Planning with others to support change
What's Important To Us
Child, Youth and Family are part of a wider sector working with young people and their families; we need to bring people together to work with the young person and their family in a way that will provide enduring systems of support for the future.
Working together
We need to work collaboratively with the young person, their wider family and professionals to ensure robust decision making and planning that is responsive to their individual needs. Services need to be culturally responsive and provide the family with the opportunity to plan the young person's wellbeing in way that supports the young person's sense of identity and belonging. Some key messages that support collaborative planning are:
- Family should be strengthened and should participate in decision-making, and be responded to as practice partners (Puao-te-Ata-tu, 1986; CYPF Act 1989)
- Families develop rich and diverse plans to support the child when given the opportunity (Thoennes, 2003)
- Families do respond positively when invited to take the lead (Burford, 2005; Titcomb & LeCroy, 2003)
- Building alliances with communities will strengthen good outcomes (Pacific Responsiveness Plan, 2002)
- Diverse families require culturally responsive solutions and reflexive social work practices (Puao-te-Ata-tu, 1986; Connolly, Crichton-Hill & Ward, 2005)
Bringing everyone together will assist in identifying the people who have the capacity and commitment to support the young person. This should not be delayed until a family group conference: people should be bought together at the earliest point to plan for the young person's immediate needs as well as look to the future.
Useful links:
Safety Organised Practice Elements and Strengths Based Principles
The unique needs of each young person
The assessment will have identified the unique needs of the young person. It is our job to ensure that the plan made with family and other professionals meets these needs and pays attention to any particular areas of risk. Equally, because we have been focused on the young person during our assessment we will have a good understanding of their strengths; the plan should build on these strengths and give the young person every opportunity to reach their full potential.
The importance of young people being engaged in education and/or vocational training
Young people not in education, employment or training are more likely to turn to crime (Farrow, Kelly & Wilkinson, 2007). We need to ensure that education and training providers are part of the collaborative group working with the young person and their family. It is also vital that this collaboration occurs early because the younger a young person disengages with education and/or the longer a young person is out of education the less likely it is that they will successfully re-engage. We need to advocate for young people who are disengaged from education due to behavioral or learning difficulties, stand-down/exclusion or family issues such as transience or lack of importance placed on education by parents.
There is a strong correlation between early school leavers and unemployment and/or lower incomes, which are in turn generally related to poverty and dependence on income support. In New Zealand, recent data show that those with no qualifications have unemployment rates far exceeding those with qualifications, and the lowest median incomes (Ministry of Education, Education Counts).
Search widely for people who are committed to the young person and plan with them
Searching whānau and hapū early and getting these people involved in developing plans for young people is vital. In particular we need to be looking for that key person that the young person can connect with, who will be there for them and role model pro-social behaviour.
Searching for whānau can take time but an intensified effort at this point will provide the young person with enduring support systems that will last beyond our involvement.
When working with young Māori we need to be mindful of the notion of whanaungatanga. This is an inclusive process that has as its central theme the strengthening of the whānau. Whanaungatanga implies respect for one another and the willingness to resolve and reconcile differences, it can be described as the inter-relationships and the ‘glue' that holds people together, a shared set of values and understandings that influence the relationships of those involved.
Building a relationship with Pacific young people and their family is vital to good planning. In order for the family to feel valued and respected in the planning process time must first be taken to acknowledge each person present, the role of each person, the issues and the effects on the family. Commitment and participation need to be encouraged by acknowledging peoples' mana and dignity and recognising the family's ability to provide their own solutions. We need to also have knowledge of the family's religious beliefs and also the impact of perceived ‘shame' bought on the family by the parents or young person's behaviour.
Key information - Working with Maori
Key information - Working with Pacific peoples
Challenge parents when necessary
How parents behave impacts on young people and can shape the way they see the world, the value they place on themselves and others and the ideas they have about what is ‘okay' behaviour. We need to challenge negative parental behaviour and work with parents to make changes so that they are best placed to support and care for the young person and in many cases break an inter-generational pattern of poor parenting.
Plans need to include mechanisms for enhancing the overall family functioning in order to enhance the young person's wellbeing. This may include thing like:
- Assessment and treatment of parental alcohol and drug abuse issues
- Addressing unmanaged mental health issues
- Providing parents with education and tips on effective parenting
- Addressing family violence dynamics
- Establishing support systems in the whānau and community that will continue to encourage and role model safe parenting
Think creatively about peer groups
Peers have a great influence on young people and their behaviour. Plans need to consider how the young person is being influenced by their peers, how positive peer relationships can be encouraged and built on and what community solutions are available to address negative attitudes amongst some groups of young people.
While it is difficult to break negative patterns of behaviour in the face of peer pressure it may be more realistic to focus attention on building the young person's resilience and self determination skills so that they themselves have the ability to break the patterns. We need to provide young people with every opportunity to experience a different way of seeing the world, responding to challenging situations and relating to others.
The more people brought together the more chance there is that innovative ideas will be found. Include people from the young person's community, culture or religion who are committed to supporting all the young people in their community.
Useful websites:
Address accountability and identify needs
When young people offend addressing accountability for the behaviour is important. It is our role to work with the young person, their family and the victims to develop plans that will provide the young person with an opportunity to ‘right the wrong'.
Equally, we need to use the information gathered in our assessment to ensure that plans meet the young person's overall need for safety and wellbeing. Look carefully at the needs identified in the TRAX assessment and make sure that each need is addressed fully in the plan.
The Youth Court of New Zealand website
Actively monitor the plan
For plans to be effective they have to be actively implemented and monitored. Working with others to develop the plans is an opportunity to spread the load of tasks across those who are committed to, and have an interest in, supporting the young person to achieve to their full potential.
Utilise the specialist skills of education, health and other providers to monitor the young person's progress in each area. All of the people involved in the plan (including the young person) need to be clear about their responsibilities, how they will address any issues that arise and how progress will be reviewed.
Key Information - Planning and reviewing
Key Information - Making it work: Monitoring the Youth Justice Family Group Conference
References
Burford, G. (2005). Families: Their role as architects of civil society and social inclusion. Practice, 17, (2) 79-88.
Farrow, K., Kelly, B. & Wilkinson, B. (2007). Offenders in Focus: Risk, Responsivity & Diversity. UK: Policy Press.
Thoennes, N. (2003). Family group decision making in Colorado. Protecting Children, 18, (1&2) 74-80.
Titcomb, A. & LeCroy, C. (2003). Evaluation of Arizona's family groups decision making program. Protecting Children, 18, (1&2) 58-64.
Connolly, M., Crichton-Hill, Y. & Ward, T. (2005). Culture and child protection: Reflexive responses. London: Jessica Kingsley Press.
