This contrasts with residential children’s homes where” the registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs19 and 20). This plan should:

detail the necessary management and staffing structure, (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the homes Statement of Purpose;

• detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation, and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications).
• detail the process for managing and improving poor performance.
• detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33 (4) (b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home.

The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager.”

The social work England professional standards (4.5) highlight that social workers will contribute to an open and creative learning culture in the workplace to discuss, reflect and share practice, thus, a professional development plan (PDP) (or Professional Development Plan) is a record of measurable actions to support and enable individual/s to achieve their work setting or career goals and a tool that supervising social workers should benefit from using themselves as well as enabling foster carers to use to reflect on their personal/professional development as foster carers.

In connection to the personal development of foster carers, the training development standards for foster care is clear what is required of foster carers regarding the skills and knowledge for those working with children, young people, and families to practice at a basic level. Thus, foster carers should be able to develop themselves (TSD Standard Seven). To meet aspects of this standard, foster carers need to consistently demonstrate the skills and knowledge that indicates their practice meets or is above the following standards:

• 7.3a Understand the purpose of your personal supervision and annual foster carer review and know how to make the best of these opportunities.
• 7.3b Know what additional support and training is available to you.

• 7.3c Be able to recognise when you need support and the importance of asking for help and advice.

• 7.3d Develop knowledge, skills and understanding pertinent to your foster care role (e.g., treatment foster care, fostering teenagers.

• 7.3e Develop knowledge, skills and understanding to enable you to “broaden” your foster care role.

• 7.4a Understand the need for continuing professional development and the ways in which it can improve your practice.

• 7.4b Understand and be able to reflect on how your day-to-day work as a foster carer is influenced by feedback from people you come into contact with and from children, young people and their families.

• 7.4c Work with your supervising social worker or other relevant person to agree and follow a personal development plan.

• 7.4d Be willing to continually improve your practice and understand how to do this.

Given these required standards – The Fostering Network (2021) research highlights that since 2016 –the number of carers who have a personal development plan has increased. Nevertheless, 35% of foster carers do not have a PDP despite this being a National Minimum Standard (NMS 20.5).

Download Free EMPT_016_Supervision WORKBOOK_DIGITAL_v2 (1)Updated 23.12.24

Kolb’s Reflective cycle shown below highlights the need for you to reflect on your experience from participating on learning events/training and to say/write down what you think you have learnt.  You should reflect, following participation on a learning event, on how such participation influences your current practice.

The Experiential Learning Cycle

1. Concrete Experience – (a new experience or situation is encountered, or a reinterpretation of existing experience).
2. Reflective Observation of the New Experience – (of particular importance are any inconsistencies between experience and understanding).
3. Abstract Conceptualisation (reflection gives rise to a new idea, or a modification of an existing abstract concept The person has learned from their experience).
4. Active Experimentation (the learner applies their idea(s) to the world around them to see what happens).

A good personal development plan format can contribute to enabling you to methodically think about your practice aspirations/goals that you need to reach. A Personal Development Plan should be a continual reflective reference or audit trail about your progress regarding the knowledge and skills and understanding you have developed to broaden your role within the service setting, and you should update it every time you reach important milestones. Regularly updating your Personal Development Plan enables you to target new goals that help you grow professionally and as an individual. The following five steps can contribute to creating a professional development plan:

1. Self-assessment to develop yourself: Evaluate your professional interests, knowledge, and skills. Identify areas in which you can improve to obtain your goals (targets).
2. Goals/targets: Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely) goals that are trackable and achievable by completing small steps. List goals/targets in order of priority with the highest first so you can quickly identify them. Categorise goals as short-, mid- or long-term so you can develop more detailed steps to achieve each one.
3. Action plan: Create a plan of action for each goal. Identify the resources you need to achieve each goal, you should be collaborating and discussing these targets with your supervisor/line manager. Your strategy to participate on specific training, mentorship, online learning, or networking opportunities are some of the proposed actions you can add to your plan.
4. Implementation: Implement your plan of action by taking small steps to achieve each goal. Regularly review your progress and adjust your plan as needed. Your supervisor/line manager should meet with you frequently to discuss your progress and reflection from your participation on learning events.
5. Evaluation: Evaluate your progress by measuring your success against the goals you set (What have you learnt from doing the targeted actions you planned). Try to complete the evaluation forms from training courses that you participate on. The effectiveness of this plan should also be evaluated by your supervisor and or line manager. Celebrate your successes and learn from your failure/vulnerabilities. Then start a new personal development plan.

