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Assignment 2: Annotated Bibliography and Recommendations

Introduction

Through a childs life they will deal with many different situations and hurdles
while developing and growing. It is their parents job or guardian to protect them
and prevent any harm or risk that may occur. Some families fail to protect their
children for many different reasons, whether it is related to drug/alcohol
addiction, mental illness, disability, abusive relationships or sexual assault, these
situations affected a childs functionality. This is when child protection services
step in and take action to ensure the safety and rights of the child are being
looked after.
Child protection services are to help prevent any harm or risk that may occur in
a child or young persons family unit or environment. These services provided
have a responsibility to intervene, as do other members of the community.
Through analyzing the following articles a variety of different views and issues
have been presented. A range of studies and researches have been undertaken
and it indicates that child protection services have a lot of areas that need
improving in order to meet the needs of a child and their families. Many other
important factors were pointed out that need to be considered by all, which is to
have an understanding and knowledge of the risk factors that can occur and
what can be done to protect children and their rights.

Featherstone, B., Morris, K., & White, S. (2014). British Journal of
Social work: A Marriage Made in Hell: Early Intervention Meets Child
Protection, 44, 1735-1749.

In this journal Featherstone, B, Morris, K, & White, S. (2014) raise issues of the
government and their actions towards the protection of children and early
intervention, as drugs and alcohol are consumed by parents effecting the brain
development of their children along with the neglecting them in the early years.
Another issue raised was the distance between social workers and their clients
due to technology this has result in a lack of knowledge about the problems
families may have and harder to intervene of the early stages of a childs life if

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necessary.
Through a range of literatures and arguments the authors aim is to persuade the
government of the UK and the audience to re-think the economic crisis in
regards to social status and the support family projects.
Through research Featherstone, B., Morris, K., & White, S. (2014), have provide
devidence that the child protection system lacks in providing suitable support
not only to the child but also to the parents or guardian.
This article provides an insight of the loopholes of the child protection policies
and early intervention, how the lack of family supports from the government and
services has failed to assist families to change their ways for the better when
needed most.

Churchill, H. & Fawcett, B. (2016). Refocusing on Early Intervention and

Family Support: A Review of Child Welfare Reforms in New South Wales,
Australia, 15 (2), 303-316.

Through this article Churchill, H. & Fawcett, B. (2016), have reviewed the aims,
approaches and development of the early intervention and family services in
New South Wales and how these services intervene.
This article expresses the aims and approaches the New South Wales
Government has undertaken in order to initiate child welfare. The main focuses
of the Government child welfare reforms were to intervene when necessary and
encourage child welfare through early intervention and family services. A rage of
studies indicates the improvement of family services in the 2000 improved the
functionality of families and their futures as their needs were being met.
This article provides insight of the issues of child protection in the early 90s and
how it has improved over the years and what has taken place to ensure families
are getting the support they need from the government and children are being
protected and their rights are being heard. Another important issue raised was
the lack of professionalism and training of social workers which this as a result
made engaging and working with families more complicated therefore services
werent being provided to their full potential and children were the ones that
were being effected most.

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This article provides detailed information of the actions that have been
undertaken by society and the government and how by working together
reduces the risk to children.
It has been pointed out that the reforms in New South Wales have improved
child protection and intervention but also point out the limitations and the lack
of professional engagement, indicating more improvement still need to occur.

Thurston, C. (2006). Child protection: Primary prevention and early
intervention., 31 (11), 44-51.

Stated by Thurston, C. (2006), are the rights of children and defines family and
the community, as these are important factors to take into account when dealing
with the safety of children. Another important factor that was raised in this
article was the safeguarding of children. In order to safeguard children
prevention must be taken.
Through discussion Thurston, C. (2006) expresses the importance of the
different stages of prevention, these stages include primary, secondary, tertiary
and quaternary. The aims of the prevention stages is to prevent major problems
from occurring, intervene when problems do occur, dealing with a current
problem and trying to fix problems to better the future of others.
This article provides detailed information of how integrated workers should
adapt early intervention skills in order to develop an understanding and
knowledge of how to help families with any issues when necessary.
This article is useful as it provides a variety of different aspects of primary
prevention and early intervention to reduce the harm and safeguard children. It
discusses how a common assessment framework implements the different
approaches.
Suggested by Thurston, C. that by adopting these approaches and
communication skills will help to break the barriers that have been built by
miscommunication and trust that has been broken. This would build a better
relationship between professional work and families to ensure the welfare of a
child is being looked after appropriately and professionally.

