Defining and Understanding the Problem of Neglectful Families - Literature review Example

?Defining and understanding the problem of neglectful families and how the attitude of health care professionals as gatekeepers is instrumental in positive outcomes for children in care of the state in Ireland. The current research telling us about attachment? Recent UK social care statistics NSPCC 2007 reveals that the rate of neglects is on the increase. “The NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) was founded in 1884 by Reverend Benjamin Waugh and is today the leading charity organisation in England specializing in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to children” (Katz & Pinkerton 2003). Child protection register also indicates that, across UK, the neglect case registration is on the increase. England’s latest statistics up to March 2007 shows that among the registered neglect cases, 44% are children’s case. Other sources also indicate that the neglect rate is higher than other maltreatments towards children, such as sexual or physical abuse. Neglect can be defined as a multi facet concept which has a non unitary nature. Lack of consensus in its definition brings confusion in the scale of the problem, its assessment, its causes and the approaches or practices to prevent these problems or reduce its dangerous effects. Neglect has a very big impact on children; it can have a damaging effect on all the development stages of a child including socio economic, physical, behavioral and cognitive development. There won’t be a correct way of development in a child’s brain if there are no sufficient cares giving experiences. Hence, such bitter, neglected experiences, especially in childhood, or in the first three years of life, can bring a lasting of the child’s brain effect on the functioning. Here is the importance of early intervention. Early intervention in neglected cases can optimize the chance of healthy environment around the infants. The term “attachment” can be defined as the bond, a child forms with its primary caregiver. When they are separate from their caretakers, such children show distress, and anxiety. In general, attachment is a kind of emotional bond to another person whom considers being ones soul mate. John bolwy was the first person who introduces attachment theory. According to him “Attachment has a lasting psychological connectedness between human beings”. The earliest bonds formed by children with their caregivers, have a tremendous impact that continues all throughout their life” (Cherry 2012). Children are more likely to develop attachment if they are with care givers, who are sensitive and responsive to their needs and interactions, and who are consistent, reliable and non hostile in their responses. Such experiences can create strong relationships, which inurn influences the degree to which they perceive themselves as lovable and others as cooperative, none threatening and dependable. If the care givers are inconsistent, non reliable, hostile in their responses, inattentive a type of insecure attachment can be developed. This is common cases in which parents fail to care their children. Children adapt his behavior from the environment in which they are placed. “The quantity of infant attachment seems to be in the most part, dependent upon the sensitiveness of the mother” (Morton & Browne 1998). Attachment behavior functions like an action pattern at the very beginning and continues to share the same function. Normally, infants exhibit behaviors such as smiling and crying which are innate behaviors and that stimulate care giving activity from adults. The important factor of care giving is not food, but responsiveness and care. That is, the attachment relationship is rooted from infancy and these attachment relationship, function as a prototype for future social relationships. It is mandatory to give sufficient attention to attachment, as its disruption can cause havoc in the growth of the child. Neglect can make adverse effects throughout the lifespan. If the child comes from an insecure attachment environment, and in infancy and preschool has shown in-adequate growth, inertia to thrive, non-compliance, in primary school he will be socially isolated, and be devoid of social skills. Relationships and attachments are vital factors for understanding the causes of neglecting. The experiences of child-hood such as loss of separation, cold hostility or inconsistent parenting, most probably results in the disturbances, in a way that a person relates to others in both childhood and in adulthood in the form of in secure attachment style. Researches shows that neglectful mothers mostly have a history of insecure, in consistent and hostile child hood. These have their effects in adulthood too and tend to show less responsiveness and insensibility to their children. Insecure attachment style is a factor of maternal depression. Therefore attachment theory is a useful basis for understanding neglect, and it can act as a bridge between childhood and adulthood, and in knowing mental health .style of parenting and their approach to relationships. Previously, secure attachments could “change suddenly, following abuse and neglect. The child’s perception of a consistent and nurturing world may no longer match with reality. For example, a