Several different schools of thought have emerged from such or studies. This includes some of the following theories:

• The Scientific approach
• The Process approach
• The human relations approach
• The systems approach
• The organisational approach

Professional managers should be aware of the development of practice ideas in their profession. It is important to be familiar with the above alternative approaches and more because they can provide you with varieties perspectives on your work. They can therefore help you to develop a better understanding of your job and thus to manage more effectively. They may also help towards better appreciation of different views held by managers in your organisation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNfy_AHG-MU

Alternative management approaches may also help you towards a better appreciation of different views on management. The latter Monitor and manage the quality of the provision of care services.pdf min approaches listed above tend to build on the ideas developed in the earlier ones. As you assess each approach – You might look for evidence of ways in which that which later approaches built on the strengths of their predecessors, while rejecting the weaker aspects. Once you’ve reflected on these approaches you may consider your own approach to management.

The Scientific Approach

Around the turn of the century, Frederick Taylor and others began trying to apply scientific approaches to management rather than the rule of thumb approaches that was current. They therefore brought the skills of observation, quantification, analysis, experimentation, and evaluation to management in place of the more traditional approaches of institution, opinion, and guesswork. The work of Frederick Taylor and others therefore gave rise to approach, known as scientific management.

The Process Approach

The process approach to management owes much to Henri Fayol’s assessment at the beginning of the 20th century. Fayol focused his attention on the things that a manager does. Fayol’s views included the assertion that to manage is to forecast and plan, to organise, to command, to coordinate and to control.  Almost a century later, this analysis still forms the basis of arguably one of the most popular views of management, so much so that is often called a classical view. It is also widely known as the ‘process school’ because it views management as a process, and it examines the component parts of the process separately.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1n6jYQ-hPs

The Human Relations Approach

The human relations approach was partly as a reaction against the seemingly impersonal features of the scientific approach, but mainly because research studies during the previous two decades had demonstrated the importance of good human relations and the influence of social factors on workers motivation.

These related ‘Hawthorne studies’ driven by supporters of human relations approach can be viewed as a milestone in the evolution of management ideas. An important observation made in the Hawthorne human relations approach studies was the output of morale went up every time management varied working conditions, regardless of whether the change was for better or worse. The inference drawn from this was workers respond positively whenever management appears to be concerned with their working conditions. This important finding is known as the ‘Hawthorne effect’.

TSD Standard 4 Know how to communicate effectively

The systems Approach

The systems thinking approach was developed concurrently with the quantitative approach and emerged quite evidently during the 1960s and 1970s. It is an approach which emphasises the interrelatedness and interdependence of the parts and the way in which contributes to the functioning of the whole. It is not you. It’s not unique to management thinking, having been applied to problems in many scientific fields. However, it provides a helpful way of looking at the many management problems, particularly those concerned with organisations.

The term ‘system’ can mean the way of working and organising work according to certain procedures; ‘structures’ and has a looser meaning as well as meaning the framework and patterns of relationships which people have with one another. The system approach recognises that there are often several competing tensions: within people themselves, between different people and between people and organisations. Current management practice also recognises that discrimination against people may occur for a wide range of reasons such as gender, race, sexual orientation, age, culture and more.

If we reflect on the notion of interdependent systems in terms of the human body, which we know contains a variety of systems. If a major system such as that of blood circulation breaks down completely, the body simply will not function. However, if the system is operating at less than the optimum efficiency the body will continue to function, but not so efficiently as before. Problems affecting systems may be minor. To be major or minor, for example, an obvious major problem is a serious malfunction of the heart, since this will affect not only the function of the circular system, but the function of the body as a whole. In contrast, some minor injuries might be seen as a relatively minimal problem, particularly in comparison with the effect of a serious malfunction in the heart.

The Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF) for independent fostering agencies provides an example of systems related management practice, under 5.3, the effectiveness of leaders and managers. For fostering agencies to achieve a good standard of effective management Ofsted may therefore require evidence around:

1. the quality of professional relationships to ensure the best possible all-round support to children and young people in all areas of their development
2. whether leaders and managers actively challenge when the responses from other services are not effective
3. the extent to which leaders and managers actively promote equality and diversity
4. Whether ‘Leaders and managers actively and regularly monitor the quality of care provided, use learning from practice and feedback to improve the experiences and care of children. This includes, for example, direct testimony from children, young people, parents, carers, other professionals, and other stakeholders’.
5. If leaders and managers ‘challenge effectively and take action when they are concerned that placing authorities are not making decisions that are in children’s best interests, when the statutory requirements for looked-after children are not met, or when they cannot keep children safe’.

The education Trust Research (2018) highlight that ‘social service systems do not exist in isolation and are constantly interacting with other systems. In the context of child protection, examples include the justice, social welfare, education and health systems (Delaney et al. 2014: 13)’. However, it also sates ‘as different systems exist alongside and interact with each other it is important to establish clear boundaries for each system, and define its structures, its functions, the necessary capacities, and resources to enable it to operate in an optimal way, and the manage the governance of the system. This promotes greater accountability: if the different actors know what they are responsible for then it is easier to hold them to account (Delaney et al. 2014: 14)’.

