scholarly journals The Salience of Islam to Muslim Heritage Children’s Experiences of Identity, Family, and Well-Being in Foster Care

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 381
Author(s):  
Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor ◽  
Alison Halford ◽  
Mphatso Boti Phiri
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
Muslim Culture ◽  
Care System

All children need permanent and secure homes in which they can explore their identities and evolve as human beings, citizens, and family members, and within which can they have a sense of security, continuity, stability, and belonging. There are approximately 4500 children of Muslim heritage in the care system in England and Wales, and this number is increasing. Using case studies that emerged from qualitative fieldwork, this article examines the role and impact of religion on children’s journeys through the care system, particularly in foster care. This article concludes that irrespective of the level of engagement Muslim heritage children in the care system have with their religious heritage, Islam has an enduring impact on how they perceive their identities. As a result, there is a pressing need for social workers and foster carers who care for these children to gain greater insights into Islam and Muslim culture. Such insights and understandings will help children settle faster and form stronger bonds of attachment with their foster carers, and in the long term, this will enhance life outcomes for these children.

Childhood Trauma

2021 ◽  
pp. 49-63
Author(s):  
Kirstin Painter ◽  
Maria Scannapieco
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Trauma Informed Care ◽  
Trauma Informed ◽  
Physical Neglect ◽  
The Relationship

There are five main types of childhood trauma: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect. Since childhood trauma can affect the child’s health and well-being even long after the trauma has occurred, it is essential for social workers to be able to categorize the trauma to develop better interventions that will help prevent long-term traumatic effects. However, it is also important to understand the three major manifestations a trauma can take form of in children. Childhood trauma can cause, influence, or exacerbate how people cope with mental illness. It can increase the risk of developing risky, addictive, or criminogenic behavior like substance abuse later in life. Trauma can also harmfully affect a child’s development, resulting in negative life outcomes. Social workers need to be able to implement trauma-informed care programs while also making use of the findings about the relationship between neuroscience and childhood trauma for further practice.

SenCity – Evaluating Users’ Experiences of Intelligent Lighting for Well-Being in Smart Cities

2018 ◽  
pp. 60-67
Author(s):  
Henrika Pihlajaniemi ◽  
Anna Luusua ◽  
Eveliina Juntunen
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Smart City ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evaluation Methods ◽  
Data Analyses ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
System Data

This paper presents the evaluation of usersХ experiences in three intelligent lighting pilots in Finland. Two of the case studies are related to the use of intelligent lighting in different kinds of traffic areas, having emphasis on aspects of visibility, traffic and movement safety, and sense of security. The last case study presents a more complex view to the experience of intelligent lighting in smart city contexts. The evaluation methods, tailored to each pilot context, include questionnaires, an urban dashboard, in-situ interviews and observations, evaluation probes, and system data analyses. The applicability of the selected and tested methods is discussed reflecting the process and achieved results.

Positive Emotions

2009 ◽  
pp. 12-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Cohn ◽  
Barbara L. Fredrickson
Keyword(s):  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Future Success ◽  
Broaden And Build Theory ◽  
Mental And Physical Health ◽  
Very High ◽  
Future Growth

Positive emotions include pleasant or desirable situational responses, ranging from interest and contentment to love and joy, but are distinct from pleasurable sensation and undifferentiated positive affect. These emotions are markers of people's overall well-being or happiness, but they also enhance future growth and success. This has been demonstrated in work, school, relationships, mental and physical health, and longevity. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions suggests that all positive emotions lead to broadened repertoires of thoughts and actions and that broadening helps build resources that contribute to future success. Unlike negative emotions, which are adapted to provide a rapid response to a focal threat, positive emotions occur in safe or controllable situations and lead more diffusely to seeking new resources or consolidating gains. These resources outlast the temporary emotional state and contribute to later success and survival. This chapter discusses the nature of positive emotions both as evolutionary adaptations to build resources and as appraisals of a situation as desirable or rich in resources. We discuss the methodological challenges of evoking positive emotions for study both in the lab and in the field and issues in observing both short-term (“broaden”) and long-term (“build”) effects. We then review the evidence that positive emotions broaden perception, attention, motivation, reasoning, and social cognition and ways in which these may be linked to positive emotions' effects on important life outcomes. We also discuss and contextualize evidence that positive emotions may be detrimental at very high levels or in certain situations. We close by discussing ways in which positive emotions theory can be harnessed by both basic and applied positive psychology research.

Outcomes in Adulthood After Long-Term Foster Care: A Sibling Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-392
Author(s):  
Lars Brännström ◽  
Bo Vinnerljung ◽  
Anders Hjern
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Multilevel Regression ◽  
Mature Adult ◽  
Adult Age ◽  
Life Chances ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
National Cohort

When a child is removed from their home and placed in foster care, society takes over the responsibility for that child’s well-being and development. Failure to provide a child with a nurturing upbringing may have negative consequences for the child as well as for society. Using Swedish longitudinal registry data for a national cohort sample of siblings, in which some were placed in foster care and others remained in their birth parents’ care, this study asks whether long-term foster care ensures improved life chances. Results from multilevel regression analyses of a wide range of educational, social, and health-related outcomes in mature adult age (16 outcome constructs) support a row of previous studies indicating that traditional long-term foster care does not seem to improve maltreated children’s life chances.

