Social worker home visits to children and families: messages from our research

Dr. Karen Winter and Dr. Campbell Killick

PurposeBackground

Research process

Findings

Use of findings

BackgroundThe social worker home visit

What we know and we don’t know

What do we need to know more about?

Why do we need to know?

Research process Communication

Collaboration

Considered proposal

Content

FindingsPre –visit

During the home visit

Post home visit

Pre - visitCar as reflective space

Car as preparation

Car as vehicle to make connections between thoughts, feelings and intended actions

ContextNormalising Northern Ireland

Overwhelmed by the macro

Underwhelmed by the micro

Communication Underwhelmed by the microCommunication reduced to a checklistFocuses on the tangible/scientific – I saw, I spoke, I

soughtOmits the humane - touch, laughter, holdingOmits quality, significance

Misconnections Knowledge about children

Attitudes about and towards children

Demands of the job – bureaucratic versus relational

Risk to child and to self

The relationship We are guardians and custodians of the stories children tell us and the aspects of their lives they choose to share with us. This process of the oral translation of information from the child to the social worker and back again is a significant aspect to children’s identity formation. We move on into other jobs and roles taking those fragments of the child’s story with us. There is no room, no space and no permission for us to be part of that ongoing process of identity formation which begins with the basic conversation ‘I remember when you..’ We have to ask ourselves whether what we do now is the best way to help children form meaningful relationships, help them recover their shattered sense of identity and to re-establish their inner core’.

Use of findingsAudit

Materials

Training

Role of senior practitioner