Learning from Research: Polly Baynes - 'I lived for those mornings'; parents' experiences of visiting their children in care
Polly Baynes' research with 10 mothers and fathers (half of whom had learning disabilities) explored their experiences of keeping in touch with children who were no longer in their care, using photographs and interviews. Contact provided an important but limited opportunity to express a continued sense of parental responsibility. Parents used familiar food, toys and children’s belongings to maintain connections to their past shared life with the child and as expressions of loving care across the boundaries of placement and into the future. Relationships with social workers were often difficult, but for some parents, foster carers’ respect for their continuing role as well as practical and emotional support from family time workers’, including referral to specialist services, was highly valued. There is potential for family time settings to provide increased support in the aftermath of separation to the benefit of both parent and child, improving the prospects of safe reunification and positive long term connections.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
- An understanding that supporting contact is skillful and important work which needs to be valued and prioritised
- Parents' grief at child removal needs to be recognised and their continuing role respected
- Family time centres provide opportunities for working in partnership and promoting change in ways that are difficult for social workers to achieve during care proceedings
PRESENTER
Polly Baynes, Researcher, University of Bristol
Polly Baynes has been a children and families social worker for 36 years. She has published in the field and is now studying for a Phd at the University of Bristol. Polly’s Msc in Social Work research focused on parents’ experiences of visiting their children in care and is published by Coram BAAF (forthcoming). She has a longstanding interest in child contact, having developed and delivered training and resources on this topic for RiP, UEA and the DfE and undertaken a Travel Fellowship to Australia focussed on contact, kinship and life story work.
WHO'S IT FOR
This session is relevant to social workers, senior social workers, team managers, advanced practitioners, and department heads working in Adoption, Fostering or Kinship Care. It will also be relevant to carers or those working with children and young people.
FEES
Members: FREE (don't forget to log in to your account to receive your discount)
Non-members: £20+VAT.
Places on this event are limited, so early booking is recommended.
CONTACT
Telephone: 0207 520 7520 / 0310
Email: events@corambaaf.org.uk
£20.00