HELPING CHILDREN COPE WITH A DEATH

The Organisational Behaviour Approach

The organisational Behaviour approach is another approach of management that is still very much with us. It developed from the human relations approach and builds on the belief that to put strategies into action, people must be encouraged to act in a way that produces the desired results.  It is in line with the human relations approach, the organisational behaviour approach is concerned with people as individuals.

Behaviours in groups or by individuals, motivations, staff development within the organisation and their receptivity to new ideas and change are areas that can be observed. Managers who take on the organisational behaviour approach may be trying to create an environment in which learning and personal development takes place and staff training and coaching are encouraged and provide benefits in output and quality.

This people centred approach influences many of the activities carried out by Managers, including motivation, management style, consultative processes, team building, job design and training. However, some criticised the approach as putting too much concentration on the process and too little emphasis on the outcomes of the work. Nevertheless, the organisational behavioural approach considers the organisational structures within which people work and investigates the structures in relation to:

• do they allow people to come together in the right groupings to perform a task? or
• do they allow people to decide? or
• do the barriers of selection or department or hierarchical structures or complexity of the decision makers structures get in the way?

Astell Evans (2004) Updated 2022

• Registered Managers
• Managers
• Assistant managers
• Deputy managers
• Senior care/support workers/supervisors
• Co-ordinators
• Team leaders

Health and social care and children and young people’s services also include:

• Residential services for older people, people with disabilities, younger adults, children and young people
• Domiciliary care services
• Day services
• Respite services
• Community based services
• Adoption and fostering services

City and Guilds (2019)

To achieve the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services (England) Award learners must demonstrate the requirements of unit 503, Champion equality, diversity and inclusion (SHC53). Participating learner’s knowledge, understanding and skills of whole systems approach to equality, diversity and inclusion are therefore assessed by appropriately qualified individuals.

The unit explores models of practice and requires demonstration of skills and understanding of systems and processes. Learning outcomes for unit 503 include learners being able to champion diversity and inclusion as well as analysing the potential effects of barriers to equality and inclusion in own area of responsibility, analysing the impact of legislation and policy initiatives on the promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion in own area of responsibility  including:

• Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in policy and practice, challenging discrimination and exclusion in policy and practice and providing others with information about:

1. the effects of discrimination
2. the impact of inclusion
3. the value of diversity

Learners must also show they understand how to develop systems and processes that promote diversity, equality and inclusion including being able to champion diversity, equality and inclusion (an more) and must be able to champion diversity, equality and inclusion. When completing this course learners should therefore be able to

1. analyse how systems and processes can promote equality and inclusion or reinforce discrimination and exclusion
2. evaluate the effectiveness of systems and processes in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in own area of responsibility
3. propose improvements to address gaps or shortfalls in systems and processes

Some relevant practice standards are as follows:

• National Minimum Fostering Standards (2011). Standard 2 – Promoting a positive identity, potential and valuing diversity through individualised care. Target outcome: Children have a positive self-view, emotional resilience and knowledge and understanding of their background.
• The Children Act 1989, Guidance and Regulations, Volume 4, 3.46. Foster carers should be informed, trained and confident about dealing with issues relating to gender, religion, ethnic origin, cultural background, linguistic background, nationality, disability or sexual orientation, and be able to involve external professional advice and support as necessary. They also need to be able to balance the individual needs, wishes and preferences of the individual child with those of others in the household. Foster carers should always be sensitive to gender issues, especially when caring for children and young people of the opposite sex.
• The Children Act 1989, Guidance and Regulations, Volume 4, 3.47. Foster carers should be supported to help individual children and young people cope if they are subject to discrimination, marginalisation or ridicule from their peers by virtue of their gender, religion, ethnic origin, cultural background, linguistic background, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or looked after status.
• The Children Act 1989, Guidance and Regulations, Volume 4, 5.8. The fostering service must ensure that the fostering panel has sufficient members, and that individual members have between them the experience and expertise necessary to effectively discharge the functions of the panel. As far as is practicable, panel membership should reflect the issues under consideration, and so should as appropriate include people with experience of fostering, education, short break care and family and friends care, be gender balanced and reflect the diversity of the local community.

• Training Support and Development Standards for foster Care, 1.2 Equality, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice

a Understand the different types of prejudice and discrimination which can affect a children and young people.

b Understand why it is important to provide care which respects and preserves each child’s ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic background.

c Demonstrate how you support and encourage children and young people to develop skills to deal with discrimination, enhance self-worth and make a positive contribution.

• TSD 8 Supporting disabled children and children with special educational needs

a Understand the social model of disability and what it means in relation to your work as a Foster Carer.

b Have a broad understanding of the needs of children and young people who are disabled or have learning difficulties.

c Understand the need to adapt activities and experiences so individual children and young people can take part.

d Understand how you might support children and young people with special educational needs, and their families.

