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Breaking Down BarriersBreaking Down BarriersDeveloping An Approach Developing An Approach
to Include Fathers in to Include Fathers in Children’s Social CareChildren’s Social Care
Understanding defensive Understanding defensive behaviours in working with behaviours in working with
fathersfathersGavin Swann Gavin Swann
2525thth February 2015 February 2015
A Moment of Reflection A Moment of Reflection
Please take two minutes to think about Please take two minutes to think about your own father. your own father.
Contents Contents
The Personal and Professional Context – The Personal and Professional Context – Reflective Considerations Reflective Considerations
Breaking down Barriers Breaking down Barriers Key Messages from the LiteratureKey Messages from the Literature What Social Workers reportWhat Social Workers report A Psychodynamic Contribution A Psychodynamic Contribution Findings from a Doctoral Study in LBIFindings from a Doctoral Study in LBI How to Include Fathers in Social Work How to Include Fathers in Social Work
Interventions and Services Interventions and Services Conclusions Conclusions
Defining Fathers Defining Fathers
For this lecture fathers are defined For this lecture fathers are defined as: as:
Any man who has an emotional Any man who has an emotional relationship with a child ; i.e. a relationship with a child ; i.e. a biological father, a step-father, biological father, a step-father, mother’s partner or boyfriend.mother’s partner or boyfriend.
Exercise Exercise
Why should we include fathers ?Why should we include fathers ?
Exercise Exercise
In pairs for 10 minutes discuss your In pairs for 10 minutes discuss your personal assumptions, fears and personal assumptions, fears and even prejudices about working with even prejudices about working with fathers fathers
The Personal and Professional The Personal and Professional Context – Reflective Context – Reflective
ConsiderationsConsiderations
Prejudice, stereotypes, assumptions, years Prejudice, stereotypes, assumptions, years on the front line. on the front line.
The ‘Tavi’ ExperienceThe ‘Tavi’ Experience Year 1: Baby and Mother ObservationYear 1: Baby and Mother Observation Year 2: Direct work and the Monroe Effect Year 2: Direct work and the Monroe Effect Year 3: The Research ProjectYear 3: The Research Project Years 4: – 6 Doctoral StudiesYears 4: – 6 Doctoral Studies
Breaking down Barriers Breaking down Barriers
Researching Children’s Social Care Researching Children’s Social Care A Whole System Approach A Whole System Approach Systemic assessmentSystemic assessment A case file audit A case file audit Literature ReviewLiterature Review 18 months of Action Research / Co-18 months of Action Research / Co-
operative Inquiry operative Inquiry ICSICS A second case file auditA second case file audit
Aims of the Research Aims of the Research
1. To design and implement a co-operative inquiry to include fathers in Children’s Social Care
2. Develop the skills of co-inquirers 3. Create and adopt a fatherhood strategy with realistic goals
and targets4. Identify objectives for engagement with fathers 5. Refine the existing referral and assessment process 6. Use data collection system/s 7. Ensure that training is available for staff at every level of
the organisation/s in father-inclusive practice.8. Establish better pathways and referral processes 9. Ensure appropriate focused and gender specific
information
Basic MeasuresBasic Measures To increase the numbers of men (fathers, step-fathers, and partners)
including telephone numbers, addresses and dates of birth recorded on all referrals.
To increase the numbers of men (fathers, step-fathers, and partners) included on Initial assessments.
To increase the numbers of fathers comprehensively assessed as part of a core assessment.
To increase the numbers of fathers invited to and attending Initial and Review Child Protection Conferences.
To increase the numbers of fathers invited to and attending Family Group Conferences.
To increase the numbers of fathers invited to LAC reviews. To increase the numbers of fathers involved when initiating court
proceedings. To increase the numbers of fathers involved when initiating court
proceedings.
International Literature Review & International Literature Review & Critique Critique
Historic perspectives of the social construction of Historic perspectives of the social construction of contemporary masculinity and contemporary fatherhood contemporary masculinity and contemporary fatherhood
A shifting social policy towards menA shifting social policy towards men
Ethnicity, class and the construction of masculinityEthnicity, class and the construction of masculinity
Men, masculinity and child development Men, masculinity and child development
Social work in a modern ageSocial work in a modern age
Literature Review continued Literature Review continued Gender Bias, the Denigration of Fatherhood or Simply Pragmatic Gender Bias, the Denigration of Fatherhood or Simply Pragmatic
Practice?Practice? The constructions and pathologies of masculinity in social workThe constructions and pathologies of masculinity in social work
An Overview of the Evidence Base; Social Work Practice and the An Overview of the Evidence Base; Social Work Practice and the Invisibility of FathersInvisibility of Fathers
The Education and Training Social Workers and Research about The Education and Training Social Workers and Research about Men and Masculinity Men and Masculinity
ViolenceViolence - The construction of men as violence in social work- The construction of men as violence in social work
- Domestic violence - Domestic violence
Literature Review Continued Literature Review Continued A Psychodynamic Contribution: Understanding how Violence Influences the Social Work
System Defended Organisations Defended Professionals The Role of Supervision in the Inclusion of Fathers in Social
Work Interventions How to Include Fathers in Social Work Interventions and
Services
Multiple Masculinities Multiple Masculinities
Hegemonic Masculinity Hegemonic Masculinity Subordinated MasculinitySubordinated Masculinity Marginalised Masculinity which lead Marginalised Masculinity which lead
to protest and oppositional to protest and oppositional masculinity masculinity
Fathers & Child DevelopmentFathers & Child Development
It is now recognised that, in most cases, child centred and sensitive care giving by both parents through complimentary parenting, (where parents agree role differentiation), contributes to a wide variety of positive child outcomes. (Allen: 2011, Field: 2010, Hauari & Hollingworth: 2009, Lamb and Tamis-Lemonda: 2004).
