Caring for Children and Young People

Unit 10: caring for children and young people

Assignment 2- What services are available for children and young people and their families in your local area?

There are many arrangements that provide quality care for children and young children such as; foster care, adoption, social workers, residential care and other government funded departments.

Foster care:

Foster care is usually a short term solution, but sometimes as circumstances change it can become more long term. Foster carers are checked by the local authority to ensure they are suitable and are capable to provide care in their own homes. They need to be adaptable as they will have a range of different age children/young people; they may be caring for a baby one day and caring for a 9 year old a week later. Children and young people in foster care ca present complex problem as they be moved around a lot so it’s important that foster cares have a good attitude towards them.

Adoption:

Adoption is a formal, legal process in which the child or young person becomes a permanent member of a family other than their natural birth family. Sometimes, parent’s give up all responsibility for a child and offer that child or young person for adoption. Adoption can also follow the death of the child’s natural birth parents.

Social workers:

A social worker work with children and young people who reside with foster carers, kinship carers or in residential placements. In a small number of cases, children may live with their parents. Children and young people are often subject to a Care Order and the role of the Children’s Social Worker is to fulfil the council’s obligations as a corporate parent. The role is to work alongside other professionals, to ensure that a child or young person receives appropriate care, education and health services.

Residential care:

Children and young people may be taken into residential care for a range of different reasons. Sometimes it could be a break for a family unit or as an emergency situation in an abusive family situation. Residential childcare may also be arrange for children and young people with behavioural difficulties. There are specialised staff available to interact with them. Residential care is also taken into consideration when a child or young person has come into conflict with the law and is either remanded or detained in a young offender’s institutional unit.

There are also government funded authorities that work with children and young people such as the health department they aim to provide for public health and well-being with easily accessible services and highly qualified and dedicated staff. They are responsible for public health issues and monitoring/regulating the NHS. The NHS (National Health Service) Involved in all types of health care, including for children and young people with learning difficulties/disabilities. Their staff will work very closely with other agencies and multi- disciplinary teams may be involved in the overall care plan for an individuals. They also have a duty of care to provide the appropriate resources and assistance for the family.