• Social Work England, Professional Standards: As a social worker, I will:

1.5 Recognise differences across diverse communities and challenge the impact of disadvantage and discrimination on people and their families and communities.

1.6 Promote social justice, helping to confront and resolve issues of inequality and inclusion.

3.7 Recognise where there may be bias in decision making and address issues that arise from ethical dilemmas, conflicting information, or differing professional decisions.

3.14 Assess the influence of cultural and social factors over people and the effect of loss, change and uncertainty in the development of resilience.

Training Support & Development Standards for foster care and the Social Model of Disability (5.8 a)

Equality and inclusion and cultural identity Presentation 2020 Final www.emptlondon.com Web Copy V2

Why not try the EMPT free downloads: https://www.emptlondon.com/information-and-file-downloads/

• family illness or the death of a close relative;
• divorce and family break-up;
• issues related to sexuality;
• adoption;
• the process of asylum;
• disability;
• parental mental health;
• losing their home,
• loss of a job and the consequences of crime.

Like physical ill health, mental ill health may impact on the lives of individuals and those who play an important role in their lives. In addition, the impact of mental ill health on significant people in a person’s life may sometimes be unseen by supporting some public services.

Factors, such as discrimination, prejudice and stigma may also impact on perceptions and understanding of mental ill health and its consequences. However, early intervention and recognition of indicators of mental ill health can be useful in promoting mental health and wellbeing. Half of all mental health problems emerge before the age of 14 and three quarters by age 25. Inequality underlies many risk factors for mental health problems, and needs to be addressed through the wider determinants of health which are outlined in ‘Understanding place’ and ‘Understanding people’, Public Health England (2017).

Some Mental Ill Heath Indicators (Pearson, BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care Unit 12: Understand Mental Ill Health)

• Emotional, e.g. low mood, feeling sad or down, excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt, extreme mood changes of highs and lows, inability to cope with daily problems or stress, trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people.
  Thinking, e.g. confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate, suicidal thinking.
• Behaviour, e.g. excessive anger, hostility or violence, Withdrawal from friends and activities, detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations.
• Physical, e.g., significant tiredness, alcohol or drug abuse, major changes in eating habits, low energy or problems sleeping, headache, stomach pain or other unexplained aches and pains.

In addition, the following groups are identified at being of high risk of mental ill Health (Public Health England, 2017

• black and minority ethnic groups (BAME)
• people living with physical disabilities
• people living with learning disabilities
• Prison population and offenders
• LGBT people
• Carers
• people with sensory impairment
• homeless people
• refugees, asylum seekers and stateless person

Thus, in addition to mental ill health indicators, specific groups of people ‘are at a higher risk of mental health problems because of greater exposure and vulnerability to unfavourable social, economic, and environmental circumstances’, Mental Health Foundation, facts about Mental Health (2016:56).

However, there are those who think that we all have the ability within us to improve aspects of our well-being. ‘No matter what challenges we face, everyone has the ability to take steps to look after and improve their mental health and wellbeing’ (NHS 2017).

Click here: Working With Mental ILL Health to download the EMPT Working With Mental ILL Health Sample Slides.

Click the following links for other useful information:

http://www.emptlondon.com/introduction-attachment-theory

http://www.emptlondon.com/giving-advice-information-young-people-substance-misuse-risk-taking

http://www.emptlondon.com/helping-children-cope-death

Offending_BehaviourWORKBOOK_DIGI_EMPT_Web_version.PDF

Oliver from rehap4addiction has provided the following information: My name is Oliver and I operate a national drug and alcohol addiction advice helpline called “Rehab 4 Addiction”. I started this free helpline back in 2011. You can find my website here: http://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk 
Rehab 4 Addiction offers a free hotline dedicated to assisting those suffering from drug, alcohol and mental health issues. Rehab 4 Addiction was established in 2011 by people who overcame addiction themselves. You can contact Rehab 4 Addiction on 0800 140 4690.

https://youtu.be/1Gai2jjCsN

A resource for stopping drinking and improving mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

On Sat, Jul 13, 2019 at 12:29 PM “Lisa Williams” < lisa@happyhappyvegan.net> wrote:
Hey there,
Lisa here from Happy Happy Vegan, hope this email finds you well.
I’m reaching out today to let you know that I’ve compiled a huge global resource of mental health and suicide hotlines (70+ countries thus far) and to ask if you’d consider collaborating?
This is a subject extremely dear to my heart and my hope is that it’ll be as useful to others as the help I’ve received in the past was to me. Obviously, though, it needs to be visible for that to happen…which is where you come in. Would you consider adding a link to the page somewhere on your site?
I know this is a big ask, and I appreciate that it may not be something you’d entertain, but I figured that I may as well ask before talking myself out of emailing you!
Anyway, enough chat for now, I’ll let you be the judge of whether or not this is something you’d like to help out with: https://happyhappyvegan.com/suicide-hotlines-list/
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this, I look forward to hearing from you soon,
Lisa

https://withinhealth.com/learn/nutrition-counseling

How To Have A Healthy Heart

Barbara Vagas from know your DNA  believes EMPT readers would benefit from the article that follows:

In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.

