Work with Parents Program - Report Example

Running Head: Work with Parents Work with Parents [Institute’s Work With Parents The Work with Parents National Occupational Standards signifies and defines the abilities, qualities, and competencies needed to work in the Work with Parents workforce, which is a project started by the UK government. The main aim of the Work with Parents Programme is to help parents and their children interact with one another and better strengthen family relationships and bonds. Thus, the workforce of the special programme requires specific personality traits and qualities in order to fulfill the required functions and tasks of the programme. The standards devised for the workforce of the programme are not directly related to qualifications but are rather related to competencies. The competencies are defined through performance-related measures and knowledge and understanding of the standards required in the work with parents programme (Smith, 2004). The Work with Parents programme differs slightly in the four nations in the UK, and the methods and approaches used in order to facilitate the programme may vary. However, the main emphasis of the programme is upon maintaining and improving the parent-child relationship. The approach may also change and evolve over time due to changes in legislation and programme policy concerning the project (Smith, 2004). Sub-projects within the Work with Parents programme include the Every Parent Matters programme, which was devised in 2007, and it explains various methods and services that parents can avail in order to facilitate their children in the learning and achievement process. Other duties constituted in the programme include the duty of the local authorities to provide parents with full information regarding how to raise and support their children until their 20th birthday. However, the Work with Parents programme is not only confined to the local authorities but can be found in other institutions such as schools, social services, justice systems, and health services (Smith, 2004). There are a few principles which govern the programme of Work with Parents and guide the functions that need to be performed within the programme. The first principle is that the child is the focus of the programme. While this may seem like a rather transparent and obvious principle, there is a need to emphasise that the programme mainly aims to ensure that all the rights of the child are fulfilled and parents are able to meet their children’s needs sufficiently (Smith, 2004). Another principle of the programme is that all the work conducted in the programme is in partnership with the parents. This is essential because while practitioners are equipped with sufficient knowledge and expertise, it is also important for the knowledge and opinions of the parents to be considered in the process. Thus, both parties working in collaboration are able to devise an efficient and effective plan for the children (Smith, 2004). Another value embedded into the system includes the adoption of a strengths-based approach. It is vital for all parents to be respected and the process being non-judgmental regarding the parents’ abilities to rear and provide for their child. The programme aims to emphasise and reflect upon each parent’s strengths, expertise, and knowledge, and work on enhancing these capabilities (Smith, 2004). The services should all be inclusive and easily accessible to the parents as another principle of the Work with Parents project. This means that the services should be specifically tailored to meet the requirements of different cultures, genders, and specific lifestyles. Hence, the programmes should include no discrimination and should aim to understand and relate to the specific needs of different families. Thus, the programme should be able to conform to the specific circumstances posed by every family (NOSWWP, 2012). It is also highly emphasised in the principles of the National Occupational Standards that workers should be highly aware and conscious of good practice, and it must thus cater to the needs of the families with the utmost skill and competence. They must apply their skills, knowledge, and training in order to provide high-quality parental support (NOSWWP, 2012). While the main principles of the Work with parents programme have been briefly outlined, the Work with Parents National Occupational Standards underpins and defines fifteen specific principles which govern the programme. The first principle outlines the rights of the child as highlighted and described by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which was approved in the UK in the year 1991. The second principle highlights the need for practitioners to work in partnership with parents and in accordance with the wishes and demands of the parents involved. It also emphasises the need for practitioners to give parents a sense of independence and autonomy while working with their children (NOSWWP, 2012). The third principle acknowledges the supreme knowledge of parents regarding the unique circumstances of their child and assigns them the role of primary educator for their children. The fourth principle recognizes children as a valuable contribution to society and their own personal households and emphasises their importance and the responsibility of society to cater to their needs. The fifth principle and value emphasises building the strengths of parents and enabling them to cater to the needs of their children (NOSWWP, 2012). Accordingly, the sixth principle emphasises