Living Away From Home - Studies in Residential Care – serie

Working in Children s Homes is one of an important series of bookson residential care based on research sponsored by the Departmentof Health. This book draws on extensive research conducted over athree-year period. The authors address the challenges andcomplexities facing those who work with and in children s homes. Onthe basis of interviews and discussions with heads of homes andstaff groups, the authors explore the tasks which face staffgroups, the rationale for their procedures, their sources ofstresses and rewards, and the everyday ups and downs characteristicof residential care. Key tasks are discussed in depth, such asworking with individual children, the mix of young people, managersand others in their own organisation, and the wider networkssurrounding the home and the child. Characteristics of goodpractice are named, and factors which facilitate good practice andgood outcomes are identified. Valuable recommendations are madefor* implementing and modifying procedures to improve workingpractices * staff selection and training * support required by staff groups * procedures and communication channels in the larger organisationand surrounding networksWorking in Children s Homes provides a comprehensive commentary onthe nature of care and working practices related to children shomes.It is essential reading for all those concerned with the careof children and young people in residential settings.

Children s homes have cultures which vary from the benign to the malignant. Using a distinctive cross-institutional design, this study of 48 children s homes shows how some were characterised by widespread bullying, delinquency and low morale among both staff and residents whilst others were relatively peaceful and friendly. These differences are explained by the way these homes were resourced, managed and run, thus providing lessons for the future. This accessible text provides* a much-needed insight into the management of children s homes and the impact on their residents* perspectives from a large sample of children, parents, staff and social workers* an examination of the effect on staff and residents of features such as the size of the home, staff ratios, the proportion of trained staff and the approach of the headCommissioned by the Department of Health, this study is essential reading for practitioners in the social and welfare services and others with an interest in the well-being of deprived, troubled or delinquent young people.

Going Missing presents important findings from the first major study of young people who go missing from residential and foster homes. By exploring the diverse reasons why young people go missing and what happens when they do, the authors highlight the impact both of individual motivations and of residential and foster care contexts on the patterns associated with going missing. The authors address the serious risks that young people may encounter while missing, including the dangers associated with sleeping rough, offending, sexual exploitation, and substance misuse. The longer term implications of repeatedly going missing for the structure of young people s lives are also explored. In outlining the strengths and limits of the different professional responses to young people who go missing, the authors present an analysis of the difficult professional task of managing risk for different groups of people. Conclusions drawn from this unique study are considered in terms of their wider implications for* developing preventive services for teenagers* the nature of residential and foster care provision* inter-agency approaches to supporting young peopleAddressing the growing concern about runaways from residential and foster care, and eliciting the wider implications for the care system today, Going Missing is essential reading for practitioners in the social and welfare services; policy-makers; and students and lecturers on higher education courses.

In one enquiry after another, there has been a call for an increasein the proportion of qualified staff in residential child careservices, as one of a range of solutions to the difficulties thathave beset the service. Leadership in Residential Child Carecompares and assesses courses available for professional socialwork training and explores the ways that training contributes tothe quality of care in the sector. Drawing on an evaluation of theResidential Child Care Initiative, the authors examine the dilemmasconcerning the provision of qualification training for residentialcare staff today. They address issues such as:* the loss of qualified staff from the sector* different models of professional competence that qualificationseeks to achieve* the role qualification and training can play in enhancing thestatus of what is sometimes seen as the Cinderella element in childcare provisionLeadership in Residential Child Care discusses issues ofconsiderable relevance to managers and trainers seeking to maximisethe value they derive from the training provided to residentialchild care staff. The experience of special courses developed underthe Residential Child Care Initiative will be of interest to allthose concerned with the development of the sector from thoseconsidering the training needs of residential care staff, toteachers and tutors in universities and colleges of highereducation providing social work qualification programmes.