Embedded Files
Service system failures
The presumption of incompetence
Marked by the belief that parents' innate limitations make them unfit for parenthood and an inclination only to see the evidence that supports this preconception.
A tendency always to focus on people's deficits and on what they cannot do.
Meaning policies and practices that harm the families they are supposed to support or protect.
Support that deskills parents, reinforces their feelings of inadequacy and undermines their independence.
Top-down priorities
Meaning that the professional as a trained expert is usually in control and running the show.
Poor assessments
The Social Services Inspectorate found that critical decisions about the children of parents with learning difficulties are being made on the basis of 'inappropriate or inadequate information'.
A child-centred focus
The primary focus of attention for practitioners is usually the welfare of the children rather than the family as a unit.
Blaming the victim
Family and child care problems are often ascribed to the limitations of the parents when they owe more to environmental pressures or deficiencies in the support services.
Crisis-driven services
Families often have to wait until a crisis erupts before the services will respond.
Lack of trust
Many parents have had bad experiences of the services in the past and are often reluctant to seek help even when they need it for fear of where it might lead.
High drop-out rates
Too often families are shoehorned into services that make no allowances for their special learning needs.
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