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Welfare Reform on the Web (May 2005): Child Welfare - UK

BEYOND TEACHING

A.U. Sale

Community Care, Mar. 31st-Apr. 6th 2005, p.32-33

Teachers are coming under increasing pressure to play a larger role in child protection by identifying children showing signs of abuse and referring them to social services. Article examines the training required to make this possible.

A CHANCE TO BE STRONG

L. Bostock

Community Care, Mar.3rd-5th 2005, p.36-37

Finding ways to boost the resilience of children in foster care should improve long term outcomes. Resilience can be enhanced by building a sense of self-esteem, having a close tie with a committed adult, and being happy and involved at school. Self-confidence can also be boosted if children are involved in decision-making about their own care, and encouraged to participate in planning services for looked after young people.

A COMPLEX SOLUTION TO A COMPLICATED PROBLEM? EARLY MESSAGES FROM THE NATIONAL EVALUATION OF THE CHILDREN'S FUND PREVENTION PROGRAMME

P. Mason, K. Morris and P. Smith

Children and Society, vol.19, 2005, p.131-143

Paper explores the research and policy base that underpinned the development of the Children's Fund prevention programme. It discusses how the initiative developed, how it is being evaluated, and how it is contributing to the new policy agenda around preventive services. Early findings are discussed highlighting the challenges local projects have to manage around partnership working, participation of young people in initiative development, and embedding preventive strategies in local practice.

EARLY MULTIPLE INTERVENTION: A VIEW FROM ON TRACK

J. Hine

Children and Society, vol.19, 2005, p.117-130

The On Track programme in the UK was intended to provide interventions for children aged four to twelve identified as being at risk of becoming involved in crime. Paper is based on the first phase of the evaluation of these projects from 2000 to 2002. It describes some of the tensions in the implementation of the projects under three broad headings:

  • national policy vs local needs and expectations;
  • universal vs targeted services;
  • delivering services to children at risk of offending vs meeting current needs.

MAPPING THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN IN NEED

M. Preston-Shoot and V. Wigley

British Journal of Social Work: vol. 35, 2005, p. 255 - 275

Within a policy framework of children's services planning and New Labour's social care modernization agenda, this literature review analyses:

  • approaches to mapping needs;
  • mapping research's contribution to practice;
  • the nature of need;
  • and resource targeting at identified greatest need and risk groups.

PARTNERSHIP WORKING AND THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES AGENDA: IS IT FEASIBLE?

B. Hudson

Journal of Integrated Care, vol.13, Apr. 2005, p.7-12

The Children Act 2004 introduces a legislative imperative for whole systems integrated working through partnership across all agencies involved in the delivery of children's services. Article describes the changes and identifies a range of difficulties that need to be addressed.

PLAYMAKERS

T. Jowell

Community Care, Apr.21st-27th 2005, p.36-37

Outdoor play improves children's social skills and physical health. Author calls on local authorities to plan strategically to ensure that a range of high quality facilities is available to all, to provide adequate resources and to invest in a workforce of play rangers and play development officers.

A SPORTING CHANCE

C. Andrews

Community Care, Apr.7th-13th 2005, p.34-35

Sporting activities can effectively engage disaffected youngsters and divert them from offending or antisocial behaviour. Projects can most effectively be run by community sport and social care professionals in collaboration. Government is offering grants to encourage local authorities to develop schemes.

STOP THE PANIC

J. La Fontaine

Community Care, Apr.7th-13th 2005, p.39-40

The fear of paedophiles infiltrating children's homes was not supported by investigations carried out in North Wales in the 1970s. Research into allegations of Satanic abuse of children concluded that they were unfounded. This indicates that unsupported allegations by victims should not be treated as factual.

SURE START LOCAL PROGRAMMES: IMPLICATIONS OF CASE STUDY DATA FROM THE NATIONAL EVALUATION OF SURE START

J. Tunstill and others

Children and Society, vol.19, 2005, p.158-171

Article describes some key challenges faced by Sure Start local programmes in:

  • designing interventions to meet the needs of minority ethnic groups and working parents;
  • recruiting "the right sort of staff" to win parents' trust;
  • engaging service users;
  • targeting services on a particular geographic area or age group.

THEY THINK IT'S ALL OVER

M. Ivory

Community Care, Mar.3rd-9th 2005, p.26-27

Sure Start Local Programmes are to become part of a new network of local authority run children's centres. There are concerns that the pressure of statutory child protection duties may force out the preventive work which Sure Start has prioritised. There are also fears that some programmes may be dropped because of lack of funding.

USING THE "RISK FACTOR PARADIGM" IN PREVENTION: LESSONS FROM THE EVALUATION OF COMMUNITIES THAT CARE

A. France and I. Crow

Children and Society, vol.19, 2005, p.172-184

The Communities that Care intervention approach is built upon the premise that levels of risk to children and young people in a community can be measured and reduced through appropriate interventions. It aims to promote partnership working, involve local community members, use evidence-based interventions and leverage in resources to create programmes. Results of the evaluation of an experimental programme funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation show that the model looks promising, but there are substantial implementation issues that need to be addressed.

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