34 HealtH Matters
ChildCare
Working with
Children and Families
– the way forward
Social workers, public health nurses, care workers, managers, politicians, voluntary agencies and the
media all need to work together in the best interests of children, writes Phil Garland, National Care Group
Manager for Children and families.
C
hild Protection must always be an behind and the public perception can services. I understand that politicians and
area of high priority for health and sometimes be that the entire organisation the media are doing their day job and have
social services and has been the focus of of the Hse and its staff are part of a pushed these very issues. the reality is
significant media attention in recent weeks. coordinated mechanism of secrecy and that frontline staff and managers in the
there is no doubt that there are major cover ups. Hse are striving in the same direction. We
areas within Children and Family services the last few weeks have really put this are pretty much on the same page.
that need to be improved upon but there concept of secrecy into the minds of Frontline staff are pressured – probably
is also plenty of evidence that very good the general public. the tragic deaths of more so than ever before. However, the
work is going on around the country. motivation of thousands of committed
One of the great difficulties we face is staff certainly tells me that the system
that good work rarely gets reported on in may need improving but it is certainly not
the media and failures tend to dominate
the front pages and the airwaves.
“Frontline staff are
broken.
the areas where improvements are
“Protecting the Hse at all costs, with a
pressured – probably
required include the quality of care of
multitude of cover ups and the systemic separated children seeking asylum;
creation of a veil of secrecy” – this is the more so than ever before. inconsistency in social work practices;
false perception that some members of the
public, media and politicians have about
however, the motivation
how we look after children in care;
fostering services and assessments and
the Hse – especially in relation to the field
of thousands of
waiting lists.
of children and families services. this is there are also areas where very high
the context within which all of us who work committed staff certainly standards are being achieved. a few
within Children and Families services have
been coming to work every day.
tells me that the system
weeks ago, I was at the National awards
for services to Children and Young people
From a practitioner’s perspective, one of
may need improving but
2010. the winner of the category of
the core principles of social work practice effective Practice and Interagency Working
is respect for privacy, and the client’s right it is certainly not broken.” was Hse in letterkenny, Donegal – a great
to confidentiality. this means that the example of exemplary practice.
sharing of a client’s personal information We need to stay focused on the best
is inevitably limited – especially in the outcomes for children.
public domain. However, the restriction of children whilst in the care of the state have • Every child in care should have an
such information and limited publication been played in the media. Full accounts allocated social worker who the child can
invariably leads to a public perception that have been demanded and children’s rights really talk to. Not most of them – every
the Hse is hiding something. have been temporarily brushed aside. single child.
Confidentiality can be wrongly the rationale has been the demand for • Every child in care should have a care
interpreted as a smokescreen to hide accountability and transparency of state plan that is meaningful and the child is
HM Iss6.1 p1-70.indd 34 12/03/2010 15:56:54
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