I would also explore what other psychological and sociological factors are of relevance in this case, as well as to seek out positive aspects of Mark and John’s lives. Where there is a part of their lives which is highlighted as quite weak, I can use opportunities to empower them with meaningful choices and options in order to help them gain more control over their lives and circumstances which would also address the impact of the inequalities they have faced (Trevithick 2000).
Mark and John have experienced clear difficulties standing up to their families by being open with them and consequently will have internalised this oppression. An empowering process would enable them to see their value and worth in society and thus help them to stand up against oppression and discrimination and therefore protect themselves from such oppression in the future; Braye and Preston-Shoot (1995) have written on the characteristics and qualities which are required in an empowering process which include involving different choices and other perspectives that are required in this process, using the basis of an open agenda which would contribute to a positive experience in their quest to adopt a child (Trevithick 2000)
My main focus as a social worker is that I am constrained by working within a statutory framework with legal requirements, and I therefore have to ensure that I fully understand the acts and statutes surrounding this case assessment (Trevithick 2000). The welfare of a child remains paramount as highlighted by S1 of the Children Act 1989, additionally, article 3 of the UN Convention on Rights of the Child is clear in stating that all actions of social welfare institutions and other bodies have to be based on the children’s best interests. What this means is that all other feelings, views and factors by anyone other than a child is to be considered secondary to a child’s welfare, whatever the background of those individuals seeking to adopt a child.
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PART 2
The significant and relevant anti-oppressive issues.
The most significant and relevant anti-oppressive issues that I would want to explore include the issues of societal and familial prejudice that Mark and John experience on a daily basis, and additionally, the issues of counselling that I would want to employ as a social worker to ensure a none oppressive and empowering working relationship with the couple.
The most significant thing about this case is that despite the fact that Mark had read in a national paper that social service departments are now welcoming gay applicants, there is a question of whether the department I would be employed within in this scenario is genuinely open-minded about such applications, or whether the social work staff are homophobic and simply providing a gesture of tokenism because the department feel it’s the right thing to do to extend applications to gay people. According to Community Care (2002) an estimated 5-10 per cent of the population is gay, yet few mainstream services care for, let alone recognise, the existence of same sex relationships, and that they are often disadvantaged when it comes to legislative rights and service provision. Additionally, as according to Angela Mason, Director of Stonewall, she claims that many authorities are still anxious about placing children with lesbian and gay people because of the fear of a media backlash (Community Care 2002).
A second significant issue in this case would be the openness of Mark and John’s sexuality, and their acceptance of a place in their own wider families. Whilst John is out to his parents, the fact he has been rejected and fails to have a solid, happy relationship may well mean that the opportunities for any child placed with them to have a valuable family experience in a wider sense would be limited, especially given that there is still a hostile environment where the ‘prospective’ grandparents simply do not want to talk about Mark’s sexuality or have any involvement. The problem is further deepened by the fact that John is not out to his parents and there is then the question of what the outcome would be if and when this was disclosed.
Thirdly, there is the question as to whether the child is likely to be exposed to forms of unwarranted racism (Thompson 1996) especially as John comes from an African-Caribbean background; this presents a unique opportunity to introduce a black perspective in the assessment process and to recognise both experiences of Mark and John in a mixed raced homosexual relationship whilst living in a multi-racial area of the city. Arguments presented by Freundlich & Phillips (2000) state that trans-racial adoption, by rendering race and culture irrelevant, is a ‘blatant form of race and cultural genocide’ (Merritt 1985), though it is contended that trans-racial adoption is consistent with the values of a colour blind society.
A final significant problem with making such assessments is that social workers are in a position of power and influence and therefore there is considerable scope for discrimination and oppression in any decisions that are made (Thompson 1997). Additionally, the assessments themselves tend to focus on the negative aspects of a situation, which in turn can be oppressive. There is therefore the potential for social workers to consider all the problems that Mark and John could present
Despite the problems that may surface as a result of the assessment, I would be keen to adopt a modicum of counselling skills, which would require me to apply active listening skills and provide appropriate support and referrals to agencies where help could well seem to be beneficial.
A part of this process would be to provide a person centred approach that will enable Mark and John to understanding and perhaps changing themselves and growing in a constructive manner. This would involve looking at their feelings and thoughts and then working out strategies to enable them to tackle the various problems within the current surroundings, including perhaps the problems they experience of homophobic responses, and deciding whether to come out fully to their parents who may well fully disapprove of Mark and John’s wish to become parents.
