Developing relationships with parents

Scenario

A social worker makes a home visit to a family following concerns of neglect highlighted by the school. Katie, the mother, becomes angry with the social worker. She feels that they are interfering and have no right to be there asking such personal questions when she's no worse than other mums she knows.

Action

The social worker remembers a group supervision session which covered content from the child abuse and neglect guideline, including ways to build relationships with parents. She explains more clearly to Katie the legal context for her visit. This helps to depersonalise the situation and makes Katie feel more informed.

Further guidance

The guidance includes advice to be open and honest when working with parents, including sharing the legal context in which they are involved.

Relevant resources

Guidelines

• Children's attachment guideline

• Child abuse and neglect guideline

• Harmful sexual behaviour among children and young people guideline

• Looked-after children and young people guideline

• Social, emotional and mental wellbeing in primary and secondary education

• Transition between inpatient mental health settings and community or care home settings guideline

• Depression in children and young people guideline

Quality standards

• Children's attachment quality standard

• Child abuse and neglect quality standard

• Looked-after children and young people quality standard

• Transition between inpatient mental health settings and community or care home settings quality standard