Adoption & Fostering back issues from June 2008:
A childhood on paper: managing access to child care files by post-care adults.
Jun 22, 2008; ... Introduction For people who have spent part or all of their childhoods in care, access to information about family history and events that have happened during their childhood can offer significant benefits. It can provide a chronological history, explain the reasons for coming ...
'The relationship between institutional care and the international adoption of children in Europe': a rejoinder to Chou and Browne (2008).
Jun 22, 2008; ... In a recent, much publicised article in Adoption & Fostering, Shihning Chou and Kevin Browne offer a scientific study of the 'do-gooder hypothesis' that international adoptions reduce the number of children in institutional care (2008, p 42). Campaigners for intercountry adoption have, ...
Institutional care and international adoption.
Jun 22, 2008; ... We read the recent paper by Chou and Browne (2008) with great interest. The study aimed to test the hypothesis that international adoption reduces the number of children in institutional care. This is a highly relevant area of research given the thousands of children adopted ...
Child rights and international adoption: a response to critics.
Jun 22, 2008; ... Do-gooder or straw man hypothesis? It is alleged that we have set up a 'straw man' in suggesting that international adoption is justified on the basis of rescuing children from the harm caused by institutional care. Yet in the recent debate on international adoption in the ...
Premature making of placement order: too soon to decide whether children ought be placed for adoption.(England and Wales)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Re T (placement order) Court of Appeal (Thorpe LJ & Hughes LJ) 19 March 2008 [2008] EWCA Civ 542 Two boys were born to parents who both had significant learning difficulties. The children suffered significant physical and emotional neglect due to their parents' difficulties ...
Placement orders: dual adoption/fostering plans.(England and Wales)(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Re P (a child) sub nom SB v County Council Court of Appeal (Thorpe LJ, Wall LJ & Munby J) 20 May 2008 [2008] EWCA Civ 535 Appeals against the making of placement orders in respect of two seriously damaged children were dismissed. The local authority care ...
Special guardianship allowances: calculation of financial support.(England and Wales)
Jun 22, 2008; ... B v London Borough of Lewisham Royal Courts of Justice (The Hon Mrs Justice Black) 17 April 2008 [2008] EWHC 738 (Admin) This case concerns an application for Judicial Review brought by a grandmother, B, reviewing the decision of the local authority as to the level ...
Placement orders: good practice; section 24, adoption and children act 2002.(England and Wales)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Re F (a child) Court of Appeal (Civil Division) (Thorpe LJ, Wall LJ & Wilson LJ) 1 May 2008 [2008] EWCA Civ 439 In this, another important case, the court gave guidance as to good practice for local authorities faced with an application under section 24 of the Adoption and ...
Freeing for adoption: whether parental agreement unreasonably withheld; whether parent persistently failed to fulfil responsibility to safeguard and protect child's welfare.(Case in brief)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Scottish Borders Council, Petitioners Court of Session, Scotland Outer House: Lord Menzies 30 January 2008 Scottish Borders Council, B, sought a freeing order for the child K, aged seven at the time of the judgment. This was opposed by the mother T. B sought to dispense with T's ...
1. Adoption and children (Scotland) act 2007.(Brief notes)(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2008; ... The first Commencement Order for the Act was made on 19 March and came into force on 7 April 2008. This is the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 (Commencement No.1) Order 2008, S.S.I. 2008/130. It commenced only a few provisions of the Act including section 2(3), but only in ...
2. Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC).(Brief notes)(www.scotland.gov.uk )(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2008; ... The GIRFEC Agenda now covers an increasing range of child care law and practice issues and children's services provisions. The recent Kinship and Foster Care National Strategy and the Guidance on Overnight Stays were published under its heading. A series of roadshows has been running under ...
