Final session

Two days over

Listening Learning Looking Ahead

Reflections – selectiveConnections - old and new

Slight controversy - Looking ahead

Starting with a Thank you that is Reciprocal

Thanks Thomas

Dolan Brennan Theorem for Supporting Families/ Societies

Strong Communities

=Stable, Civil, and

Just Societies

Families create Communities Communities form cities

The Gentle Elephant in the Room

Family Support as Common Language

The Gentle Elephant in the Room

Family Support & Social Work RoleStatus FunctionA Perestroika

Advocacy for Older People and Child Protection as Family Support

Social Work PracticeGrace Abbott - 1930/40s

=Empathy

Action

Issues of Rights Social justice Issues of Rights Social justice and Family Supportand Family SupportValuing humanity Valuing humanity Engaged EmpathyEngaged Empathy

Name Value Place our compassName Value Place our compass‘‘Common Wealth’Common Wealth’

PiaPia‘‘Children and Parents are not Children and Parents are not

the Same’the Same’Matilda I am big your small

Family SupportPractice &Services

Family SupportPolicy & Benefit

Family SupportPractice &Services

Family SupportPolicy &Benefit

Ecological

Intergenerational)

Family SupportPractice &Services

Family SupportPolicy &Benefit

Ecological

Intergenerational)

Relationships

Programme

Family SupportPractice &Services

Family SupportPolicy &Benefit

Ecological

Intergenerational)

Relationships

Programme

Agency

Outcomes

Tangible

Emotional Advice

Balance and Buoyancy

TEA as a model for Types of Social Support

Dolan and Brady 2012

Informal Social Support Families at Risk

AttachmentAttachment

Age/StageLifecourseAge/StageLifecourse

ResilienceResilience

Social EcologySocial

Capital

Social EcologySocial

Capital

Devaney &Dolan 2014

Think of how Child/Youth Provide Family Support

• Families seen as causes of problems to be fixed by services

• Actors and stakeholders with a view to solutions – timeliness and time limited

• Understanding Agency – untapped• New discourse on civic engagement (Dolan et

al 2014)

Political Civic Engagement

Revisiting Hart’s Ladder? (Innocenti 1991)

Tokenism

Civic Partners

Non-linearProcess

We Learned this morning again That Children need to be prevented from coming into the Care SystemAnd if There Cared For ProperlyA simple Family Support Message

Power of Informal Family Support

Over estimated and Under estimated by professionals – despite what young people tell us! (Bolger et al 2009)

Absolute Potential of FGCs

Relationship Factor! – Measurable and Actionable Jameson (2008) – Caring For and Caring About!!! – A key differential in both Family Support and Participation

Citizen Proofing – participation goes beyond testimony -Includes Real participation in design plans and Critique and finding out what works-Issue of ‘fit’ with Proven Programmes Advocates-Now introduced in (medicine – Gerontology)

OutcomesNigel – Neil - Naomi and workshops

Outcomes and Coping Focus (Pinkerton and Dolan 2008)

• Message from Neil yesterday!!!!

1. Health Issues2. Education Issues3. Social Issues

• Past emphasis!!!!

1. Health Issues2. Education Issues3. Social Issues

5 Evidence not just if proven -but why/how works! (Canavan et al 2009) –

what difference does it make – what I can do with it!!!

Think of how Child/Youth Provide Family Support

• Changes over time - lifecourse issue• Unknown and Automatic unless

unusual (kennan et al 2012)• Events derived ( e.g. 9/11)• Normative magic – its written in the

Cartoons around this room!

ACTIONING AGENCY

MEASURES SUCCESS

(1-10)

SOCIALINCLUSION

(1-10)

YPINPUT(1-10)

MULTIACCESS

REFERRAL(1-10) INFORMAL

NETWORKS(1-10)

ACCESSIBLEFLEXIBLE

(1-10)

STRENGTHSBASED(1-10)

WISHESFEELINGSSAFETY

(1-10)

NEEDSLED

(1-10)

PARTERSHIPWORKING

(1-10)

YoungPerson

(Dolan Canavan and McTiernan WIP)

REFLEXIVE TRACKWith

multilayered Supply of

Family Support

REFLEXIVE TRACKWith

multilayered Supply of

Family Support

1 ISSUE2 BEHAVIOUR

3 PERSON

1 ISSUE2 BEHAVIOUR

3 PERSON

Frost and Dolan 2012

objectiveobjective1 Personhood End2 Programme End

3 Financial End

1 Personhood End2 Programme End

3 Financial End

Dolan et al in press

Young PersonFamily Support

Ecology

Young PersonFamily Support

Ecology

Excellence

Innovation Impact

Dolan Shannon Smith and Davis in press

Family Support worker View

Family Support worker View

Strengths Based

VoiceListen/Hear

Act

Direct Work and

Relationships

And to Finish!!!!

The Brass Band Comparison