Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-767nl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-10T23:27:40.257Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Educating family group conference coordinators: A ‘family of origin’ perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2016

Michael Clare*
Affiliation:
School of Social work and Social Policy University of Western Australia Nedlands, WA 6097 Email: mclare@cyllene.uwa.edu.au

Abstract

This paper considers the challenges to social work students and their educators and to graduate social workers and their supervisors, of acquiring beginning-level confidence and competence in working with ‘other people’s families’. There is a review of important educational contributions to our understanding of the necessary and sufficient preparation for ‘pure and applied’ social work theory and practice with families. In this review, the writer describes the educational rationale for a ‘Family of Origin’ workshop which has been offered to social work students at the Universities of Sussex and Western Australia and to experienced practitioners in a Perth child and family welfare agency. Finally, the writer reflects on the intellectual and the emotional dimensions of knowing and doing in family-based practice – with particular reference to Family Group Conferencing.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ainsworth, F. & Maluccio, A. (1998) ‘Kinship care: False dawn or new hope?’, Australian Social Work, 51(4), pp. 38:Google Scholar
Ban, P. (1995) ‘Family Decision-Making: The model as practiced in New Zealand and its relevance in Australia’, Australian Social Work, 46(3), pp. 2330.Google Scholar
Ban, P. & Swain, P. (1994) ‘Family group conference: Australia’s first project within child protection’, Children Australia 19(3), pp. 1921.Google Scholar
Beckford Inquiry Report (1985) A Child in Trust, London Borough of Brent.Google Scholar
Bernardes, J. (1985) ‘Do we really know what ‘the family’ is?’ in Close, P. & Collins, R. (eds), Family and economy in modern society, Macmillan: London, pp. 192211.Google Scholar
Bowen, M. (1972) ‘Towards the differentiation of self in one’s own family of origin’, in Framo, J. (ed), Family interaction: A dialogue between family researchers and family therapists, Springer Publications: New York.Google Scholar
Bowen, M. (1974) ‘Cultural myths and realities in problem-solving’, Ekistics, 37(220), pp. 173179.Google Scholar
Bowen, M. (1978), Family therapy in clinical practice, Anson: New York.Google Scholar
Carter, E. & Orfanides, M. (1976) ‘Family therapy with one person and the family therapist’s own family’, in Guerin, P. (ed), Family Therapy – Theory and Practice, Gardner Press: New York, pp 193219.Google Scholar
Christie, A. & Weeks, J. (1998) ‘Life experience: A neglected form of knowledge’, Practice, 10(1), pp 5568.Google Scholar
Clare, M., Simmonds, J. & Smale, G. (1978) Knowledge about teaching social work with individuals and groups, unpublished paper at the IASSWE Conference, Jerusalem.Google Scholar
Clare, M. (1989a) ‘Understanding “the family”: A case-study approach’, in James, D. & Vinson, T (eds), Advances in social welfare education, University of NSW, pp. 4858.Google Scholar
Clare, M. (1989b) A ‘Family of Origin’ perspective and the ‘Permanence Movement’, unpublished paper presented at the National Substitute Care Conference, Perth.Google Scholar
Clare, M. (1991a) ‘“Supervision-and-consultation” in social work: A manageable responsibility?’, Australian Social Work, 44(1), pp 310.Google Scholar
Clare, M. (1991b) ‘Family systems thinking and adoption practice’, Australian Social Work, 44(3), pp 313.Google Scholar
Clare, M. (1991c) ‘Preparation for family-centred social work: A case-study approach’, The Asia-Pacific Journal of Social Work, 1(2), pp 716.Google Scholar
Clare, M. (1992) ‘Working with the aged: Beyond common sense?’, Australian Social Work, 45(3), pp 311.Google Scholar
Clare, M. (1997) ‘The UK ‘Looking After Children’ project: Fit for out-of-home care in Western Australia?’, Children Australia, 22(1), pp 2935.Google Scholar
Colon, F. (1973) ‘In search of one’s own past: An identity trip’, Family Process, 12(2), pp. 429438.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Connolly, M. (1994) ‘An act of empowerment: The Children, Young Persons and Their Families Ad’, British J. of Social Work, 24(1), pp. 86100.Google Scholar
Cooper, L. (1994) ‘Improved assessment practices in field education’, Chapter 6, in Ife, J., Leitmann, S. & Murphy, P. (eds), Advances in Social Work and Social Welfare Education – National Conference (Perth), AASWWE/School of Social Work: University of Western Australia, pp. 110124.Google Scholar
Department of Health and Social Security (UK) (1985) Social work decisions in child care: Recent research findings and their implications, HMSO: London.Google Scholar
Department of Social Welfare (NZ) (1988) Puao-te-Atu-Tu: Ministerial Advisory Committee Report, Government Printer, Wellington, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Dominelli, L. (1988) Anti-racist social work, Macmillan: Basingstoke.Google Scholar
