After 4 years as a social worker, hmm... I am feeling a tad purposeless. For the past 3 years, I worked with the belief that a child should not be living in an institution for long term. The child should be returned back to his natural environment as soon as possible. Of course, 'as soon as possible' means that there will be a huge amount of work to be done with the family members.
There are various reasons why a child is taken out of his home. In general, 1) Home is not safe; 2) Child not safe with adults; 3) Respite for caregivers. I strongly do believe that whether it's (1), (2) or (3) or any other reason, work with the family to empower and strengthen them is so very important. The minute the child is in an institute, workers should be looking at his discharge plans. If not, the child will just slowly drift away into the institutional system. They will slowly adjust the living in an institution, they will slowly drift apart from his parents/extended family/guardians/etc and root himself in the institute. When rooting takes place, easily family members might hands off, hands down and give up.
I often likened a child's emotional growth to that of a slow boiling water. You won't know it's boiling until a long time later. What I am talking about is the repercussions of the effect of staying in an institution. The child grew up in his natural environment (despite the poor condition), got plugged out of it and enters a beautiful place. Child is then safe. Often, the work is stopped here - child is safe - all is happy. Looking a tad further, though child is safe, work is still very necessary with the family - parenting skills, befrienders, cleaners, volunteers, routine, structure and what have you. Unless that environment is improved, no way can the child be returned.
Well, that is still my belief & that made my work at the residential institution I am working in very happy, very satisfactory (despite the tears and pain). However, my belief has been very much challenged these days. I do not want to explain too much in detail but after 4 years, this mission has been challenged by various bodies. I do feel a great sense of disappointment. I feel the pain of the child. Many children, honestly feel the pain of being pulled away from their family, even if it's for their safety. They still long for them, cry themselves to bed. I am NOT saying that I don't want the children to be safe. For some cases, the child NEEDS to be out of the family. I am, however, advocating that more work is needed with the family so that their child can be returned to his own family. Else, the growing phase is a pain to bear - searching for identity, great sense of independence but no sense of belonging, sense of generosity questionable.
*sigh* all that is out, all that is said, all of the above is not a one size fits all for all cases. Every child is unique, every family is special thus every method ought to be individualized.
For now, I need to re-frame myself.