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This article gives important facts to help society and families to detect and
minimize harm, which may affect a child. These factors need to be adapted by
everyone in order for them to be effective.

Waldfogel, J. (2009). The Future of children: Prevention and the Child
Protection System, 19 (2), 195-210.

Through this article Waldfogel, J. (2009), presents issues that impact on the
protection and prevention of children and their welfare. An interesting issue
raised is the issue of how some childrens welfare is being over looked as they
are considered as low risk and how prevention services are discontinued, as they
do not meet the criteria.
The research undertaken of these services indicates that the relationship
between the social workers and families lack communication. Data collected of
the effectiveness of the children prevention services doesnt provided enough
evidence to show that the maltreatment and risk factors to children have been
lowered in most cases.
The investigations by Waldfogel, J., expresses how the services should work
harder to improve the services provided to families in order to prevent the miss
treatment of children even more so rather than patching up the cracks which is
not a permanent solution to this problem.
Throughout this article Waldfogel, J., raises important questions that challenge
the successfulness of the services discussed with supporting evidence presented
through research. By exploring these different views and facts gives relevant
information on this particular issue and understanding of the many loopholes
throughout the system.

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McKee, B. E., Dillenburger, K. (2012). International Journal of
Educational research: Effectiveness of child protection training for
pre-service early childhood educators, 53, 348-359.

This journal introduces the importance of how future educators need to have an
understanding of how miss treatment towards a child can have a negative affect
on their learning and development. Teachers have a responsibility to enable that
their students are learning to their full potential so if certain situations are
affecting their students and their potential, teachers have a duty to detect any
risk or harm that may affecting a students and their growth.
Through analyzing research and assessment data provides evidence how the
lack of training and educating on this particular issue has resulted in teachers
being unequipped to identify or assist in child protection.
The aims presented in this journal is to ensure early childhood educators are
equipped to deal with situations which will be presented to them throughout
their careers that will have devastating affects on their students out of school
hours.
And through the studies undertaken it has been proven that programs that
educate future teachers about child protection has benefit both the teachers and
their students.
This article provides important aspects that need to be seriously considered for
teachers to help further their knowledge and understanding of their students
and intervene when necessary.
It is essential that future teachers have the opportunity to be able to be educated
on the different factors that come into encounter when dealing with early
intervention and child protection practice. This will help to develop skills and act
in a professional manner when action needs to be taken.

The Family Services Program is aimed to bring stability to families by providing

a wide range of services to families who struggle with life challenges and their
own personal challenges. These services include risk assessment, identifying
early intervention and prevention and make reports to Child Protection if
necessary. In order to make sure a child and their families are getting the

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services they need to their full potential a Child and Family Action Plan is created
tailored to them. This plan helps with intervention assisting families to develop
skills and goals to create better relationships within the family and assist with
their childs development. These intervention approaches state by State
Government of Victoria. (2011) Include the following: outreach, in home
support, family decision making/family group conferencing, group work,
counseling, brokerage, accessing universal services, secondary consultations.
These approaches and services are designed to make family lives easier if they
are struggling and to encourage a safe, stable, healthy live for their children. This
helps to achieve the best possible outcome that everyone will benefit from. If a
child is suffering from trauma or abuse their development and learning will be
affected which will have a major impact on their future. It is important the
programs and assistant such as the Family Services Program is introduce in the
early stages of any kind of harm or risk that may be occurring to a child. By using
different approaches to intervene and prevent maltreatment will help reduce the
negative outcomes that may occur and allow a child to grow and learn to their
full potential. Although the Family Services Program may have strengths it does
have limitations when supporting a child and their day-to-day activities. More
support needs to be considered to helping children to deal with certain
situations and educate them to develop skills so they are able to cope with their
daily lives. If children have an opportunity to seek support that purely helps with
their schooling, extra activities and family issues at home they will be able to be
great learners at school, want to be involved and deal with family issues along
with the support of the family services.

