Beyond Permanence? The Importance of Resilience in Child Placement Practice and Planning

Gilligan, Robbie

doi:10.1177/030857599702100104

Cited by 95 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…When the foster home placement offers stability for the children, it can be viewed as a resilient factor which promotes adjustment and attachment for the children. A secure base where children feel safe and feel a sense of belonging is in itself a fundamental resilience factor (Gilligan 1997).…”

Section: Theoretical and Practical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Concept of ‘Family’ Among Norwegian Adolescents in Long-Term Foster Care

Ellingsen

Shemmings

Størksen

2011

Child Adolesc Soc Work J

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In Norway, about 8,000 children live in foster homes (about 3.300 in age group 13-17). What does 'family' mean to these children? We explored the views and feelings about 'family' among 22 adolescents who are living in long-term foster care. Three patterns emerged. Most of the participants expressed confidence and adjustment in the foster home placement and felt bonded to both their foster family and to their birth family. Other adolescents expressed a strong sense of membership to their birth family but not to their foster family, and the remaining adolescents described a weak bond to birth family but a strong bond to their foster family. The main implications of the three patterns are discussed in the light of policy and practice.

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Section: Theoretical and Practical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Concept of ‘Family’ Among Norwegian Adolescents in Long-Term Foster Care

Ellingsen

Shemmings

Størksen

2011

Child Adolesc Soc Work J

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“…The definitions in the resilience literature acknowledge that: 1) resilience emerges in reaction to contexts of adversity which would normally render an individual vulnerable to pathology of some sort (Luthar & Cicchetti 2000); 2) that it involves the capacity to adapt to this adversity in ways that can be judged, by academics and outcome measures, as positive (Rutter 1999); 3) that these adaptations stop the individual's functioning from being damaged (Gilligan 1997).…”

Section: Defining Resiliencementioning

confidence: 99%

Resilience as Reflexivity: A New Understanding for Work with Looked-After Children

Winkler¹

2014

Journal of Social Work Practice

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This article argues that the current model of resilience in the social work literature, through its predominant focus on outcomes and behaviours rather than the underlying processes of development involved, risks superficiality and appears to lack an underpinning psychological theory of the way in which resilience develops. In response I propose a psychodynamic understanding of this process, which sees resilience as rooted in the capacity for reflexivity (defined here as an awareness of one's own mental state and the mental states of others), and which describes how this capacity develops. This holds that a strong-enough ego, with the capacity for resilience-as-reflexivity, is the necessary precursor of the child's ability to make use of positive experiences. This psychodynamic understanding of resilience development aims to give social workers a greater appreciation of how the mental health of children in the care system may have been affected by their experiences, and how they can be helped to develop the psychological foundations of resilience and therefore better mental health. I suggest that workers can use this understanding to assess the stage of resilience-development a child has reached, and to inform therapeutic work aimed at strengthening their resilience.

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“…First, people are likely to be resilient -more able to cope and recover -if they have a sense of belonging to a network of secure relationships (Gilligan, 1997).…”

Section: Box 2: Things To Think About When Designing or Filling In A mentioning

confidence: 99%

The experience of being protected

Sherwood-Johnson

Cross

Daniel

2013

The Journal of Adult Protection

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Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to discuss how adult support and protection (ASP) work might support or further damage an adult's strengths, skills and sense of self. There is a particular focus on adults who require some support with decision-making.Design/methodology/approach: Forum theatre and other creative techniques were used to discuss ASP with 42 people who access support. A range of advice for practitioners was generated, a portion of which is reported here. The research design was participatory, with ten people who access support being members of the research team.Findings: ASP work can support or undermine an adult's strengths, skills and sense of self, depending on the way it is performed. Three inter-locking themes are presented to illustrate this finding. First, participants thought it might be intimidating to be "singled out", and wished to be understood in the context of their relationships. Second, ASP was thought likely to be experienced as a judgement on the person and their problem-solving skills. Third, people wanted to be "really listened to" and acknowledged as a person with preferences and strengths.Practical implications: It is important for practitioners to be mindful of the process of ASP work, as well as of its outcomes. Ways must be found to keep the person central, and to maintain and develop their strengths and sense of self.2 Originality/value: The perspectives of adults actually or potentially affected by ASP have been underresearched. This study adds substantially to the available evidence.

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Beyond Permanence? The Importance of Resilience in Child Placement Practice and Planning

Cited by 95 publications

References 28 publications

The Concept of ‘Family’ Among Norwegian Adolescents in Long-Term Foster Care

The Concept of ‘Family’ Among Norwegian Adolescents in Long-Term Foster Care

Resilience as Reflexivity: A New Understanding for Work with Looked-After Children

The experience of being protected

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