England, H. (1986) Social work as art, Allen & Unwin: London.Google Scholar
Fitzroy, L. (1999) ‘Offending mothers: Theorising in a feminist minefield’, Chapter 6, in Pease, B. and Fook, J. (eds), Transforming social work practice, Allen & Unwin: NSW, pp. 8496.Google Scholar
Flex, J. (1982) ‘The family in contemporary feminist thought: A critical review’, Chapter 10, in Elshtain, J. (ed), The Family in Political Thought, Harvester Press: Brighton, pp. 223253.Google Scholar
Fook, J. (1986) ‘Feminist contributions to casework practice’, in Marchant, H. & Wearing, B (eds), Gender reclaimed: Women in social work, Hale & Iremonger, Sydney, pp. 5463.Google Scholar
Framo, J. (1976) ‘Family of origin as a therapeutic resource for adults’, Family Process, 15(2), pp. 193210.Google Scholar
Friedman, E. (1971) ‘The birthday party: An experiment in one’s own extended family’, Family Process, 10(2), pp. 345359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gardiner, D. (1989) The Anatomy of Supervision, Open University Press, London.Google Scholar
Garrett, P. (1998) ‘Notes from the Diaspora: Anti-discriminatory social work practice, Irish people and the practice curriculum’, Social Work Education, 17(4), pp. 435448.Google Scholar
Gray, J. & Gardiner, D. (1989) ‘The impact of conceptions of “learning” on the quality of teaching and learning in social work education’, Issues in Social Work Education, 9(1), pp. 7492.Google Scholar
Harris, R. (1985) ‘The transfer of learning in social work education’, Chapter 10, in Harris, R. et al (eds), Educating social workers, Association of Teachers in Social Work Education: Leicester, pp.8090.Google Scholar
Hough, G. (1995) ‘Dismantling child welfare’, Chapter 13, in Rees, S. and Rodley, G. (eds), The human costs of managerialism, Pluto Press, New South Wales, pp. 173182.Google Scholar
Hudson, J., Morris, A., Maxwell, G. & Galaway, B. (1996) Family group conferences: Perspectives on policy and practice, Federation Press, NSW.Google Scholar
Jackson, S. & Morris, K (1999) ‘Family group conferences: User empowerment or family self-reliance? – a development from Lupton’, British J. of Social Work, 29(4), pp. 621630.Google Scholar
Jones, J. (1997) ‘Training for child protection practice: A question of competence?’. Chapter 25, in Wilson, K & James, A. (eds), The Child Protection Handbook, Bailliere and Tindall: London, pp. 475493.Google Scholar
Kahn, E. (1979) ‘The parallel process in social work treatment and supervision’, Social Casework, 60(9), pp.520528.Google Scholar
Lieberman, S. (1979) Transgenerational family therapy, Croom Helm: London.Google Scholar
Lieberman, S. (1982) ‘Going back to your own family’, Chapter 12, in Bentovim, A., Gorrell-Bames, G. & Cooklin, A. (eds), Family therapy: Complementary frameworks of theory and practice, Academic Press: London, pp. 241256.Google Scholar
Lishman, J. (1998) ‘Personal and professional development’, Chapter 8, in Adams, R., Domenilli, L. & Payne, M. (eds). Social work: Themes, issues and critical debates, Macmillan: Basingstoke, pp. 89103.Google Scholar
Lupton, C. (1998) ‘User empowerment or family self-reliance?: The family group conference model, British Journal of Social Work, 28(1), pp. 107128.Google Scholar
Magee, J. (1982) ‘Integrating research skills with human behaviour and social environment: Assessing historical and cultural influences on students’ family structure’, Journal of Education for Social Work, 18(1), pp. 1419.Google Scholar
Mattinson, J. (1975) The reflection process in casework supervision, Institute of Marital Studies: London.Google Scholar
Millham, S., Bullock, R., Hosie, K. & Haak, M. (1986) Lost in care: the problems of maintaining links between children in care and their families, Gower: Aldershot Google Scholar
Munson, C. (1984) Family of origin applications in clinical supervision, Haworth Press: New York.Google Scholar
Moore, J. (1982) ‘Like a rabbit caught in the headlights’, Community Care, 4 November, pp. 1819.Google Scholar
Oakley, A. (1984) Taking it like a woman, Fontana: London.Google Scholar
O’Meachair, G. (1988) ‘The Irish: Britain’s forgotten immigrants’, Social Work Today, 21 April, pp.1819.Google Scholar
Reynolds, B. (1965) Learning and teaching in the practice of social work, Russell & Russell: New York.Google Scholar
Ryburn, M. & Atherton, C. (1996) ‘Family group conferencing: partnership in practice’, Adoption and Fostering, 20 (1), pp. 1623.Google Scholar
Simmonds, J. (1997) ‘Finding a focus in child protection training’, Chapter 26, in Wilson, K. & James, A. (eds), The Child Protection Handbook, Bailiere Tindall: London, pp. 494505.Google Scholar
Walsh, F. (1987) ‘The family in later life’, Chapter 14, in Carter, B. & McGoldrick, M. (eds), The changing family life cycle (2nd edition), Gardner Press: New York, pp.311332.Google Scholar
Williamson, D. (1981) ‘Parental authority via termination of the intergenerational hierarchical boundary: A new state in the family life-cycle’. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 7(3), pp. 441452.Google Scholar
Wise, S. (1995) ‘Feminist ethics in practice’, Chapter 6, in Hugman, R. & Smith, D. (eds), Ethical issues in social work, Routledge: London, pp. 104119.Google Scholar