Care and Service Planning for Children

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Care and Service Planning for Children

 

The purpose of this assignment is to link the case study used in the seminar groups, using the chosen scenario. It will then consider why theories of child development and attachment are important to social workers when planning and providing services for children in a multi-agency setting within the context of the United Nations Rights of the Child.

Whilst recognising the importance of many developmental areas, the two I have briefly chosen to discuss are cognitive and intellectual development. The effects Michael may have suffered due to his development needs should be addressed and fully understood by the worker.

According to Piaget (1962), all children have to pass through a fixed sequence of four stages of cognitive development;

  • The sensori-motor stage: 0-2 years (approximately)
  • The pre-operational stage: 2-6 years (approximately)
  • The concrete operational stage: 6-12 (approximately)
  • The formal operational stage: 12years (approximately)

       (source: Flanagan, 1997, p107)

Consequently, Michael would be at the pre-operational stage. According to Piaget (1962), the pre-operational child is still locked into an egocentric view of the world, and this restricts his mental abilities in certain fundamental ways. This means, that Michael may be animistic i.e. projecting thoughts, intentions and feelings on to inanimate objects (p.202). At this stage Michael is unable to comprehend points of view that are different from his own. Egocentrism also prevents the possibility of a true interaction in play, as this would involve taking account of other children's thoughts, feelings etc. The pre-operational 'non-conserving' child also lacks an understanding of underling constancies in the world. For instance, when a piece of clay is rolled out, although its appearance is different, the child is unable to comprehend that the amount is conserved (Piaget 1962, p.94).

Paediatricians, Health Visitors and Psychologists can measure the intellectual skills of babies and young children and observe change in learning capacity over time. This assessment is particularly important when a child's development or family situation is giving cause for concern. When Michael went to his foster home he may have shown signs of having little incentive to explore or play. This could have been due to not having a satisfying relationship, suitable guidance or control of behaviour.

Michael has probably not experienced an orderly world and this limits his capacity to learn. He may have problems with late speech development, due to lack of companionship and conversation from his birth mother. Naomi Chomsky (1975) theory provides some evidence to suggest that language goes through a sensitive period when children's brains are developing and they are maximally sensitive to language input. Hopefully an enriched relationship with Michael's foster carer would help to develop his speech. However if there were any presenting problems "daily minders and foster parents have important opportunities to help children in their care through conversation and play"(Holmes, 1982, p.32).  

Development largely depends on opportunity and on a stimulating, encouraging and reasonably controlling environment in which fun and laughter are important ingredients. When parents are, "indifferent, cold, rejecting or restrictive in giving opportunities for movement, exploring and play, developmental delays are inevitable and this is one of the major signs that all is not well in the child's environment" (Clarke 1976, p.75).

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Research indicates that "growth and development are influenced not only by past events but by ongoing experiences and future expectations"(Clarke, A. 1976, p.76).

Because of Michael's birth parents lack of parenting skills, he may not have had adequate food, affection and stimulation in the first few years of his life; this could have delayed Michael's development. For example he may have been kept in the cot or pram for most of the day. Such a child will show general retardation in locomotion, manipulation and exploring, as well as in speech and general liveliness (Flanagan 1994, p.199). Michael may ...

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