Is it worthwhile?: Motivational Factors and Perceived Difficulties of Foster Caring in South Australia

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 28-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Delfabbro ◽  
John Taplin ◽  
Yvonne Bentham
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Family Structure ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Motivational Factors ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
Foster Care System ◽  
Intrinsic Factors ◽  
Children’S Behaviour

Despite numerous anecdotal reports, very few Australian data are available concerning the characteristics of foster carers and the problems associated with foster caring. In this study by Paul Delfabbro, John Taplin and Yvonne Bentham, 48 South Australian foster carers were interviewed and asked to provide details of their motivations, family structure and concerns. The results showed that intrinsic factors such as being interested in children's well-being and future appear to be more likely reasons for caring than more extrinsic factors such as needing money or companionship. The carers' main concerns related to their frustration with the foster care system, in particular their inability to have a say in the child's future, and the lack of support from agencies and social workers. Many also expressed significant concerns about children's behaviour and the sadness associated with the child leaving. The implications of these findings for the retention of foster carers are discussed.

When Family Becomes the Job: Fostering Practice in Denmark

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Christrup Kjeldsen ◽  
Marianne Bruhn Kjeldsen
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Foster Care ◽  
Substitute Care ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Preventative Services ◽  
Care System

This article by Christian Christrup Kjeldsen and Marianne Bruhn Kjeldsen discusses the provision of foster care in Denmark and considers the results of recent domestic studies of foster carers as well as current debates and changes concerning the substitute care of children. It suggests that Denmark's emphasis on preventative services and the low use of adoption influence the characteristics of children who enter the care system because the separation from their families of children who are at risk of harm is delayed. It is also the case that despite Denmark's reputation as a welfare-oriented state, the fostering system displays many tensions and difficulties similar to those reported in the UK and US. Some of these problems can be attributed to the role afforded to foster carers, especially the requirement not to get too attached to the children, and the division of responsibility between professionals and carers. As a result, it is argued that some children in need of long-term emotional care miss out and their placements disrupt unnecessarily.

Can Stability in Out-of-Home Care Be Improved? An Analysis of Unplanned and Planned Placement Changes in Foster Care

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Tregeagle ◽  
Rosemary Hamill
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Foster Care ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Family Care ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Out Of Home Care ◽  
Placement Change ◽  
Initial Entry

This article presents the findings of a study of unplanned and planned placement changes in foster care programs designed for restoration or time-limited assessment for long-term care. In this study, the causes of placement changes in the program are analysed to assess whether stability could be improved. The study was undertaken by examining computer records of placement changes over a 6-year period, in five Temporary Family Care (TFC) programs. Once these changes were identified, social workers were asked to describe the circumstances of the placement change for each named child. These were then categorised into two groups: unplanned and planned placement changes. Unplanned changes are those that were not anticipated at initial entry to care, nor during scheduled case reviews. The frequency of unplanned changes was 2% of all placements; within this group of unplanned changes no child had more than two unplanned moves and only 0.6% of children had two unplanned changes. Planned placement changes were those changes considered as part of routine case decision-making according to the requirements of the ‘Looking After Children’ (LAC) system. These changes occurred in 4.5% of all planned placements. Some children experienced both planned and unplanned changes. The changes were then categorised according to the reasons for change. Some placement changes appeared unavoidable. This finding leads to questions about whether instability can ever be entirely eliminated. The TFC programs appear to have a lower rate of breakdown than that reported in the literature; however, variations in study design make comparisons difficult.

Retirement Preparation Programs

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 428-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiska Cohen-Mansfield ◽  
Irit Regev
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Retirement Preparation ◽  
Depressed Affect ◽  
Retirement Transition ◽  
Positive Feelings

Purpose: This study was designed to examine whether preretirement intervention, through preparation programs conducted by social workers, enhances retirees’ healthy retirement transition, self-mastery, and well-being outcomes. Methods: Data were gathered at preprogram, postprogram, and at 6-month follow-up. A total of 84 participants filled out pre- and postprogram questionnaires, of which 66 also completed follow-up assessment. Participants were 1–3 months before retirement at preassessment and 4–8 months after retirement at follow-up. Results: The preretirement program improved participants’ appraisal of retirement and created lower and more realistic expectations of postretirement work prospects. While these variables changed in the expected direction between pre- and postprogram assessment, participants’ scores at follow-up indicated less self-mastery, greater depressed affect, and less positive feelings regarding retirement. Discussion: The short-term value of retirement programs was supported and revealed the importance of follow-up programs to maintain short-term gains and to address additional long-term developments.

Client perceptions of engaging with a health and social care navigation service: A qualitative study

2020 ◽  
pp. 174239532093704
Author(s):  
Amanda Wilkinson ◽  
Janel Atlas ◽  
Katrina Nelson ◽  
Hilda Mulligan
Keyword(s):  
Social Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Life Choices ◽  
Long Term Conditions ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Regenerative Approach ◽  
Navigation Service ◽  
Health And Well Being

Objectives Health and social care navigation services provide support for people with long-term conditions. Such services are available in the New Zealand (NZ) context. However little is known nationally or internationally about clients’ experience of engaging with such services. This study aimed to describe client perspectives of engaging with a health and social care navigation service in a NZ metropolitan city. Methods The manager and navigators of the service recruited clients who were previous users of the service. We individually interviewed nine clients (F = 7; M = 2; aged between 30–80 years) in their homes. Many of the participants reported social isolation, and some were without regular income. We transcribed interviews verbatim and analysed data thematically. Results There was one overall theme: Restoration of my essence or being (in the Māori language, wairua), and sense of belonging (turangawaewae) through a regenerative approach developed in partnership between the navigator and the client. Thus, participants felt renewed and validated as human beings. Discussion Enabling clients to feel re-valued as human beings captures the concept of personhood whereby a person has capability and capacity for life choices. We suggest enabling a client to feel valued assists in development of self-determination and consequently improved health and well-being.

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