the need for all types of parenting information, support, and other essential material to be readily available and accessible to parents, and practitioners should help parents use this information to further avail. The seventh principle relates to the need for practitioners to be able to match the need in parents and child to what is available in society and provide them with what is required accordingly. The eighth principle is of utmost importance as it emphasises the need to exterminate discrimination, offensive behavior, and other obstacles that may hinder the parental support process and emphasises providing a service which is free from all such flaws and barriers. The principle emphasises ensuring that all special circumstances are catered to and understood and special services provided where they are relevant (NOSWWP, 2012). The ninth principle outlines the need to have trained and qualified professionals working with parents and emphasises the need to conform the expertise of the professional to the type of programme that he/she is dealing with. The tenth principle emphasises the need for supervision, improvement, and practice in order to develop good practice and sufficient skills in working with parents. Thus, the practitioners should reflect and continuously improve their performance in dealing with families in order to develop sufficient skills and perform at a better standard (NOSWWP, 2012). The eleventh principle highlights the use of integrated approaches and services to provide families and parents with appropriate support and mentions the use of agencies and other organizations in order to gauge support for the programme. The twelfth principle explains the use of evidence-based practice that will be explained later on in the paper. It emphasises the use of evidence in order to efficiently and effectively apply the information, tools, support, and other material provided in support of the parenting programme (NOSWWP, 2012). The thirteenth principle stresses the need for practitioners to take an active role in assessing goals and options for children and their families. It also stresses the need to act as a mentor or a coach and provide children and their families with relevant support. They should also openly encourage and help parents and their families in assessing the services provided. The fourteenth principle emphasises the need to position children at the heart of the work and make their interests supreme. This is because the focus and aim of the programme is to encourage benefits and positive outcomes for the child (NOSWWP, 2012). The fifteenth principle outlines the need for innovation in the programmes and services provided to cater to an evolving society and the differing needs of individuals. Hence, it recognizes the fact that programmes may have to be changed and conformed to new circumstances and needs developing in society (NOSWWP, 2012). While these fifteen principles and values outline the essence of the Work with Parents programme, the programme has several other aspects adjoined to it. The use of evidence-based practice is a terminology that is more widely used in home nations rather than other places, and it refers to the mixture and combination of the practitioner’s knowledge with external research and other evaluated evidence. Accordingly, it encourages the use of up-to-date and accurate information and evidence when making decisions and evaluating the circumstances of individuals and their respective families (Rubin and Babbie, 2008). Hence, the evidence-based practice approach emphasises the need for evidence and information justifying the actions taken by practitioners when assessing and judging particular situations and circumstances of individuals and families. Hence, practitioners are not allowed to make decisions based solely on their own personal judgment or opinion. They must make effective decisions based on evidence and previous research. They must also work collaboratively with parents in order to draw conclusions from the evidence and effectively apply the tactics needed to provide support for the family (Rubin and Babbie, 2008). Hence, several considerations in the Work with Parents Programme in the UK must be met according to the National Occupational Standards. The programme has been highly successful and is a very effective programme that is highly beneficial to UK residents who require support in rearing and raising their children. The programme aims to ensure that everyone is provided for and parents receive support while raising their children instead of having to resort to desperate means or having to put their children into foster care (Godshall, 2010). Hence, becoming a practitioner in the Work with Parents Programme requires very specific competencies and abilities and involves a lot of enthusiasm for social services and an ability to work effectively with children. The UK government has been quick to devise many programmes of this sort to give its residents maximum support where needed and programmes like this should and need to be fully supported (Godshall, 2010). Bibliography Godshall, M., 2010. Fast-Facts for Evidence-based Practice- Implementing EBP in a Nutshell. New York: Springer Publishers. NOSWWP., 2011. Work with Parents National Occupational Standards. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 Oct. 2012] Rubin, A., and Babbie, E., 2008. Research Methods for Social Work. New York: Thomson Learning. Smith, D., 2004. Social Work and Evidence-based Practice. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Read More