The children (Northern Ireland) order 1995, article 50: the best interests of the child; alleged parental culpability; medical evidence; and the rules governing publicity.(Northern Ireland)
Jun 22, 2008; ... In the matter of the Children (NI) Order 1995 and in the matter of LM1, LM2 and SM The High Court Gillen J Delivered 20 February 2008 This case concerned an application by a Trust for an order under Article 50 of the 1995 Order in relation to three children, LM1, LM2 ...
Post-adoption support services: five years' experience of a dedicated medical clinic.(Health notes)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Background Following the Adoption and Children Act 2002, new duties were placed on local authorities in 2003 to provide support for children who have been or may be adopted, parents and guardians of such children and people who have adopted or may adopt a child. The ...
Direct Work: Social work with children and young people in care.(Book review)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Direct Work: Social work with children and young people in care Barry Luckock and Michelle Lefevre (eds) BAAF 2008 313 pages 14.95 [pounds sterling] This excellent collection focuses on all aspects of what it means to be an effective social worker. It will also be of interest to ...
Exploring Concepts of Child Well-being: Implications for children's services.(Book review)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Exploring Concepts of Child Well-being: Implications for children's services Nick Axford The Policy Press 2008 264 pages 70 [pounds sterling] Child well-being is the latest in word or concept among those who study or write about child care and children's services. But what is ...
Working with Black Young People.(Book review)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Working with Black Young People Momodou Sallah and Carlton Howson (eds) Russell House Publishing 2007 241 pages 24.95 [pounds sterling] This is an inspiring, informative and insightful book which deserves to be widely read by all professionals who work with black young people ...
Residential Child Care: Prospects and challenges.(Book review)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Residential Child Care: Prospects and challenges Andrew Kendrick (ed) Research Highlights in Social Work 47 Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2007 248 pages 18.99 [pounds sterling] This book draws together research for policy makers, managers and practitioners in social work. The aim ...
Sempik Joe, Ward Harriet and Darker Iain: 'Emotional and behavioural difficulties of children and young people at entry into care'.(Child and adolescent mental health)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry 13:2, April 2008, pp 221-33 Emotional and behavioural difficulties of a sample of children and young people were identified at the point of entry to local authority care by analysis of social work case files. The files indicated high ...
Tarren-Sweeny Michael: 'Retrospective and concurrent predictors of the mental health of children in care'.(Child and adolescent mental health)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Children and Youth Services Review 30:1, January 2008, pp 1-25 This article reports retrospective and concurrent predictors of baseline mental health estimates for 347 children recruited to an epidemiological study of children in foster and kinship care in New South Wales, ...
Vinnerljung Bo and Sallnas Marie: 'Into adulthood: a follow-up study of 718 young people who were placed in out-of-home care during their teens'.(Child and adolescent mental health)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Child & Family Social Work 13:2, May 2008, pp 144-55 In this study, national register data were used to analyse long-term outcomes at age 25 for around 700 Swedish young people placed in out-of-home care during their teens. The sample consisted of 70 per cent of all 13- to ...
Wakelyn Jenifer: 'Transitional psychotherapy for looked after children in "short-term" foster care'.(Child and adolescent mental health)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Journal of Social Work Practice 22:3, March 2008, pp 27-36 This article describes the treatment model developed within a multi-disciplinary child and adolescent mental health team working with looked after children in short-term care. A combined psychoanalytic and systemic ethos ...
Weisz John R and Simpson Gray Jane: 'Evidence-based psychotherapy for children and adolescents: data from the present and a model for the future'.(Child and adolescent mental health)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Child and Adolescent Mental Health 13:2, May 2008, pp 54-65 What is the best way to help children cope with behavioural and emotional problems? This question has been a focus of concern--to children and the adults who care for them--across many centuries and in cultures around ...
Whyte Stewart and Campbell Anne: 'The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ): a useful screening tool to identify mental health strengths and needs in looked after children and inform care plans at Looked After Children (LAC) reviews?'.(Child and adolescent mental health)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Child Care in Practice 14:2, April 2008, pp 193-206 This article outlines the findings of three focus groups with social workers and their managers following the SDQ screening of a sample of looked after children within four generic child care teams and a team for children with ...
