Child Protection

SWP4FPA CHILD PROTECTION ASSIGNMENT 2020
‘Social workers, in a variety of practice contexts, need to be able to promote child wellbeing and to assess and respond to the needs of children and families” (AASW Position paper on Child Well Being and Protection, p.3, (https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/2215 ))
You are a child protection social worker and have received the information presented in the Case Scenario below.
Using the case study below and noting the role of social work as outlined by the AASW,
i. Articulate how this case study could be understood from a critical social work perspective
ii. Analyse the nature and purpose of social work assessments within child protection
iii. Articulate how you would undertake an assessment with this family and provide a summary assessment
iv. Propose a plan to support the family and your rationale for the plan.

Case Scenario
Mother: Maria, 30 years
Father: Jason, 27 years
Children: Chantelle 3 years
Derek 2 years
Maria’s older children currently living in kinship care:
Children: Marcus 10 years
Amie 9 years
Marcus and Amie’s father: Wayne 35 years, whereabouts unknown
Background
Maria and Jason have been together for four years, meeting in a drug rehabilitation program to which they had both been court ordered by the Victorian Drug Court due to crimes both had committed separately whilst under the influence of drugs. Both had previously done short prison sentences due to a range of property and drug-related offences. Maria and Jason responded well to the drug rehabilitation program and upon discharge engaged with outreach supports. They found housing through a housing service, Maria began a horticultural course at TAFE and Jason found labouring work with a builder friend of his father’s. His family is supportive of the couple.
Maria’s two older children live in a kinship care placement with their maternal grandmother and have done so for much of their lives. There is little contact between Maria and her older children, in part because Maria’s mother does not encourage it but also because Maria feels ashamed by what has happened. She is from a large family and is the only one who has experienced these problems. Her siblings have little contact with her but are supportive of Marcus and Amie.
Maria and Jason have always presented as committed to their children. They were referred to Erinsborough Family Services via Child First after a drug and alcohol-fuelled binge and accepted the supports offered. Both Maria and Jason present as caring for their children. Chantelle is a bright pre-schooler who has reached developmental milestones and enjoys the childcare program she attends three days per week. Derek does has been diagnosed with developmental delay and through Family Services is receiving additional assistance. Since working with Erinsborough Family Services, there have not been any further notifications to Child Protection or complaints to Police. The service ended its involvement with the family three months ago after a six-month intervention and celebrated the family’s success.
Five weeks ago, Maria injured herself whilst working on a Council garden project resulting in a painful knee injury that has kept her off work since and which may require surgery. Maria was prescribed opioid medications to address the pain which she has been combining with regular marijuana.
Three weeks ago, Police made a notification to Child Protection after responding to a report about a disturbance at the family’s home. When Police arrived at the family home, they could hear the parents yelling and the children crying. They were met at the door by an angry Maria who told the Police to leave them alone as they were tired of ongoing scrutiny. Maria and Jason appeared drug-affected. Both children were distressed and sought comfort from their parents who appeared unresponsive to their children’s needs. The parents agreed to their children being placed overnight with Jason’s father and a report was then made to Child Protection.