster parents are registered with the local authority. They look after the child in their own home at a time when their own family cannot care for them. They provide a safe and secure home for the child. This can be for a short period of time or a long period of time. The period of time varies depending on the need of the child and their family. Even though the care order has placed the child in care of foster parents, legal responsibility still belongs to the birth parents. The foster carer works alongside the authority to provide the best care for them.

Counsellors –There is considered a high incidence of mental and emotional problems within children in the care system. Counsellors are there to talk to children to support them and discuss any problems they are having. The child may feel alone and need to talk to someone. ChildLine is a free and confidential helpline, and is a form of counselling. Childline counsellors describe the relationship between themselves and the child as ‘a combination of counselling, mentoring and generally taking an interest in the children’s lives.‘

Childline has shown to be used a lot by LAC children. ‘ One in 26 of all looked after children in the UK were counselled by ChildLine in 2009/10’

With this kind of support, the child will not be alone, and the child feels valued and listened to. With organisations such as Childline, they monitor and record the amount of calls they receive and the nature of the problem. This enables them to review in general how children in care are feeling. This is then evidence to work towards improving the care of LAC so that it is of the highest quality.

Foster parents - All children who are in the care system are looked after by a local authority. Foster carers work alongside the local authority to provide this care within their own homes. Foster parents provide a stable, secure and loving home to a child or young person at the time when they cannot live with their own family. They provide the care that is needed for the child to grow and fulfil their potential. The period of time that the child is with the foster family varies. A typical foster parent should be understanding to how the child feels, and dedicated to the child’s needs. Even though things may get tough, they must be prepared for this, and needs to be committed in helping the child through. The foster parent must be good at helping and advising the child, but also setting boundaries and acting as a good role model.

LD Nurse – Children and adolescents with learning disabilities are often in the care system, due to families being unable to cope. An LDN’s role is to maintain and improve the physical and mental wellbeing of the individual. An LDN is a specialist in learning disabilities and will promote equal rights and opportunities for the person. The nurse be an important member of the care team in providing the best quality support, and will be highly involved in the care plan.

Youth workers - Youth workers help LAC in many ways. They promote the educational, personal and social development of the person (generally aged 13-19). LAC is a high priority group in youth work. They will assess the needs of LAC, and will develop programmes to help them. Programmes may include things like community projects and sporting activities. They take on the role as a mentor and befriend the person. They value the individual and respect them as they are. Rather than trying to tackle any behavioural problems, they remain on the persons side and see the world from their point of view. They encourage them to develop themselves and help them grow in confidence. They work towards enabling the person to develop positive skills and attitudes.

Residential social workers – social workers that live with the children on a full time or part time basis. They are based in such places as children residential homes, hostels and youth centres. They provide care and support, by assessing each child’s needs and being there for them, acting as a good role model, and provide a stimulating environment for the child or young person to be in, such as offering activities. They may also look for families for the child to live with, and help them settle in. They will help a young person to prepare to leave the care home when they come of age.

M2 – Compare the care provided by at least two different organisations offering care to children and young people.

Adoption vs. fostering

Fostering

Foster carers share legal responsibility of the child, with the local authority and the child’s birth parents. The foster carer takes a child into their own home and cares for them, when the child is unable to live with their own family. The period of time that the child is with the foster family varies. This is down to the needs of the child, which therefore determines the type of fostering required:

Emergency - This is where the child goes to a foster home when they need somewhere to stay for a few nights, while the social services arrange something else.

Short term - The child is looked after by the foster parent for a few weeks or months, while the social services make plans for their future.

Short breaks - This is an arranged break for the child and their own family. The child will go to stay in another home for a short period of time, which can benefit the family. This is typical with children who have learning difficulties or behavioural problems.

Remand fostering -

Long term and permanent - Sometimes, the child may feel as though there is no need to be adopted. The foster family just provide long term or permanent foster care until they are able to go and live independently. This may be the case with older children, or with children who stay in contact with their own family.

