LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN

Role Of Theory And Practice In Looked After Children

Table of Contents

Introduction3

Discussion3

Attachment Theory and LAC9

Policy11

Criticism13

Conclusion14

References15

Appendix17

Looked-After Children

Introduction

Looked-after children (LAC) take advantage of extending protected attachments with their caregivers and involvements are supposed to maintain the expansion of these, whether children are looked after beyond their family or they are staying at home. Attachment theory is turning into progressively more functional and applicable in various tasks and roles of children care. Existing thoughts from attachment theory could assist in updating both the vulnerabilities and needs of looked after children and the collection of alternate carers. Methods of harmonizing the carers with children are deeply considered, together with a study of specific regions of susceptibility. All can derive benefit from adopting Attachment theory as it is capable of adjoining power, significance and style to their evaluations, that are expected to perk up the life probabilities of looked after children consecutively. (Walker 2008, 49)

This paper critically evaluates the contributions of theory, research, legislation and policy to social work practice in relation to 'Looked-after children'.

Discussion

Looked-after children (LAC) are those to whom the state, through local authority structures, has statutory responsibilities and duties: to safeguard their welfare; to provide services for their care and housing; and/or to support them while living with a parent or guardian. (Randy 2008, 96-99)

Attachment theory takes an openly evolutionary vision of the attachment bond. If the young of various species are relatively immature, they attach firmly to a primary caregiver, compared with species that bear young mature enough to survive on their own. The long vulnerable period for human infants and other primates, compared with some animals, necessitates attachment bonds. The original bond between infant and caregiver favors the infant's survival: The vulnerable infant's distress at separation encourages renewed contact, and the caregiver's attachment to the infant also fosters nurturing behavior. Bowlby (1982) observed prolonged distress among infants separated from their primary caregivers, even when their physical needs were met by surrogates. Infants and young children require the safety of a major caregiver in the immediate vicinity. Maintaining proximity maintains comfort. (Waters 2008, 211-234)

The legal obligation to 'look after' a kid arises where he or she has no parent, is lost or abandoned, or is prevented from living with a 'parent' (a person with legal 'parental responsibility'), for whatever reason. In addition, a kid can become looked-after subject to a court order where that is necessary to protect him or her from 'serious harm' (and in some circumstances in order to provide immediate protection while carrying out kid protection investigations). (Christine 2012, 25)

Children in the juvenile justice structure can also become 'looked-after' subject to other court orders, such as remand to local authority housing or being subject to certain community sentences (for instance, supervision orders with residence requirements that can be replaced by teens rehabilitation orders with residence/fostering requirements subject to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill 2006-7 to 2007-8). Where it is essential to protect the kid or others, a court can order that he or ...