Medically, this is known as coronary artery disease (CAD). It happens when one or more of the blood vessels supplying oxygen into the heart is blocked.

Anyone can develop heart conditions regardless of gender and age. But women over 45 and men over 55 have a higher risk for heart disease.¹

Other risk factors of cardiovascular disease include:

• High cholesterol levels
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Being overweight or obese
• Not getting enough physical activity
• Not eating a healthy diet

Your family history also affects how likely you are to get heart conditions. The good news is that you can do many things to prevent heart disease.

You can avoid having heart disease or heart conditions by making healthy lifestyle choices. Here are 10 tips on taking better care of your heart.

• 1. Avoid overeating
• 2. Try to maintain a healthy body weight
• 3. Limit your salt or sodium intake
• 4. Eat more fruits and vegetables
• 5. Add whole grains to your diet
• 6. Avoid unhealthy fats
• 7. Get regular exercise
• 8. Decrease your alcohol consumption
• 9. Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke
• 10. Learn to manage stress

The Fostering Network research involved in total 2,530 foster carers from across the UK completed the survey online: 1,942 of these fostered in England, 359 in Scotland, 122 in Wales and 107 in Northern Ireland. These numbers represent four per cent, eight per cent, three per cent, and five per cent of the total foster carer populations respectively.

 Aspects of the Fostering Network reports findings are:

•  32 per cent of foster carers felt that children’s social workers do not treat them as an equal member of the team around the child
• 31 per cent of foster carers reported that they were rarely or never given all of the information about a fostered child prior to placement
• 46 per cent of foster carers said their fostered children were unlikely to receive information about independent visitors
• Almost a third of foster carers had been referred children from outside their defined approval range
• 52 per cent of those who had taken children from outside their approval range had felt pressured into it
• Three-quarters of those who had taken a child from outside their approval range said they received no additional training and support from their fostering service
• Just under half of all foster carers (49 per cent) did not have an agreed training plan for the next 12 months and the same proportion of carers felt there were training courses they would have liked to attend but did not.

  Ofsted (2015) published an earlier report about foster care that amongst other findings showed:

• There were fewer fostering households overall, but more family and friends households: there were 36,890 fostering households, a decrease of 1% from the same date in 2014. In the same period, the number of family and friends households increased by 6% to 4,145
• More children were recorded as missing from placements and going missing more often: there were 5,055 children recorded as missing in 2014-15, an increase of 19% from the previous year. The number of times that children were recorded as going missing increased by 29%

 Whilst Ofsted (2012) highlighted the following:

• 67,340 foster carers were approved on 31 March 2012. Of these, a large majority of carers were White (84%). The next largest number was Black (8%), followed by Asian (4%), Chinese and ‘Other’ (2%) and Mixed (1%). This was very similar to the ethnicity profile of foster carers for 2010-11
• There were a total of 40,842 fostering households on 31 March 2012. This is an increase of around 7% from the previous year. Of these, 67% were registered with local authorities and 33% were registered with IFS
• Overall, there were 7,427 new fostering households approved during the year. This is an increase of 9% from the same period in 2010-11. Local authorities approved 63% (4,648) of new households and 37% (2,779) were approved by IFS. This compares with 60% of new households approved in 2010-11 by local authority and 40% by IFS

There are some similar findings in both the Fostering Network’s stateofthenationsfostercare2016 and their 2014 state of the nation’s foster care report findings. In the Fostering Network 2014 report foster carers also felt  foster carers should be respected and treated as a skilled co-professional, and to be recognised as part of the team working with the child; often, in fact, they are the person who knows the child best.

The Fostering Network 2014 report showed that foster carers felt that not only should their experience and expertise be valued and listened to about day-to-day care, but also in long-term planning for children. This report also highlighted that foster carers wanted to be recognised and treated as professionals by teachers, health care workers, police and others involved in children’s lives. These working in partnership issues are consistent – The Fostering Network National conference way back in 2002 (Working Across Boundaries) raised similar issues concerning working together.

Click here for State of the Nation Report 2021_DIGITAL_FINAL_0.pdf (thefosteringnetwork.org.uk)

• promote the care plan needs of Children in Care
• contribute to children’s risk assessments
• inform you around what you could do in a crisis.
  