The Family Violence Prevention and Support Program is a program designed
for women, children and men that are being affected by family violence. This
program offers services to help early intervention strategies, prevention of
violence re-occurring, and post traumatic support. This program focuses on the
childs needs, stated by State Government of Victoria. (2011).
Coping skills, self esteem, and foster the development of non-violent problem-
solving strategies. Are provided to children to assist their needs.

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The Mens Behaviour Program is a program that provides services that
encourage the understanding and knowledge of the safety and protection of
women and children. The aim of this program is to help violent men identify
their violent behaviour and held responsible for their actions. Stated by State
Government of Victoria. (2011). All programs are to be members of the men's
peak organization, No To Violence (NTV) and adhere to NTV's prescribed
practice standards for running men's behaviour change programs. Men who
struggle to deal with their violent behaviour are encouraged by this program to
make progressive changes to their way of life and violent actions. This is to
prevent their families and citizens from any kind of harm, whether it is physical
or mental abuse.

Both of these programs offer opportunities to family members to take action and
change their lives for the better permanently. These programs promote child
safety and intervention strategies in order to prevent any harm or risk to a child.


The Strategic Framework for Family Services is a framework that delivers a
range approaches to act on child protection and early intervention. This
framework outlines the different approaches and services to help others form
new knowledge about the effects of family services and what impacts they have
on a childs life. The framework covers the following areas legislative context,
best interests framework for vulnerable children and young people, role of Child
FIRST, family services principles, target group, governance arrangements and
service delivery approaches and interventions Group. stated by State
Government of Victoria. (2011). This framework is recommended to all who are
involved in a childs life, especially professionals such as teachers. This
framework helps educate on the important topics about families and child
protection. This helps to identify what action an individual can take in order to
appropriately use early intervention strategies to protect a child and their rights.

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References

Featherstone, B., Morris, K., & White, S. (2014). British Journal of Social work: A
Marriage Made in Hell: Early Intervention Meets Child Protection, 44, 1735-1749.
Retrieved from
http://bjsw.oxfordjournals.org.ezproxy1.acu.edu.au/content/44/7/1735.full.pdf
+html

Harriet Churchill, H. & Fawcett, B. (2016). Refocusing on Early Intervention and

Family Support: A Review of Child Welfare Reforms in New South Wales, Australia,
15 (2), 303-316. Retrieved from
http://journals.cambridge.org.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/action/displayFulltext?type
=1&fid=10224781&jid=SPS&volumeId=15&issueId=02&aid=10224776&bodyId
=&membershipNumber=&societyETOCSession=

McKee, B. E., Dillenburger, K. (2012). International Journal of Educational research:
Effectiveness of child protection training for pre-service early childhood educators,
53, 348-359. Retrieved from
http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0883035512000407/1-s2.0-S0883035512000407-
main.pdf?_tid=2fc8647e-1663-11e6-a1e3-
00000aab0f01&acdnat=1462852774_07116d611cf132379c6596b4906b1ce3

State Government of Victoria. (2011). Department of human services: Child Protection.

Retrieved fromhttp://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/for-individuals/children,-families-
and-young-people/child-protection

State Government of Victoria. (2011). Department of human services: Family Services

Program. Retrieved from http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-
department/plans,-programs-and-projects/programs/children,-youth-and-
family-services/family-services-program

State Government of Victoria. (2011). Department of human services: Family Violence

Prevention and Support Program. Retrieved from
http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/plans,-programs-and-
projects/programs/children,-youth-and-family-services/family-violence-
prevention-and-support-program

State Government of Victoria.(2011). Department of human services: Strategic

Framework for Family Services. Retrieved from
http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/588082/strategic-
framework-for-family-services-2007.pdf

Thurston, C. (2006). Child protection: Primary prevention and early intervention., 31

(11), 44-51. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.acu.edu.au/docview/230428577/fulltextP
DF/246E242D7C1D4DC3PQ/1?accountid=8194

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Waldfogel, J. (2009). The Future of children: Prevention and the Child Protection
System, 19 (2), 195-210. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/stable/pdf/27795053.pdf?_=146285
4262400