Beyond Blame

A B S T R AC TAlthough parental substance misuse is now a focus of concern in child welfare practice, we know little about what it is really like for children who grow up in families where adult drug and/or alcohol use is an issue. Set against a backdrop of research links between parental substance misuse and child maltreatment, this article examines a number of studies that focus on the experiences of children and young people in this context. Emerging themes are identified which provide insight into the world of children for whom a substance is, effectively, a family member -'the elephant in the living room' -and the implications for practice, particularly in relation to children's visibility, disclosure and confidentiality, are considered. It is argued that a focus on the 'elephant' often leads to children remaining 'invisible' to those whose role it is to ensure their welfare.

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“…1996; Ammerman et al . 1999; Alison 2000), as has child homicide (Reder et al . 1993; Besharov 1994; Reder & Duncan 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Living with an elephant: Growing up with parental substance misuse

Kroll

2004

Child & Family Social Work

117

106

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“…Associated with this is the issue of disguised compliance, which has been identified as a significant issue in child protection work (Reder et al . ). The traditional view of disguised compliance is that it occurs when parents or carers seem to co‐operate with social workers when this is actually used as a way to conceal reality to get the case closed.…”

Section: Shame and Child Protection Social Workmentioning

confidence: 97%

Shame and guilt in child protection social work: new interpretations and opportunities for practice

Gibson

2013

Child & Family Social Work

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A B S T RA C TShame is an underexplored and misunderstood emotion. It can be described as an acute awareness of one's flawed and unworthy self. It is the primary social emotion and one of our most intimate feelings developed within the context of our family of origin, which can have a devastating effect on an individual and their relationships. Social workers are routinely faced with issues of shame as an intrinsic consequence of the matters with which social work deals and also as a result of how both families and workers experience the child protection process. This paper outlines the research on shame and guilt to argue for a re-evaluation of the key challenges faced by child protection social workers. It is argued that shame experienced by parents and carers potentially plays a significant role in these challenges, while it may be argued that 'guilt' has had a bad press and may potentially play an important role in the successes. An argument is made for a shame-reducing child protection social work practice with some key themes for practitioners to consider in their attempt to improve the accuracy of assessments and intervention.

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“…Associated with this is the issue of disguised compliance, which has been identified as a significant issue in child protection work (Reder et al 1993). The traditional view of disguised compliance is that it occurs when parents or carers seem to co-operate with social workers when this is actually used as a way to conceal reality to get the case closed.…”

Section: Shame As a Barrier To Engagementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ferguson (2009) points out that in cases where compliance is disguised there is usually a mother who is overwhelmed by "a sense of inadequacy" (p.476), which is a fundamental element of the experience of shame (Lewis 1971). The period of cooperation in disguised compliance usually follows the worker taking a more controlling stance against the seeming lack of cooperation by the service user (Reder et al 1993). For those prone to shame this more controlling stance may result in further hostility and aggression in some cases and avoidance and withdrawal in others.…”

Section: Shame As a Barrier To Engagementmentioning

confidence: 99%