To understand substance misuse aim to improve your knowledge around the range of different substances and the range of different indications of substance misuse related behaviours. Also improve your knowledge around:

• Substance misuse jargon
• Strategies around engaging/involving children and young people in the assessment of their needs, including assessing an their understanding of services available
• Assessing the risk to individuals and to others, and the importance of reviewing substance misuse risk assessments
• Sources of information about, and the range of, substance misuse services available locally

For those who work with children and young people, its also useful for you to be aware of the:

• importance of gathering full and accurate information, and how to do so
• any legal requirements
• the organisation’s policies and procedures in dealing with risk of danger to individuals
• how to report accurately
• the importance of stating any gaps in information or assumptions made

Listen as well as talk

Talking to teenagers can be sometimes be challenging. When you’re discussing drugs and substance misuse, don’t preach or give a speech and don’t make assumptions about what they know or do. Let the child or young person tell you their experiences. It’s often easier not to talk face-to-face, but to have a conversation side-by-side, such as when you’re driving in the car, washing up together, watching television or preparing food.

The following learning material provide useful information around the harm reduction substance misuse method:

Readers can also get information from other credible sources such as the drugs website: FRANK

Rehab 4 Alcoholism is a free and impartial helpline for people troubled with drug and alcohol issues. Rehab 4 Alcoholism aims to save lives by stopping addiction before it becomes too late. Tel: 0800 111 4108 Web: https://www.rehab4alcoholism.com  

Oliver from rehap4addiction has provided the following information: My name is Oliver and I operate a national drug and alcohol addiction advice helpline called “Rehab 4 Addiction”. I started this free helpline back in 2011. You can find my website here: http://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk

Rehab 4 Addiction offers a free hotline dedicated to assisting those suffering from drug, alcohol and mental health issues. Rehab 4 Addiction was established in 2011 by people who overcame addiction themselves. You can contact Rehab 4 Addiction on 0800 140 4690.

Boris MacKey | Community Outreach Manager for Rehab 4 Addiction has forwarded the following link for A resource for stopping drinking and improving mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.drugsenseuk.co.uk/danos.pdf

Parental substance misuse | NSPCC Learning

https://happyhappyvegan.com/suicide-hotlines-list/

What are the UK drug laws?

• Child contact refers to all relationship links between a child and their families of origin and friends, regardless of the form and frequency of these links. This may include overnight stays, telephone calls, exchange of letters or photographs or indirect links through third parties.
• These will range from frequent face to face contact to occasional exchanges of information. In some cases, contact will be supervised. Whatever the type of contact a child or young person receives – it can help them maintain important emotional and psychological bonds with significant people.
• The majority of children’s interests will best be served by efforts to maintain or develop relationship links with their birth families. Face to face meetings will generally be the most common and satisfactory way of maintaining such relationships.
• Even when there is no obvious contact, social workers and carers need to address the need to keep a child connected with their family background and to help them develop a sense of identity.
• Research related to child contact shows that the earliest weeks of a Child In Care episode are crucial to the success of a placement, the relationship between the parents, carers and social workers, the level of future contact and the prognosis for an early return home.
• Corporate parents therefore should ensure that contact arrangements are in place before or at the point a child moves to a foster placement and that arrangements for contact are recorded on the Placement Agreement/Plan.
• See our promoting-contact-course-pptx-sample-extracts-pdf-signed

Some useful practice guidance:

1. For children separated from one or both birth parents through divorce or care proceedings, continuing contact with family members is usually important to their emotional and psychological development and well-being, Alan Slade, Coram (2002:7), A Guide to Best Practice in Supervised Child Contact. The EMPT® Managing Director, Astell Evans contributed to this guide and is acknowledged on page 5 of this book.
2. Foster carers ‘are able to form and maintain contact and positive working relationships with parents and other significant adults for the child or young person’, Ofsted Framework for Independent Fostering Agencies (2014: 16).
3. Children have, where appropriate, constructive contact with their parents, grandparents, siblings, half-siblings, wider family, friends and other people who play a significant role in their lives (NMS 9). Ofsted Framework for Independent Fostering Agencies (2014: 20).
4. Foster carers play a crucial role in supporting children’s relationships. They need to offer a consistent, reliable base from which children can connect with their families safely. Their approach to the tasks involved in contact has implications for the welfare of their fostered children at the time and in the longer term, Fostering Network (2016).
5. If the child has been abused, contact can allow abuse to continue if there is unsupervised direct contact or ineffective scrutiny of letters and cards.  Foster carers are generally positive about contact but some report problems associated with it. In some cases these are serious, SCIE (2004).

Giving advice and information, to young people, about substance misuse risk taking

People working in fostering settings often communicate to share ideas/information; to offer reassurance; to build relationships; to ask questions and much more. Factors to consider for effective communication includes: the level; pace; tone; sensory needs; content; use of jargon/slang; child or young person’s or colleagues wellbeing and ability. This includes taking factors into consideration that may impact on how you communicate with individuals with certain disabilities; developmental delay and emotional trauma.

Gaining an appropriate level of trust sometimes forms the foundation for effective communication, as it promotes the communication process as well as supporting the development of relationships.