Dugmore Paul and Cocker Christine: 'Legal, social and attitudinal changes: an exploration of lesbian and gay issues in a training programme for social workers in fostering and adoption'.(Lesbian and gay issues in fostering and adoption)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Social Work Education 27:2, March 2008, pp 159-68 Within a widely evolving political, social and legal climate, significant changes have taken place in the last ten years in relation to lesbians and gay men. This has presented social workers and social work teams with new ...
Hicks Stephen: 'Gender role models ... who needs 'em?'.(Lesbian and gay issues in fostering and adoption)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Qualitative Social Work 7:1, March 2008, pp 43-59 Hicks examines the use of socialisation theory in social workers' considerations of child development. He analyses assessments of lesbians and gay men who applied to foster or adopt children, in order to demonstrate social ...
Gilligan Robbie: 'Promoting resilience in young people in long-term care: the relevance of roles and relationships in the domains of recreation and work'.(Resilience)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Journal of Social Work Practice 22:3, March 2008, pp 37-50 Gilligan seeks to highlight the resilience-enhancing potential for vulnerable young people of roles and relationships in the domains of recreation and work. The article explores its theme through a specific focus on the ...
Hart Angie and Blincow with Thomas Helen: 'Resilient therapy: strategic therapeutic engagement with children in crisis'.(Resilience)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Child Care in Practice 14:2, April 2008, pp 131-45 This article offers an overview of Resilient Therapy (RT) and outlines a case study of how it can be used in practice. RT draws on the resilience research base and has been designed to meet the needs of children in crisis by ...
Balen Rachel and Masson Helen: 'The Victoria Climbie case: social work education for practice in children and families' work before and since'.(Social work education and training)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Child & Family Social Work 13:2, May 2008, pp 121-32 Based on their research into the Victoria Climbie Inquiry, the authors outline an analysis they undertook of literature which had made substantial comment on either the inquiry itself and/or the subsequent inquiry report. An ...
Lefevre Michelle, Tanner Karen and Lucock Barry: 'Developing social work students' communication skills with children and young people: a model for the qualifying level curriculum'.(Social work education and training)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Child & Family Social Work 13:2, May 2008, pp 166-76 Currently, there is no explicit requirement for qualifying level social workers to be skilled in communicating with children. In a recent Knowledge Review, the authors argued that practitioners should have a basic level of ...
Chand Ashok: 'Every Child Matters? A critical review of child welfare reforms in the context of minority ethnic children and families'.(Other)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Child Abuse Review 17:1, January/February 2008, pp 6-22 Chand critically reviews some key government papers that together largely provide the foundation for the relevant child welfare reforms in England and Wales. The context of this review was to evaluate whether these papers ...
Frey Lauren, Cushing Gretta, Freundlich Madelyn and Brenner Eliot: 'Achieving permanency for youth in foster care: assessing and strengthening emotional security'.(Other)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Child & Family Social Work 13:2, May 2008, pp 218-26 For some youth in foster care, the closest family or family-like relationships are with the foster carers with whom they have lived for extended periods of time. Nonetheless, child welfare agencies often do not explore these ...
Hall Amanda: 'Special guardianship: a missed opportunity: findings from research'.(Other)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Family Law 38, February 2008, pp 148-52 This article presents research findings on the implementation of special guardianship and considers the extent to which it has succeeded in fulfilling its potential. Four key questions were explored: the extent of the usage and usefulness ...
Hanlon Niall: 'An equality perspective on residential child care'.(Other)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care 6:1, February/March 2007, pp 22-31 An equality perspective on residential child care places the issues of power and oppression as central concerns of practice. To adopt this perspective the residential practitioner must appreciate ...
