Solution Focused Practice Social Work

Danger + Safety Focused Practice

m. fletcher 2004

Resources

noticing safe behaviours (even in a different context) utilising existing [safe] parenting behaviour establishing a collaborative approach

listening fully for examples of safe / dangerous behaviour

Goals (towards safety/away from danger + vice versa) Exceptions to Danger

Look for evidence check with networks amplifying

exploring clarifying

where dangerous behaviour could happen but doesnt (opportunity for exploration) where safe behaviour (or partial signs of safety) has already started or has been previously present [ BE SPECIFIC + if it does not directly contribute to SAFETY, assume it contributes to DANGER ] measuring danger/safety

Scaling Danger + Safety

goal-setting for safe behaviours identifying milestones/objectives

Coping Feedback

survival strategies / ensuring safety (child/carer) transferable skills identifying success/change

EVIDENCE

acknowledging skills/qualities confirming potential

Networking

Opportunities for observing progress/stasis/regression Balanced range of views across professional contexts

FOCUSED QUESTIONS FOR CHILDREN + FAMILIES WORK FOCUSED QUESTIONS *If 10 is that everything is OK as possible and 0 is that you are as concerned as you can be - what is your level of concern about this child now?
Very Concerned

10
All OK

*What is happening for the child that is making you concerned? (it can be useful to ask this question - even if asked previously in the information-gathering process) *Has the score ever been higher when things were better? (if the answer is YES) How high? *What was happening then that made it higher? What were the parents/family doing that made it higher for the child? (these questions are eliciting information about parenting capacity) What were they doing that made it higher for them (the parents)? *What score would tell you things were OK 0 5 enough for Social Workers not to have to be Very involved? Concerned *What would be happening then for the child? *What will the child be able to do that will tell you things are good enough? *What would be happening then for the family? *What will the parents be doing that will tell you things are good enough? (these questions give some hints about the objectives of the referrer for the child and family)

10
All OK

*What will have to happen for the concerns in this case to reduce - for the family to meet the childs needs more effectively? (search for DETAIL of what will make the concerns reduce) *What will the parents be doing differently that will tell you things are better? *What will others (family members/agencies etc.) be doing differently that will tell you things are better? *What will the first sign of improvement be that you will see that will tell you things are getting better for the child? *What will the first sign of improvement be that you will see that will tell you things are getting better for the family? (more objective setting questions - the answers give hints about possible useful directions for assessment and intervention) Question for professionals/people with good knowledge of the family - DETAIL needed *What are the parents strengths?(in any area) (useful information which may help the process of developing a strength-based approach to the family to help them to meet the needs of the child)