Understand the importance of keeping good records

In psychological terms communication represents the transmission of something from one location to another. Therefore, fostering settings should ensure an up-to-date, comprehensive case record is maintained for each child or young person in foster care which details the nature and quality of care provided and contributes to an understanding of her or his life events is in place. In addition, relevant information from the case records should be made available to the child or young person and to anyone involved in her or his care. Each fostering service must ensure it has a written policy on case recording.

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TSD standard 4 know how to communicate effectively

Overall, knowing the record keeping policy of your fostering agency, and how information is shared with others, including children and young people and their families may contribute to better outcomes for children. Ofsted framework for independent fostering services (2014:27) states ‘Records are clear, up to date, stored securely and contribute to an understanding of the child’s life’ (NMS 26)’.

Staff and foster carers should also ensure they know how to record understandable, relevant, clear and concise, factual information, which audited/sampled by the service managers. Fostering service staff and foster carers must know how to enable children and young people to participate in record keeping and keep their own records and memorabilia. Thus, Ofsted framework for independent fostering services (2014: 12) assert that ‘children and young people Looked After ‘have access to the independent fostering agency records about their life, which are provided, with appropriate support, when they are needed’.

Useful statutory guidance

Children Act 1989 Fostering Services (Volume 4)

3.78

In accordance with Working Together, it is important to keep on the foster carer’s record a clear and comprehensive summary of any allegations made, details of how the allegation was followed up and resolved, and details of any action taken and decisions reached, and to make this available to the individual. Notwithstanding the requirements of regulation 32 regarding retention of records, such information should be retained on file at least until the person concerned reaches normal retirement age, or for 10 years if that is longer. The purpose of the record is to enable accurate information to be given in response to any future request for a reference. It will provide clarification in cases where a future DBS Disclosure reveals information from the police that an allegation was made but did not result in a prosecution or a conviction, and will prevent unnecessary re-investigation if allegations re-surface at a later date.

3.79.

Malicious allegations should be removed from personnel records and unsubstantiated, unfounded and malicious allegations should not be referred to in references.

3.94.

Written records should be kept detailing every individual incident of a child going missing and the fostering service should share these with the responsible authority and the child’s parents where appropriate.

5.75.

There should be explicit policies in place to enable foster carers and staff to keep clear records about children in placement and the work of foster carers with those children. Information recorded should be non-stigmatising and distinguish between fact and opinion. Children must be made aware of policies regarding their access to all records kept about them, whether by the foster carer or the fostering service itself.

5.76.

A record must be kept in relation to each foster carer, covering the carer’s assessment and approval, children placed, and other matters as set out in regulation 30. This includes foster carers who are temporarily approved under the 2010 Regulations. The records must be kept for at least 10 years after the foster carer’s approval ends. There is also a requirement to keep records relating to people who do not go on to be approved as foster carers, and to retain these records for 3 years (regulation 32).

5.77.

The fostering service must keep a register of foster carers, containing the information set out in regulation 31, and retain on this register information about foster carers for at least 10 years after their approval has ended. It must also keep a register of children placed with foster carers and include in it the information set out in Schedule 2 of the Regulations, and keep this for 15 years after the date of the last entry (regulation 22). They must also keep a register of foster carers, containing the information set out in regulation 31.

5.78.

All records of the service must be kept under conditions of confidential and secure storage so as to prevent their loss or destruction (standards 26 and 27). Premises must be suitable to enable secure storage of records, both paper and electronic.

5.79.

If a person who has previously been approved as a foster carer but has had their approval terminated (which includes as a result of their resignation) applies to another fostering service to become a foster carer, they may consent to that fostering service inspecting their previous fostering record (regulation 26). In such circumstances the service holding the record must comply with the request within 28 days (regulation 32(6)).

Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations (2015)

9.31

Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (schedule 3(14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child’s parents. Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care.

9.59

Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child.

11.19

Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis.

14.2

Some records may be kept electronically (regulation 38) provided that this information can be easily accessed by anyone with a legitimate need to view it and, if required, be reproduced in a legible form. Electronic records should be held at the individual home in accordance with data protection principles. IT systems should ensure the safe storage of these records and business continuity planning should be in place to prevent loss or damage to them.

14.4

Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child.

14.5

The home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Children and their parents should be supported to understand the nature of records kept by the home and how to access them. Staff should understand their important role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. Staff should keep and encourage children to keep appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living at the home and help them record significant life events.

14.6

Children should be actively encouraged to read their records and to add further information to them. They should be regularly reminded of their rights to see information kept about them and be given information about how they might be supported to access their records in later life.

Services

EMPT_TRAINING COURSES_

In terms of promoting positive relationships and socially aware behaviour the following methods are sometimes useful in supporting behaviour management and working in line with the Training Support and Development Standards:

• Using positive reinforcement strategies;
• Modelling positive behaviour and responses to situations;
• Having an overall positive culture in the setting;
• Creating an environment that promotes positive behaviour;
• Individual behaviour planning;
• Distraction and diversion strategies;
• Boundary setting and collaborative ground rule making;
• Supporting children and young people’s reflection on and managing of own behaviour.