child’s positive views of adults may change following physical abuse from a babysitter” (Perry 2007). When parents find attachment difficulties in life they may create problems to the agencies that try to intervene. Parents mistrust and of being blamed, can act as an obstacle in the intervention. Secure attachment is any-way a protective factor. Making use of its developments in families and children can to enhance the chance of better childhood and family outcomes. A characteristic feature of secure attachment is concerned with children showing distress when separated from their caregivers, and feel happy when their caregivers return. When frightened, securely attache d children seeks some comfort from caregivers. Attachment based interventions discusses four points to focus on interventions. Enhance parent’s responsiveness and sensitivity to their infant by changing behavior of parenting. Make a change in parent’s working model or mental state of relationships through enhancing reflective capacity and insight. Provide social support for parents Improve maternal well being and mental health. An attachment based model is an internal working model, which, derived from our past relationships, shape our ability for later relationships experiences - at work, with parents, children and friends. In this model, it is observed over generations, attachment insecurity have played a vital role in the inter generational transmission of relationship issues.  What are the best practices at present for dealing with disorganized attachment? Theory of Attachment was formerly conceived by John Bowlby to elucidate a significant evolutionary function of the kid–caregiver affiliation. Attachment relationships in middle age offer feelings of safety and belonging. The dimension of attachment in middle age, which depends more basically on how mature attachment is conceptualized, has created a considerable literature in its own right, which can only be mentioned here. According to Bartholomew & Shaver (1998), one can generally distinguish two strands, which are classified into the ‘romantic attachment’ and ‘parenting’ traditions. The two traditions develop from dissimilar disciplinary subcultures. This difference is significant, as how attachment is conceptualized and calculated, will persuade the findings of study into attachment and mature psychopathology. In clinical practice and theory, the idea of attachment disorder is not always related to the idea of attachment disorganizations as it appeared in theory of attachment. The most significant behavior classes, indexing disorganized attachment, include the following: “Sequential display of contradictory behavior, simultaneous display of contradictory behavior, misdirected, incomplete movements, stereotypical behaviors, anomalous postures, freezing or stilling of substantial period of time, direct apprehension regarding the parent, disoriented behaviors, in particular immediately on the parent return” (Ijzendoorn & Kranenburg 2003). The core of disorganized feature in relationships is fear without solution. The most excellent example of disorganized attachment is the affiliation among the abused kid and the abusive parent. From this the abusive parents complete two unfinished roles. On one hand, the parent is the kid attachment shape and the only potential basis of security in an uncharted intimidating world. On the other hand, the abusive patents of the kids are stress creators, who can abruptly and without warning, threaten the kid with bodily or psychological violence. The kid is placed in irresolvable, ironic circumstances in which the merely possible foundation from which it explored the earth is, at the same time, the source of changeable abusive threats. Especially, the constant scale for the intensity of disorganized manners may prove practical, as it incorporates the severe markers of disorganization. Severe indications of disorganization may be considered as psychiatric trouble, with more or less severe indications and sequences. Disorganized attachment deals with momentary behaviors exhibited by kids, if they find themselves in anxiety- inciting circumstances into which an abusive care donor enters. For the reason that they don't recognize what has to be done, they under- go what American scholastic personality Mary Main called "terror without solution" and finish up behaving in strange methods, albeit merely for a few seconds. Older kid’s exhibit disorganized attachment behaviors when they chew over attachment- associated circumstances involving care donors. The situation is predictive of mistreatment, not only connected with it. In some fractions of the media, social staff and other professionals, concerned in safeguarding kids, are either depicted as woolly-thinking do-gooders or as obstructing busy-bodies. At the same time as any of the social jobs, or like every job - has its share of procrastinations, the apparent failings around kid defense and are not necessarily the mistake of the professionals. It is the outcome of gaps in knowledge on the subject of the signs and reasons of abuse. “Maltreatment Pathway Model (see diagram) and the Assessment of Disorganized Attachment and Maltreatment (Adam) Project is already helping professionals feel more confident when assessing why it is that some parents abuse their