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Leaving Care:
Thinking Systemically, Thinking Globally
Prof John Pinkerton
School of Sociology, Social Policy & Social Work
Queens University Belfast
Northern Ireland
[email protected]
Why I’m here.
Four Questions
• Question One: Is international exchange worth
bothering with ?
• Question Two: How should we go about it ?
• Question Three: What do we have to
exchange?
• Question Four: Where should this process of
exchange take us ?
Answer: To engage with globalisation
Question Two:
How should we go about it ?
• Holistic strategies:
pursuit of an all encompassing framework
(global phenomena)
• Partialising and comparative strategies:
detailing limited but grounded frameworks
(cross national phenomena)
• Discursive formation strategies:
exploration of competing, interacting perspectives
(enriched discourses)
Payne M (1996) What is professional Social Work
Birmingham: Venture Press (p161/2)
Care Career/ Continuum:
An aid to thinking about system
and process
Pre
care
Position ?
Needs ?
Supports ?
In Care
Leaving
Care
After
Care
Leaving Care Coping Wheel:
An aid to thinking holistically
and systemically
Material
‘Spokes’
identity
health
Social and Emotional
Social competence
‘Spokes’
Self confidence
employment
Adult support
education
Peer support
Income support
training
accommodation
securing the spokes is a
multi agency challenge
Neighbourhood belonging
‘Rim’ of shared expectations,
choices, rights and
responsibilities
Conceptual framework
for cross country comparison
Macro domain:
large scale international social processes and institutions
directly affecting nation states
indirectly effecting local practices
Mezzo domain:
space where relationships between the nation-state,
welfare regimes and social professions are played out
Micro domain:
site of of everyday practice
Houston and Campbell (2001)
“Using critical social theory to develop a
conceptual framework for comparative social work”
International Social Welfare 10, p68
NATIONAL
GLOBAL
MACRO
CULTURE ?
MEZZO
NORTHERN
IRELAND
AUSTRALIA
POLITICS ?
ECONOMICS ?
LOCAL
MICRO
Question 3 :
What do we have to exchange?
Characterisitics of the UK micro level:
 Entry in teenage years
 Residential last placement
 Preparation for leaving but limited aftercare
 Initial return to family
 Housing insecurity
 Low educational attainment
 Poverty
 Social exclusion
More negative UK micro level characterisitcs
– true for you ?


Instability within care
Negative impact on
identity
 Lack of engagement by
 Insufficient attention to
education training and
employment
social workers
 Bureaucratic decision
making
 Too little or ineffective
preparation for coping
with practicalities and
relationships
 Lack of recognition to
family and friends
Some positive UK micro level characterisitcs
– true for you ?
 Commitment
 Engagement
 Clear objectives
 Targeting core needs
 Strong management
and policy frameworks
 Policy influenced from
below
 Thinking process
(care career)
 Open communication
 Thinking holistic
 Interagency working
(coping wheel)
Leaving care in Northern Ireland:
A Strategic overview at the messo level
Leaving and Aftercare as Policy Priority



legislation
guidance and regulations
policy documents
Monitoring and
Evaluation
Planning
Mapping Need
Routine statistical returns
Identifying required delivery
Project evaluations
and training systems
Longitudinal research
Allocating resources
Service Delivery
Appropriate organisational context
 Different levels of support
Clear process of delivery
Range of types of delivery
Adequate resources for delivery
Macro Level ?
My judgement
Stirrings of interest
• Emerging literature
– Mendes P and Moslehuddin B (2004) Graduating from the
child welfare system: a comparison of the UK and Australian leaving
care debates International Journal of Social Work 13
• Belfast Seminar November 2005
– pre meeting with senior civil servants
– establised an international research network
• 2006 researchers seminar Budapest, Hungary
• 2007 book and conference Oxford, England
Question Four:
Where should the process of exchange be taking us?
• Extending, consolidating and building networks
• Sharing information and agreeing joint action
• Finding shared questions to help describe, explain and act
– Macro: globalisation
– Mezzo: citizenship, youth transitions, welfare regimes
– Micro: care careers, outcomes, best practice
Globalisation ?
One more ball worth juggling !