PRE-EMPT RISKY BEHAVIOUR

In some cases working with children and young people involves knowing why  a child or young person might actively seek out negative reinforcement through socially unacceptable behaviour.  The result of learned behaviour outcomes could include foster carers/child care workers:

• Identifying triggers and how to minimise triggers, e.g. ensure appropriate structure/planning of environment;
• Promoting consistency; familiarity and routine in minimising risk of triggers;
• Promoting clear boundaries or effective communication;
• Ensuring that the child or young person’s needs are being met (as appropriate);
• Working towards attention being gained for positive behaviour and not predominately for negative behaviour;
• Being aware that anxiety impacts on behaviour;
• Being knowledgeable around substance misuse (Training Support and Development Standards 3.3 c);
• Promoting an understanding  around the possible impact of abuse, separation and loss on the behaviour of children and  young people (Training Support and Development Standard 5.6 c);
• Being aware of how some learning difficulties or mental illness may impact on behaviour.

Given the likelihood that working with children and young people may involve knowing about a range of behaviours presented by children and young people and how to encourage positive behaviour (Training and Support Standard 3.4 b) – foster carers and residential care workers should receive appropriate training and clearly be competent around:

1. Promoting the use of proactive and reactive behaviour management strategies
2. Responding appropriately to incidents challenging behaviour
3. Being able to support individuals and others following an incident of challenging behaviour
4. Being able to review and revise approaches to promoting positive behaviour
5. Being able to Promote effective personal safety and security strategies to protect yourself, staff and members or your family (Training Support and Development Standards 3.4 a)

Promoting National Minimum Standards

The Fostering National Minimum Standards (2011) section 3.8 states:

Whilst the Children’s homes quality standards (2015) section 7.18 state:

‘Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being such as, but not limited to, nutrition and healthy diet, exercise, mental health, sexual relationships, sexual health, contraception and use of legal highs, drugs, alcohol and tobacco’.

The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards (April 2015) highlights the following positive relationships standards:

Thus, to promote principles related to supporting the development in children and young people leaders and managers in independent fostering settings will need to promote some of the following Ofsted Framework (2014:sections 36 & 44) requirements for a good grade:

Children and young people looked after take, or are learning to take, responsibility for their behaviour. They are either being helped to reduce any incidents of, or are not, offending, misusing drugs or alcohol, going missing or being sexually exploited. If any such risks are identified, the independent fostering agency takes action, in partnership with the local authority, that reduces the risk and protect the child or young person.

The agency offers placements to children and young people with complex needs and challenging behaviour and provides the necessary specialist support and help for as long as it is required.

In addition, leaders and managers in residential children’s homes settings should ensure they contribute to leading their related organisation in meeting the following Inspections of children’s homes Ofsted good characteristics (December 2015):

Children and young people develop skills and strategies to manage their own conflicts and difficult feelings through developing positive relationships with the staff. There are clear, consistent and appropriate boundaries for children and young people. Adults understand how children’s experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour. They are able to be clear with children and young people about the consequences of difficult and unsafe behaviour and the help and support they may need. Children and young people report that adults are consistent and clear about the management of all behaviour and expectations (53.i).

Under section 57 of the framework for the Inspections of children’s homes Ofsted Inspectors judgements, amongst other factors ,takes account of:

• How well risks are identified, understood and managed and whether the support and care provided help children and young people to become increasingly safe
• The response to children that may go missing or may be at risk of exploitation or self-harm
• How well situations and behaviour are managed by staff and whether clear and consistent boundaries contribute to a feeling of well-being and security for children and young people.
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1. What type of relationship they had with the person who has died. Death of a Mother for example, maybe much harder than the death of an Uncle.
2. Age and level of understanding – for infants they may feel the loss in terms of how it affects their day to day routine. Pre-school children usually see death as temporary and reversible. Older children may have realised that death involves a permanent separation. Sometimes children may feel that they “caused” the death – e.g. by being naughty. They will show their feelings about the loss usually in terms of their behaviour or presentation.
3. Circumstances of the death – a traumatic death may be hardest of all for children to cope with sudden death will also be very hard for children.

When helping children cope with death some adults try to shield children from what has happened by withholding information from them.  But research tells us that children benefit from knowing what has happened as soon as possible.  Children also need to be listened to and have their questions answered.

Sometimes a child many not be able to clearly recall their loved one’s face and this can be very distressing for them.  Helping children to cope with death could also include the use of a significant photograph as a source of comfort.  Most of all they need to be given a way of saying goodbye – if for example they’re considered too young to attend the funeral they might be able to say a prayer for the person they’ve lost.  As time goes on they’ll need permission from the adults around them to show their feelings in whatever way helps (anger, sadness etc).

Grief and loss video