children. The model identifies three key predictors of maltreatment, signalled by parental behavior, alongside one child-related indicator of maltreatment, namely disorganized attachment”. ” (Shemmings 2011). A fraction of attachment theory is the idea of survival benefit, in the provision of defense and in having met the requirements. In sincere association, the parent should offer safety and the necessities of existence for the kid. The feeling in the kid, that the attachment form is accessible and receptive, is key to very idea of healthy attachment. Attachment disorder happens between kids who have failed to expand a safe attachment to their prime caregivers, and who have practised inconsistent, insensible, insufficient and abusive care. These kids frequently present with disturbance in communal and emotional behavior related problems. Attachment representations are the outlooks and attitude, a kid builds up concerning the self, others and their social world. The figure underneath demonstrates attachment representations connected with attachment safety and attachment disorder: “Attachment Security I am: Good Safe Lovable Deserving Capable Others are: Reliable Understanding Responsive Trustworthy Safe Attachment Disordered I am: Bad Unlovable Unsafe Undeserving Impotent Others are: Unreliable Unresponsive Uncaring Unsafe Don’t Understand Me” (Example of Section Blog layout (FAQ section) Attachment and Attachment Disorder 2011). Disorganized attachment is really the lack of a logical way or pattern for coping. At the same time, as undecided and avoidant styles are not completely efficient; they are policies for dealing with the earth. Human connections are experienced as well as unpredictable. So kids cannot form a coherent interactive stencil. If the kid uses the care donor as a mirror to recognize the self, the disorganized kid is looks into a mirror broken with a thousand portions. “Attachment theory has become the dominant theory used today in the study of infant and toddler behavior, and in the fields of infant mental health, treatment of children, and related fields. Several evidence-based and effective treatments are associated with attachment theory including Theraplay and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. In fact, nearly all treatments for children with trauma and attachment difficulties are based on attachment theory today” (Attachment Theory: Child & Adolescent Development: Overview 2006). Kids with disorganized attachment frequently fail to flourish and may have developmental holdups. Young kids will unavoidably demonstrate symbols of emotional and behavorial troubles from an early age by exhibiting disruptive, violent or withdrawal behaviors, both at home on in the atmosphere in which they are groomed. Disorganized attachment in childhood has been connected by both retrospective, longitudinal studies to a number of mental health troubles and traits disorders. In addition, disorganized attachment is a risk factor that hugely increases a child’s vulnerability to other harmful influences or events. Do Social workers’ experiences, personal attitude, education, influence the decisions they make for the children in their care. A person’s experience, attitude, educational qualifications, experience etc highly influence in taking decisions in childcare. Social workers have knowledge about problems and issues facing Irish children by way of considering them as ones from negligent families. The social workers’ experience may help in taking proper actions for the children’s care. Social workers are highly motivated to help people in the society. They get training to care children from negligent family. So social workers have the knowledge of managing neglected children. They keep some records of the children’s progress and discuss their needs with their guardians and other related activators. A social worker must have some skills to brighter up care activities, ? “Speaking - Talking to others to effectively convey information. ? Service - Actively looking for ways to help people. ? Listening - Listening to what other people say and asking questions at appropriate time. ? Instructing - Teaching others how to do something. ? Monitoring - Assessing how well one is doing, while learning or doing something. ? Learning Strategies - Using multiple approaches while learning or teaching new things. ? Problem Identification - Identifying the nature of problems. ? Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking, so that others will understand. ? Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing the problem” (Labor Market Information 2002). These are typically needed to take right child care actions, thought the social workers’ experience. Social workers must be able to put aside their individual prejudices, to contact others in clinical and logical support. Education also influences a person’s behavior towards the child, and activities on child care. Educated people are expected to have some standard while carrying their children. Their activities should be helpful to child care activities. People must have innovative ideas and they are to be updated. This only can help the Irish child attain proper care and attention. The educated people are conscious of children’s needs- “Make sure children are safe and have good behavior. Arrange and take part in indoor and outdoor play. Change diapers of infants and toddlers, following proper health guidelines. May change diapers of older children who have special needs. Read to children and teach simple painting, drawing, games, hand work, and songs. Teach children to share and to be giving, patient, and understanding others. Assist in preparing and serving meals, and drinks to children. Correct children when needed, following rules of day care center and/or parents. Encourage children to care for and pick up toys, books, and clothing. Teach children about good health and personal habits, such as eating, resting, and toilet habits. Supervise rest periods and change sheets on cribs or cots when needed. Make sure school children complete homework. Wash and sanitize toys and play equipments. Watch children with special medical needs and call for medical assistance when needed. Place or lift children into baths or pools. Make sure supplies are ready for scheduled activities, and those toys and other play things are put away. ld” (Labor Market Information 2002). People’s attitude is also highly influence in action taken to the child’s care in Ireland. Attitudes are playing a dominant role in child-care related discussions. Persons with right attitude may inspire to others also. Most of the people do turn back from child care activities. Some peoples motivate child care programs. They understand that working with child involves wide-ranging physical activity, enthusiasm, and mental alertness, physical stamina good health and emotional consistency. Work experience also helps child care in a better way. Elders “play educational games. To teach language, they might tell stories, read books, or help kids act out stories. To teach maths, they might help kids count blocks or cut out shapes. To teach science, they might mix colors while painting. They might also teach music and dance. Some workers care for older children before and after school. These workers might help with homework, lead sports and other activities, and keep everyone safe. They might take children on field trips. Some workers also bring kids to and from school. Child care workers spend most of their day with children. They also meet with parents or guardians to discuss the child’s progress or backwardness. Child care workers also write notes on what children do. It's important for child care workers to look for problems children may have and to tell their parents or guardians” (Child Care Worker 2010). Literature Review: There are numerous theories of children's rights, this is important due to the fact that, legal rights are generally underpinned by, or correspond to, moral rights. The conversation moral privileges into legal ones are defined as constitutional of these rights. In the case of Ireland, there is a relation to whom rights of children should be legally protected and it is crucial that the debate surrounding particular moral (i.e. ‘not yet legal’) rights of children should be explored in more detail. “The last four decades have seen a gradual shift in both academic and policy circles from a focus on women to a focus on gender, followed by some confusion about the relative meanings and uses of each (Razavi and Miller, 1995, Wizemann and Pardue, 2001). In particular, gender has been conflated with biological sex in policy and programme documents, and has sometimes been interpreted to mean a focus on the needs of men equally with women” (Sen et al. 2007, p. 6). Most of the debate in Ireland has focused on the extent to which the international legal human rights enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) should be domestically incorporated. However, these rights, in turn, are reflective of, and seek to promote those results for children that researchers on moral attitude claim are required for their moral rights (Nolan, 2007). “Child abuse and neglect consists of any acts of commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or the threat of harm to a child (0-18 years of age) even if the harm is unintentional (Gilbert et al. 2009). There seemed to be a general acceptance amongst children's rights campaigners that, while the benefits and rights of children needed to be improved and strengthened under the Constitution, this would not be done by compromising the family of the children. There were no proposals published by civil society during this most recent debate on children's rights which directly suggested significant restructuring of Articles 41 and 42, with an expectation to the Ombudsman (Ombudsman for Children 2006: 4). This was a very significant decision in light of perceived public and political support for retention of the position of the family with respect to the constitutional framework. “The causes of neglect are complex and can be attributed to three different levels; an intra-personal, an inter-personal/family and a social/ecological level (Turney & Tanner 2005).Although the causes of neglect are varied, studies suggest that, amongst other things, parental mental health problems, substance use (Stone 1998; Cleaver et al. 1999), domestic violence (Shepard & Raschick 1999 Cawson 2002), unemployment (Creighton 1992 cited in Minty & Pattinson 1994), and poverty (Thoburn et al. 2000) are factors which increase the likelihood of neglect” (Child