The mutual benefits of listening to young people in care, with a particular focus on grief and loss: An Irish foster carer's perspective

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Date
2012-07
Authors
Murphy, Deirdre
Jenkinson, Hilary
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Routledge
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Abstract
This article explores the mutual benefits for social workers and young people of active listening within a collaborative partnership incorporating foster carers, allowing the possibility to create a virtuous circle. The benefits for young people of increased self-esteem, positive identity and resilience among others are explored. The benefits for social workers include creating an effective, accountable, holistic and better-informed practice, leading to an increase in overall job satisfaction. One of the authors has drawn on her personal experience as a foster carer, with a particular focus on loss and grief as experienced by young people within the care system and foster families themselves. An argument is presented outlining the need for an expert knowledge of grief and loss and attachment theories on the part of social workers working with young people, along with excellent communication and engagement skills to facilitate an understanding of life as experienced by a young person in care. All too often, care plans are created for young people, or delivered to young people, by well-intentioned but under-resourced social-work departments; the author argues for care plans to be created and implemented with young people, thereby maximising positive outcomes. Listening, advocating and befriending do not require huge additional resources, but are dependent on all professionals actively engaging with young people, on their level and at their pace.
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Keywords
Young people in care , Listening , Grief and loss , Foster care , Social work with young people , Listening to young people
Citation
MURPHY, D. & JENKINSON, H. 2012. The Mutual Benefits of Listening to Young People in Care, with a Particular Focus on Grief and Loss: An Irish Foster Carer's Perspective. Child Care in Practice, 18, 243-253. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13575279.2012.683772
Copyright
© 2012 The Child Care in Practice Group. This is an Author's Original Manuscript of an article whose final and definitive form, the Version of Record, has been published in the Child Care and Practice July 2012, © 2012 The Child Care in Practice Group, available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13575279.2012.683772.