Leifesen Esben: 'Child trafficking and formalisation: the case of international adoption from Ecuador'.(Other)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Children & Society 22:3, Special issue: Child Slavery Worldwide, May 2008, pp 212-22 Child trafficking activity often draws on formal administrative and legal resources. Formalisation implies considerable co-operation between public functionaries, lawyers and external actors. ...
Munro Emily R and Ward Harriet: 'Balancing parents' and very young children's rights in care proceedings: decision-making in the context of the Human Rights Act 1998'.(Other)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Child & Family Social Work 13:2, May 2008, pp 227-34 This article explores whether the Human Rights Act 1998 has influenced the approach that a range of professionals, including social workers, managers and children's guardians, adopt when they examine and seek to balance the ...
Pinnock Katherine and Evans Ruth: 'Developing responsive preventative practices: key messages from children's and families' experiences of the Children's Fund'.(Other)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Children & Society 22:2, March 2008, pp 86-98 As part of the prevention and social inclusion agenda, the Children's Fund, set up in 2000, has developed preventative services for children at risk of social exclusion. Drawing on a large qualitative dataset of interviews conducted ...
Storo Jan: 'Exit from care: developing a perspective'.(Other)(Abstract)(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Journal of Comparative Social Welfare 24:1, April 2008, pp 13-21 Traditionally, child welfare work is based upon what could be called an 'entrance' perspective. An alternative perspective is based upon young people's exit from care. This ...
BAAF diary.(British Association for Adoption and Fostering)(Calendar)
Jun 22, 2008 ... <Pre> SEPTEMBER 1 Panel administrators: their role in adoption and fostering panels One-day workshop, London 3 Induction for new panel members: fostering (am); adoption (pm) One-day workshop, Leeds 8 Allegations against foster carers One-day ...
Who should do what, and to whom?(child care)(Editorial)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Historical studies are rare in child care, so Roy Parker's scholarly book, Uprooted: The shipment of poor children to Canada 1867-1917, is especially welcome. But it is also depressing for, as Michael Little's article shows, many of the attitudes that surrounded this policy are still ...
Newspoints.(News from BAAF)
Jun 22, 2008; ... At the time of writing, it has just been announced that the Children and Young Persons Bill will have its second reading in the House of Commons on 16 June. This debate is likely to be followed by committee stage before the summer recess. This gives BAAF and other children's organisations ...
Ofsted survey focuses on looked after children.(News from BAAF)(Office of Standards in Education)(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2008 ... Ofsted has published a report based on a small-scale survey of good practice for looked after children in schools. The survey looked at 20 schools that had scored highly in the latest Annual Performance Assessment and the methods they use to improve the educational experiences and ...
Call for a national strategy to tackle child neglect.(News from BAAF)(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2008 ... The University of East Anglia and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) have published an important report highlighting the prevalence of neglect in child protection cases and the emotional damage it causes, and outlining the case for a national strategy to ...
Some children matter more than others: issues prompted by Roy Parker's study of the shipment of poor children to Canada, 1867-1917.(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... At Stormont, the Northern Ireland parliament, many years ago, after a presentation about youth justice, an Ulster MP asked me for some advice. He sat on the board of a training school, a residential establishment for young offenders. When a boy absconded a hooter was sounded. Generally ...
Foster care research in Germany: a critical review.(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Introduction To understand a specific branch of research in a particular country, we need to be familiar with the conditions and structures that facilitate the dissemination of research findings. In this article, I will outline the contextual situation of German research as ...
Supporting informal kinship care.(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Background When children cannot remain with their parents, the Children Act 1989 encourages local authorities to place them with a relative, friend or other suitable person, unless that would not be reasonably practicable or consistent with their welfare (section 23(6)(b)). The ...
Untold stories: a discussion of life story work.(Report)
Jun 22, 2008; ... Introduction Life story work as a social work technique was developed primarily to meet the needs of children separated from their birth families through adoption or long-term foster care. It comprises three main elements: the gathering up of treasured objects, photographs and ...