Parental [capacity] to change

Nathan Loynes

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So… What is the relationship between ‘risk’ and ‘change’?

What is a Risk Assessment

“The systematic collection of information to identify if risks are involved and, if so, what these are; identifying the likelihood of their future occurrence (prediction); whether there is a need for further work; and what form this should take. It can also be used to predict the escalation of the presenting behaviour as well as the client’s motivation for

change” (Martin Calder, 1992)

How do we understand ‘change’?

“When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills” (Chinese Proverb)

The Transtheoretical Model of Change (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983)

Parental factors associated with risk:

Source: RCPCH.org 2007

Parental factors associated with risk:

• Parent has already abused a child• Pregnancy was not wanted• Parent has a background of abuse when growing up• Young, unsupported mother often with low education• Parents have unrealistic expectations of the child and

lack parenting knowledge• Parent is isolated and has few supports• Parent has a mental illness or is abusing drugs or

alcohol

Source: http://www.childmatters.org.nz/57/learn-about-child-abuse/risk-factors

How are these ‘parental factors’ assessed?

Parenting Capacity

1. Basic Care2. Ensuring Safety3. Emotional Warmth4. Stimulation5. Guidance and Boundaries6. Stability

Assessing parenting capacity is a core component of child protection social work • Social workers do from their very first interaction

with a parent. • To determine the parent's capacity, insight and

knowledge to provide safe and appropriate care for their child.

• Assessing parenting capacity is not a 'one-off' exercise; continual review may indicate the need for further assessment at different points in time to ensure the care being provided to the child is continuing to meet their needs.

Parents need to be able to:

• Be able to learn and relate to others• Develop abilities to delay gratifying immediate urges• Be able to tolerate frustration• Adhere to generally accepted values that restrain

adults from harming others• Have the skills and knowledge to balance affection

while limiting poor behaviour • React consistently to their child's behaviour• Be involved in their child's life within their community.

'parenting capacity' versus 'parenting ability'.

• A person may be able to parent for a short period of time within a specific setting (i.e. a supervised visit at a neutral location), thus demonstrating parenting ability.

• However, this does not demonstrate the capacity of that person to parent effectively in the long term (Conley, 2003).

‘Good Enough’ Parenting

• Social workers also need to be realistic; being a competent parent and having the capacity to parent is not about being 'super-human‘ or 'perfect‘.

• Instead, an assessment of parenting capacity needs to employ a reasonable standard of parenting that ensures the "parenting is adequate to meet the basic safety and emotional needs of the child a [and that it considers] the lowest threshold of parenting skills necessary to protect a child's welfare, given the risks and protective factors present in the family" (Budd, 2005, p. 433).

References• Budd, K.S. (2005). Assessing parenting capacity in a child welfare context. Children and

Youth Services Review, 27, 429-444.• Calder, M. (2002). A Framework for Conducting Rick Assessment. Child Care in Practice,

8,1. pp.7-8. • Child Matters, http://www.childmatters.org.nz/57/learn-about-child-abuse/risk-factors ,

<accessed 09 11 15>• Conley, C.(2003). A review of Parenting Capacity Assessment Reports. OACAS Journal,

47(3), 16-22.• Department of Health, (2000) Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and

their Families, London, Home Office• Fisher’s Transition Curve, (2012), https://www.hashdoc.com, <accessed 09 11 15> • Keene, J., (2010) Understanding Dug Misuse, Models of Care and Control, Basingstoke,

Palgrave Macmillan.• Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (2007), Child Protection Reader, http://

www.rcpch.ac.ukWestman, J.C. (1994). Licensing Parents: Can we prevent child abuse and neglect? Massachusetts: Perseus Publishing.