Stigmatization is another key element that the prospective child could face in schools and their local community if Mark and John were given adoption rights, though available research provides no evidence that the development of children is compromised by difficulties in peer relations (Lamb
1999), additionally, most children remembered their friends as accepting or positive about their families.
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PART 3
Reflecting on my own situation.
I have a number of personal issues that could affect my working relationship with Mark and John as a gay couple seeking adoption, and which could especially conflict with my interests as a social worker with a statutory interest.
As a post operative transsexual woman currently questioning her own sexual identity, I have a range of complex insights enabling me to ensure that Mark and John got a fair deal as I have often experienced similar kinds of discriminatory and oppressive attitudes, including a lack of genuine ‘understanding’ from outside agencies, groups and individuals who just simply did not know how best to handle these kinds of situations.
Such understanding includes the experience of familial rejection that Mark and John undergo with their parents and close knit family. As much their social contacts and activities appear limited to the gay community, perhaps a reflection of a safe environment for Mark and John who may likely face prejudiced and oppressive reactions from a straight community that encounter gay couples with children. As a transsexual woman, I too face the same barriers in society. My own experience provides me with an authentic outlook enabling me to fairly consider all aspects of their lives during the assessment period.
The question is, would my own experience cloud my mind therefore causing me to forget the fact that I am working to statutory requirements and is there the potential for me to present any bias or alter prejudice in my assessment and other social work role with this couple? Additionally, am I likely to place more priority on enabling the couple to gain an opportunity for adopting, rather than considering s1. of the Children Act 1989 which is clear that the interests of the child is paramount! An issue I would want to address with a manager in ensuring I worked within the correct framework before coming to a final conclusion in any assessment of this kind.
Disclosure of my own personal background to clients is perhaps the key element here. On the one hand it would it would help us to begin an effective collaborative team where I am working with them to achieve their goals, though on the other hand, they have no need to know about my personal circumstances. My feeling is that in this specific situation, disclosure would be quite appropriate as it would enable me to start on an honest footing with re-assurance that I would not only provide an honest and fair assessment of their background on their suitability, but that I would also have to balance this with the need for legal and statutory thinking in my final recommendations. As a final comment concerning my personal background, knowledge and shared similarities, I feel my experiences would enable me to provide a safe and secure environment which is none oppressive and thus would ensure they did not feel they were on trial during the interview stages, and secondly, that they would feel equal participants during the whole process.
Words : 499
References
FREUNDLICH, Madelyn & PHILLIPS, Rena (2000) Ethical Issues in adoption. Adoption and Fostering. 24(5) pp7-17
LAMB, Michael E (1999) Parenting and Child Development in non-traditional families. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers. London.
MERRITT, W. T. President of the National Association of Black Social Workers, during US senate Hearings of the Committee on Labour and Human Resources. 25 June 1985
THOMPSON, Neil (1996) People skills : A guide to effective practice in the human services. Palgrave.
THOMPSON, Neil (1997) Anti-Discriminatory Practice, 2nd Ed. BASW.
TREVITHICK, Pamela (2000) Social Work Skills: a practice handbook. Open University Press, Buckingham.
Bibliography
BBC News (1999) Gay couple become fathers [online]. Last accessed on 12th August 2002 at URL:
BBC News (2000) Gay couple face adoption battle [online]. Last accessed on 12th August 2002 at URL:
COMMUNITY CARE (2002) Gay couples will be allowed to adopt after Tory move fails [online]. Last accessed on 12th August 2002 at URL :
CORTLAND (2002) Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development [online] Last accessed on 12th August 2002 at URL: http://facultyweb.cortland.edu/~ANDERSMD/ERIK/
Erikson, E.H. (1974). Dimensions of a New Identity. New York: Norton.
LAMB, Michael E (1999) Parenting and Child Development in non-traditional families. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers. London.
MILNER, Judith & O’BYRNE Patrick (1998) Assessment in Social Work. Macmillan Press Limited.
PAYNE, Malcolm (1997) Modern Social Work Theory, 2nd Ed. Macmillan Press Ltd.
THOMPSON, Neil (1996) People skills : A guide to effective practice in the human services. Palgrave.
THOMPSON, Neil (1997) Anti-Discriminatory Practice, 2nd Ed. BASW.
TREVITHICK, Pamela (2000) Social Work Skills: a practice handbook. Open University Press, Buckingham.
