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Contact, welfare and children in care: Revisiting the significance of harm after finding significant harm.

Brammer

Contact, welfare and children in care: Revisiting the significance of harm after finding significant harm. Thumbnail


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Abstract

The focus of this paper is the issue of continuing birth family involvement in the child’s life once the child is living in care. Drawing on a psychosocial study and free association narrative interviews with care leavers it focuses on the harm to a young woman called Frances, caused by direct contact with her birth family and the cessation of such contact. The paper addresses the tension between these two types of harm, in particular the role of contact in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in care. It presents an argument for the child’s care plan to emphasise the need for ongoing review of the role and impact of the child’s close relationships and contact with their birth family once the child is in care. This includes ongoing consideration of the child’s changing relationship with the birth mother and siblings with a view to reconciliation in young adulthood.

Acceptance Date Feb 9, 2017
Publication Date Feb 9, 2017
Journal Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law
Print ISSN 0964-9069
Publisher Taylor and Francis
Pages 67-82
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/09649069.2016.1275124
Keywords Care orders; harm; welfare checklist; contact; social work; psychosocial
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1080/09649069.2016.1275124

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