Most social workers believe parents should have a right to advocacy during child protection cases, a Community Care poll has found.
The finding follows an article by Dr Fiona Long, who highlighted the profound sense of powerlessness and trauma parents experience during safeguarding cases
“They do not have any power over the information shared about them, and often feel that the outcomes of child protection conferences are beyond their control,” she wrote.
Dr Long argued that every parent should be entitled to advocacy once their case reaches the stage of a child protection conference.
Research in the US has found that parental advocacy empowers parents “to find a meaningful voice in decision-making processes” and helps build relationships between parents and professionals, she added
Practitioners on the other side of the pond seem to agree with her.
In a Community Care poll that amassed about 1250 votes, the majority of respondents (76%) said parents should have “someone to speak out for them”.
The poll also revealed some concerns among a minority of practitioners. While another 13% supported the proposal, they added that “there are no funds” to implement it, while 11% rejected the idea because it would “undermine the focus on protecting children”.
‘A winning result for all parties’
Comments under the related article echoed the poll findings, with most practitioners endorsing parental advocacy.
Pauline O’Reggio, who has 43 years' experience in child protection, said parents should have “skilled independent advocates who [can] support them in court and meetings”.
She noted that many parents feel unheard and find the child protection process confusing, without anyone in the corner to explain it to them.
One parent, Jill Shaw, said she experienced the most “traumatic and shaming experience of my life” when she requested that her adopted daughters of 15.5 years be taken into care.
“My girls had an advocate [...] I had no one to speak up for me when I was too broken to speak up for myself and too ashamed to share my situation with my real-life friends.”
Another reader, Laura, said that the advocacy would also contribute to the child’s wellbeing and safety, calling it “a winning result for all parties”.
‘The child takes priority’
However, some were more sceptical.
David, while strongly supportive of the idea, deemed it unaffordable, adding that, without adequate funds, the child protection system would “unfortunately [...] remain distinctly faulty and unjust”.
Others voiced concerns that parental advocacy would take away the focus from the child.
One practitioner said they found it challenging to balance parents’ views and the child’s rights.
“Ultimately, child protection plans are there to safeguard children from harm. If a parent doesn’t want to go through the ‘trauma’ of child protection, then parent your children, don’t harm them.”
Lesley Edwards also argued that the “child and their future development takes priority”.
“I would agree parents should be involved but not that their needs supersede the child’s,” she added.
What do you think about the introduction of parental advocacy within child protection cases?
Celebrate those who've inspired you
For our 50th anniversary, we're expanding our My Brilliant Colleague series to include anyone who has inspired you in your career – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by either:
- Filling in our nominations form with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.
- Or sending a voice note of up to 90 seconds to +447887865218, including your and the nominee’s names and roles.
