"We need to talk": A study of working relationships between field social workers and fostering link social workers in Northern Ireland
John Sheldon 20

Abstract: Foster care in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland has been in crisis throughout the past decade. This is most clearly demonstrated in the shortage of placements for children. The difficulty in recruiting new carers has taken a new significance for most agencies that struggle with more referrals than placements. As it becomes more difficult to recruit new carers, it becomes essential to retain existing carers.
This research has focused on the working relationships between field workers and link workers and the role these relationships play in supporting carers. Previous research by the author (Sheldon, 2002) has indicated that carers wish to be treated with respect and as partners in a process of caring for children. It follows, therefore, that when social workers fail to work in this way carers became dissatisfied and this may lead to them ceasing to foster.
The study was carried out via postal questionnaire to all 80 field and link social workers within South and East Belfast Health and Social Services Trust, and this was followed by a series of 13 face-to-face interviews, nine with field workers and four with link workers.
The results of the research have indicated a mixed picture within the Trust. Foster carers are unanimously held in high regard by social workers and the task they fulfill is highly valued. There are many examples of successful working practices between field and link workers, but there are also examples of little or no communication. Many field workers have little idea of the problems facing fostering at the moment and this can be frustrating got their link work colleagues. New social workers have little or no preparation for working with carers and there is confusion as to the nature of the working relationship with them.

Understanding cognitive development: Automaticity and the early years child
Colette Gray 39

Abstract: In recent years a growing body of evidence has implicated deficits in the automaticity of fundamental facts such as word and number recognition in a range of disorders: Including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, apraxia and autism. Variously described habits, fluency, chunking and over learning, automatic processes are best understood in terms of their distinctive properties. While typically identified as fast, parallel, attention-free processes, a commonly agreed definition of automaticity continues to elude theorists investigating this concept. Most theorists would, however, agree that since attentional resources are finite, automaticity of basic facts serves to free sufficient mental resources for a learner to focus their attention on the novel or more complex aspects of a task. Yet, despite the importance of automaticity to the learner, the term remains largely unfamiliar to most educationalists and early years practitioners. In order to address this issue, the present paper seeks to review several influential theories of automaticity, to describe the problems associated with defining a process automatic and to draw from relevant research to demonstrate how the early years environment can be organized to promote automaticity in the young learner.

Factors Associated with waiting time for access to mental health services for children and adolescents in Norway
Helle Wessel Andersson 47

Abstract: The present study addresses the question of equality of access, as it relates to waiting time for specialised mental health treatment for children and adolescents. The aim was to investigate whether demographic, clinical factors and service-related factors were associated with waiting time. Data was based on a documentation system in which all Norwegian children and adolescents receiving specialised mental health services were recorded. The analysis was based on a sample of 6497 children, who were referred for, and received, outpatient treatment in 2001, and for whom there was a complete data-set on dates for referral and first appointment at the clinic. The following factors were included for analysis: age at referral, gender, reason for referral and referring agent, place of residence, as well two aspects related to the clinic providing services (i.e. mean number of consultations provided per patient per year, and mean number of consultations done by one therapist per year). Analysis of variance, Student’s t-tests and logistic regression analysis were applied. Children aged 6-12 years, and children with externalised behaviour disorders were statistically significantly more likely to wait longer for services as compared with children in the other age groups, and with other disorders. Furthermore, children referred from the school sector waited statistically significantly longer for treatment than those referred from other agencies. Results also suggest that the waiting time varies with how available resources and treatment capacity of the outpatient clinic is utilised. Waiting time for services is an important indicator of the accessibility of services, and should be included in evaluations of national mental health reforms. This study suggests unevenness in access to services, which is related both to clinical-demographical characteristics as well as to service-related aspects of individual clinics. Efforts should be made to break down barriers to care that are related to unequal access to mental health treatment for children and adolescents.

Enquiry about the needs of children whose mothers are admitted to psychiatric hospitals
J. Manderson & N. McCune 57

Abstract:  The objective of this study is to assess whether children’s needs are taken into consideration in female patients who are admitted to an adult psychiatric hospital. A retrospective case note audit of 100 female inpatients aged between 18 and 55 years over a 6-month period were randomly selected. The medical and nursing case notes of patients with children aged between 0 and 17 were assessed using a proforma. The information collected on mothers consisted of diagnosis of illness, type of admission (whether voluntary or detained), duration of admission, previous psychiatric admissions, patient age, marital status, whether or not employed, relationship with partner, mental health of partner, history of violence, medical history of relevance, family history of mental illness, and whether other agencies were involved. Children data collected consisted of number of children per patient and their ages, an enquiry into the child’s welfare, emotional and behavioural development, educational/cognitive development, physical health and development, relationship with family and peers, children’s knowledge of parent’s illness, alternative care arrangements for child during mother’s admission and their relationship to carer, child’s involvement in their parents’ illness as a carer and actions taken on behalf of the child. Of the 100 patients, 62 had children aged between 0 and 17 years. There was an enquiry into children’s welfare in 15 (24%) cases and an enquiry into children’s knowledge of their parents’ illness in three (4.8%). Actions were taken on behalf of children in 13 (21%) cases, in five cases this was not necessary as children resided elsewhere, and in one case a social work assessment was requested but no subsequent documentation of this being completed. There was no documentation of actions taken in the remaining 43 (69.4%) cases. The results of this retrospective case note audit suggest that children’s welfare is not routinely enquired about in female patients admitted to psychiatric hospitals. Actions taken on behalf of children occurred often when there was social services involvement. As a result of this study guidance was issued to all new junior psychiatric staff as part of their induction process to make enquiries about children and their welfare.

An evaluation of the effectiveness of intervention in families with children with behavioral problems within the context of a sure start programme
Eleanor Brown & Karola Dillenburger 63

Abstract: Sure Start is a Government project that aims to prevent social exclusion by targeting children between 0 and 4 years of age living in areas of social and economic deprivation. This study examined whether a Tier 2 Behaviour Support Service within a local Sure Start project was able to bring about improvements in children’s behaviour and the levels of stress experienced by parents.
Children and their families referred to a Sure Start Behaviour Support Service between October 2001 and April 2002 were assessed. Intervention with the families took the form of Parent Management Training with Solution Focused Brief Therapy.
Thirteen children were referred and intervention took place with 10 children. Some initial improvement was found in all cases; however, efficacy appeared to be low in multiproblem families and six children required further referral for multidisciplinary assessment and treatment. Due to the small size of the study, it was not possible to carry out a statistical analysis. This study, however, raises questions about the level of behavioural support available to multiproblem families and the strength of links between Sure Start and core services.

Book review:
Parental substance misuse and child welfare 78
By Bryanna Kroll & Andy Taylor
(Reviewed by Barbara Ryan)

ANNE MORRISON

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Child Care in Practice. When Volume 1:1 was published in April 1994, the stated aim of the journal was to provide opportunities for child care practitioners to share their experiences and to provide a better service delivery in the child care field by promoting good practice and encouraging debate. Over the 10 years of its publication, we hope Child Care in Practice has been a useful resource for practitioners in keeping abreast of developments across a wide range of child care issues. Looking back to 1994, the many and varied duties of the Editorial Board included sourcing articles, organising their review by the external assessors, liasing with printers, proof-reading the copies and spending a considerable amount of time running back and forth to the printers. One wonders how we were able to get an edition in print at all! We have come a long way from then and one of our most valuable assets has been the appointment of our first Development Officer in 1996. While the incumbent of the post may have changed, their significant contribution to the production and development of the journal has not.