Kinship fostering - This is where other family members or friends look after the child. This can be done with or without the local authority.

Private fostering - This is where the parent will arrange someone to look after the child; someone with no parental responsibility and someone that is not a close relative. It is considered private fostering when the child stays with this person for more than 27 days. Although done privately, there are still certain standards of care that must be met, so the local authority must be told so that checks can be made in regards to the child’s welfare.

Adoption

Adoption, like foster care, provides care for children who can no longer live with their own family. However, adoption transfers the legal responsibility of the child from their birth family to the new adoptive family.

Open adoption - the child is aware of their own birth family and is still able to stay in contact. The birth family and the adoptive family are able to interact.

Closed adoption - there is no interaction between the birth family and the adoptive family.

Advantages for the child

Fostering

Fostering hopes to make a positive impact on the child’s life, providing a safe and stable environment to children that may have suffered in the past. This care strives to allow the child to achieve and develop to their potential.
Many children in care do not need a new family that adoption would give them, so fostering is ideal. It would provide a high standard of care until the child can return to their own home or move on elsewhere.
Fostering can be the lifeline for many situations and can easily adapt to the child’s needs as care can be for emergencies, short term breaks - which has benefits to the child and their own family, or long term. The birth parent still holds legal responsibility of their child, and are generally still encouraged to remain in contact when possible.

Adoption

Adoption makes the family unit more secure. For the adoption to take place, both the child (older children and younger adults will have a say in the matter) and the family are willing to take on legal responsibility of that child and officially become a family.
It is still common for the child to be in contact with their birth parents and other family members, if it is in the child’s best interests.
With open adoption - by having access to their birth families, the child may feel more secure in knowing who they are and where they came from, as many children in care are in the situation where they feel they need to search for their birth families to gain a sense of who they are. Open adoption may stop the child feeling like they are abandoned as they can communicate with their birth families and understand the reasoning towards them being put into care. It is also still possible that the child can develop a relationship with their birth families. For some adopted children, birth families can seem like part of their extended family.
With closed adoption - this protects the child from coming into contact with an unstable home.

Disadvantages for the child

Fostering

The child may have a negative experience in a foster home, which may cause them to have to move to another foster home. Such experience can cause emotional strain on the child and they may feel as though they will never settle and have a proper family.
In many situations, the child may go through a lot of foster placements. The child may feel unsettled and as though they do not belong to that family. Although the foster parent has chosen to look after the child, the child may not want to be in that particular family setting.
The child’s new foster parent may not know how to cater to the child’s particular needs. E.g. a child with a learning disability.
The child may find leaving the foster home unsettling due to getting attached.

Adoption

Children may be curious to find their real birth parents. In closed adoption, there is more chance that the child will be struggling with their sense of identity, due to the absence of the birth family. Also, due to no interaction, the child may be missing some of the information that we normally take for granted; family medical history, pictures etc. which may leave some unanswered questions and this may cause frustration.
With open adoption - may make it hard to fully become a member of the adoptive family, when they are still able to make contact with their birth family. Also, if contact suddenly stops between the birth and adoptive families, then this can cause a sense of rejection.

Which is most beneficial for the child?

There is no better one in general. It all depends on the situation of the child. Factors such as their age and their need have to be considered. Fostering may be the best for one child, when for another child, adoption is the best. E.g. a child who is 15 years old gets fostered, compared to a child who is 5 years old that gets adopted.

- The child of 5 years may be from an unstable home background that determines that their birth families can no longer retain parental responsibility. Young children may be in certain situations in which they can absolutely not live or go back to living with their parents. In cases like this, it is best for the child to have a stable home family.

- The 15 year old may just require a family environment to flourish in for that time, and to prepare for independent live soon after, therefore it may be felt that an adopted family is not needed; however this is not always the case. The care that the child receives is tailored to them. The child’s needs and concerns are assessed and this is a key factor when planning whether the child is fostered or adopted.

Describe Health and Social care service provision for looked after children and young people

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