What Social Workers report What Social Workers report
Male ResponsibilityMale Responsibility The Personal The Personal Fear Fear The Need for Positive Male Role The Need for Positive Male Role
ModellingModelling Organisational responsibility Organisational responsibility Male ResponsibilityMale Responsibility
Male Responsibility Male Responsibility
A demand for men to take A demand for men to take responsibility for the care and responsibility for the care and protection of their children. Although, protection of their children. Although, this is not a new discourse, it is one this is not a new discourse, it is one that is rarely spoken of in social work that is rarely spoken of in social work
‘ ‘The Personal’ The Personal’
How family origin and life experience How family origin and life experience influence, through assumption and influence, through assumption and prejudice, how men are thought prejudice, how men are thought about in social worker practice. about in social worker practice.
‘‘It is the prejudice that stops us It is the prejudice that stops us seeing the dad not the seeing the dad not the timescalestimescales’’
Fear Fear
An endemic feeling within social work An endemic feeling within social work is the very real presence of fear, fear is the very real presence of fear, fear of a violent sexual attack or fear of of a violent sexual attack or fear of allegation. allegation.
‘‘I would always think that at the I would always think that at the end of the day a woman could hit end of the day a woman could hit you but a man could rape you or you but a man could rape you or sexually abuse you in some waysexually abuse you in some way’ ’
Sexuality Sexuality
The ever present discourse of human The ever present discourse of human sexuality was present and yet is sexuality was present and yet is ignored within the profession ignored within the profession
Role Modelling Role Modelling
The important function of modelling The important function of modelling behaviours to demonstrate survival, behaviours to demonstrate survival, escape from structural discrimination escape from structural discrimination and male responsibility, ‘a good and male responsibility, ‘a good mother’ and professionalism. mother’ and professionalism.
‘‘I’ve got two men in my team and I I’ve got two men in my team and I don’t think that about them’don’t think that about them’
Organisational responsibility Organisational responsibility
The need for Children’s Social Care The need for Children’s Social Care to support and challenge the practice to support and challenge the practice of social workers’ in advancing the of social workers’ in advancing the inclusion of men inclusion of men
‘‘Its not discussed in supervision, Its not discussed in supervision, our managers don’t challenge our managers don’t challenge us’. us’.
Critiquing the literature Critiquing the literature
Impact of Child abuse and / or domestic Impact of Child abuse and / or domestic violence experienced by social workers in violence experienced by social workers in their childhood or adult lives on their their childhood or adult lives on their social work practice social work practice
The profession attracts a The profession attracts a disproportionately high number of people disproportionately high number of people who have suffered abuse and the impact who have suffered abuse and the impact this may have on their ability to manage this may have on their ability to manage violent and abusive clients violent and abusive clients
A Psychodynamic Contribution:A Psychodynamic Contribution:
Understanding how Violence Influences Understanding how Violence Influences the Social Work Systemthe Social Work System
Defended Organisations and professionals Defended Organisations and professionals The Role of Supervision in the Inclusion of The Role of Supervision in the Inclusion of
Fathers in Social Work InterventionsFathers in Social Work Interventions
How to Include Fathers in How to Include Fathers in Social Work Interventions and Social Work Interventions and
ServicesServices
Findings from a Doctoral Study Findings from a Doctoral Study in LBIin LBI
1. Why have fathers been continually excluded from the social work task? 2. How do we currently exclude fathers from social work practice? 3. How do we create the conditions for fathers to be included in social work practice?4. What strategies, methods and techniques promote inclusive practice for fathers?
Social Work Practice Social Work Practice Identify the father as early as possible (See hand-out) Identify the father as early as possible (See hand-out) The Basics: respect, be on time The Basics: respect, be on time Understand masculinity Understand masculinity Be a detective Be a detective Ask and keep asking Ask and keep asking Involve the professional network in identifying and Involve the professional network in identifying and
engaging the father engaging the father The importance of FGCsThe importance of FGCs There is a need for a more knowledgeable social work force There is a need for a more knowledgeable social work force
particularly skilled in domestic violence and with grounding particularly skilled in domestic violence and with grounding in masculinity and work with couples in masculinity and work with couples
For more information on techniques see For more information on techniques see http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/
Exercise Exercise
In small groups: In small groups:
1.1.What can you do in your own practice What can you do in your own practice differently to include more fathers? differently to include more fathers?
2.2.What can your team do to include What can your team do to include more fathers? more fathers?
3.3.What can your managers / the What can your managers / the organisation do to include more organisation do to include more fathers? fathers?
Services Services
Services for men are few in number, Services for men are few in number, feminised, fragmented, poorly understood feminised, fragmented, poorly understood and not easily accessedand not easily accessed
Men are collectively socialised to avoid Men are collectively socialised to avoid therapy and similar servicestherapy and similar services
Services to men need to be designed Services to men need to be designed around the needs of men, particularly non-around the needs of men, particularly non-residential fathers, to improve child safety residential fathers, to improve child safety and family dynamics. and family dynamics.
Conclusions Conclusions
Include fathers in your practice; in Include fathers in your practice; in assessments and interventionsassessments and interventions
Discuss fathers in supervisionDiscuss fathers in supervision Discuss in multi-agency meetings Discuss in multi-agency meetings
the identification of fathersthe identification of fathers Encourage conversations in your Encourage conversations in your
teams and organisations about teams and organisations about father involvement father involvement
