Child Aware Practice in Adult Social Services: A Scoping Review

Abstract

The development of “child aware” practice is about the capacity and capability of adult health and social service providers to identify and respond to the needs of children. A scoping review of the literature considered five adult adversities associated with family stress and reduced parenting capacity: mental illness, alcohol and substance abuse, homelessness, intellectual disability, and domestic violence. Although there are specific needs for children pertaining to particular adversities, there was substantial commonality of potential effects. These included emotional and psychological difficulties, physical and mental health problems, academic difficulties, language delays, peer difficulties, stigma, trauma reactions, loss and grief, instability, and social exclusion. How children react to difficulties in their family depends upon various protective factors, a child's frame of reference, and other dynamics within the family that can offset risks. The findings aim to inform policy, program development, and practice in adult social services, enhancing their responsiveness to children.

“关注儿童”活动意在培养成年人及社会健康服务机构发现儿童需求并提供服务的能力。作者分析了五种涉及家庭压力、劣质教养的成人广告，即精神疾病、酗酒并滥用药物、无家可归、智障、家庭暴力。虽然广告所列诸项，儿童们各有所需，但效果上又颇有共同之处。这包括情绪及心理困难，生理和精神健康问题，学习困难，语言迟缓、同龄人困难，污名，创伤性反应，失落及悲伤，不稳定，社会排斥等等。孩子们如何在家庭中应对困难取决于不同的保护因素，取决于孩子的参照框架和家庭中其他抵销风险的因素。本研对于成人社会服务的政策、活动、实践具有参考价值，使之能够更及时地响应儿童的需要。

Keywords:

• Children
• Social Services
• Family Interventions

Acknowledgements

This project was commissioned by Micah Projects Inc. with funding from the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.