Protection Research Briefing: Child Neglect 2007, p. 4). In addition, at the outset of the consultation process, it was made clear by the Minister that a change to Article 41, in particular the interpretation of ‘family’ as being based on marriage, was not under consideration. However, it meant that those proposals made were necessarily piecemeal, failing to fully address those features of the constitution that had resulted in the historical sidelining of children's rights and interests. Infants form attachments to those who provide physical and emotional care on continuous basis (Howes 1999). A parent or individual towards whom an infant forms an attachment is referred to as an ‘attachment figure’. In terms of the infants day-to-day interactions with their attachment figures, infants forms a continuous and long lasting relationship or ‘working models’ about self, other and world (Main et al. 1985). In caring for children who have lack of parental care and are attachment-disordered children it is important to have a good and positive attitude and disposition toward them and to not be having any perceptions of them as being fundamentally poor bad (Pearce 2009). To believe that their behavior is bad would only lead to confirm their belief that they are inherently bad. In order to better understand the problem with these kids in this project it is potentially of benefit to consider the child’s attitude as a natural resultant of poor inconsistent, insensitive and/or abusive care giving and as reflection of the child’s efforts to make they feel safe and reassured about accessibility to their needs and provision. It is therefore important to respond with understanding and acceptance of their reasons and intentions, and to work to their needs as well as their behaviors (Schwartz & Davis 2006). “The medical model was essentially individualistic in orientation and, unlike earlier approaches, paid less attention to the patient’s social situation or the wider environment. This narrowing of focus (towards the internal workings of the body, and then to cellular and sub-cellular levels), led to many gains in understanding and treatment, especially after 1941, when penicillin was introduced, and the era of antibiotics began” (What is Health? n.d., p. 4). The Irish system incorporates a strong welfare component at the heart of both the prosecution and trial stages. While some commendable efforts have been made to balance these with due process protections, the underlying reality would appear to be the displacement of due process values, by the growth of executive control and privatization of greater concern, perhaps, is the lack of comprehensive, detailed and consistent data which can be used to assess the operation of the system (Walsh 2008). “The markers of international recognition of the importance of adolescent and youth health exist nonetheless. Commitments made by the World Health Assembly in Geneva in 1989 were reinforced by the specific recommendations of the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo 1994), which in turn contributed to the gender-specific achievements of the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing 1995)” (Chapter 4: Youth & Health Issues 2003, p. 104). “Resilience is about certain children doing better than expected in the face of adversity. Work continues on finding the full answers as to why such children do better. But it is certainly the case that the evidence as to resilience, opens up new ways of thinking about how to help vulnerable children and their families. If, as we know, most children do badly in the face of adversity, there is a great deal to learn from those who do well. Their experience may give us important clues about what to do differently, so as to help children display resilience. There may be important lessons for renewing practice at the level of individual cases as well as a wider policy level” (Robbie 2010). Reference List Abuse, Neglect and Attachment (26 Nov 2010). 2010. Adoption UK. Available at [Accessed on 07 February 2012]. Attachment Theory: Child & Adolescent Development: Overview 2006. MentalHelp.net. Available at [Accessed on 07 February 2012]. Chapter 4: Youth & Health Issues. 2003. World Youth Report. Available at [Accessed on 07 February 2012]. Cherry, K 2012. Attachment Theory: An Overview of Attachment Theory. About.com. Available at [Accessed on 07 February 2012]. Child Care Worker. 2010. Available at [Accessed on 07 February 2012]. Child Protection Research Briefing: Child Neglect. 2007. NSPCC. Available at [Accessed on 07 February 2012]. Example of Section Blog layout (FAQ section): Attachment and Attachment Disorder. 2011. Dave Neary. Available at [Accessed on 07 February 2012]. Ijzendoorn, MHV & Kranenburg, MJB 2003. Attachment Disorders and Disorganized Attachment: Similar and Different. Taylor & Francis Healthsciences. Available at < http://www.kidscomefirst.info/SimilarDifferent-Ijzendoorn-Kranenburg.pdf> [Accessed on 05 February 2012]. Katz, I & Pinkerton, J 2003. Evaluating Family Support: Thinking Internationally, Thinking Critically (Wiley Child Protection and Policy Series). Wiley. Kindle Edition. Print. Labor Market Information. 2002. Employment Development Department. California Occupational Guide Number 505. 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