Research Seminar: 1. An Evidence-Based Approach to Program Development in Neglect at Batshaw Youth and Family Centres. 2. Child protection workers’ perception of the resiliency of their neglect clients.
An Evidence-Based Approach to Program Development in Neglect at Batshaw Youth and Family Centres
This presentation will illustrate how the use of evidence can be incorporated in clinical program development in a youth protection agency. It will include information drawn from various sources of evidence: research, clinical expertise, the use of two major surveys, and the client information system.
Presenters:
Claude Laurendeau is the Director of Professional Services at Montreal’s Batshaw Youth and Family Centres, an agency which provides community, foster and residential care services to anglophone youth and families primarily under the Youth Protection Act and the Youth Criminal Justice Act. As such, her responsibilities include clinical policy and program development, research and library services, clinical publications, as well as health and psychological services.
Claude earned her Bachelors Degree in Social Work from McGill University in 1974 and her Masters Degree in Criminology from the University of Montreal in 1985.
Her 36 years in the field have been devoted to troubled children, youth and families. She worked as a community worker, caseworker, manager of social services and Director of Professional Services for a reception centre. Her conference presentations and lectures have focused on AIDS/HIV, family involvement in the care of children, policy development and evidence-based management.
She continues to participate in various advisory boards and provincial committees for the promotion of continuous quality improvement.
Susan Gallo is the Program Development Manager in the Division of Professional Services at Batshaw Youth and Family Centres. She has worked in the field of Youth Protection at BYFC for 15 years and has held various positions throughout the different divisions. She has also workerd in numerous settings outside of Youth Protection: elementary and high schools, local community centres and hospitals. Her focus both throughout her academic and professional formation has remained in the area of working with children/youth and their families. She has earned a MSW, BSW at McGill University; a BA specializing in Human Relations and a Certificate in Family Life Education at Concordia University; and a Certificate in Management and Organizational Development at Université de Laval.
Child protection workers’ perception of the resiliency of their neglect clients
The term resilience is frequently employed in child protection, but what does it mean when a worker says that a client is resilient? To answer this question, data from a 2009 survey conducted by a Montreal child protection service organization was analyzed. Within this survey, child protection workers answered questions about the resiliency 896 of their child-clients. It is encouraging that 81% of these clients were thought to be resilient. In this paper, we compared the characteristics of clients who were perceived to be resilient to those who were not. Certain indicators of risk were inversely associated with resiliency. For example, children followed for chronic or episodic neglect were perceived to be less resilient those followed for situational neglect. However, other risk indicators were not associated with resiliency (e.g., children who had caregivers with multiple functioning problems). The results of the study are discussed in relation to resiliency theory and child welfare practice.
Presenter:
Dr. Stephen Ellenbogen recently received his Ph.D. of Social Work from McGill University and is now an assistant professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He remains an active member of the Centre for Research on Children and Families at McGill University. Specializing in adolescence and youth issues, Dr. Ellenbogen has authored publications on diverse topics such as school dropout, bereavement, program evaluation, and gambling. He has extensive community work and outreach experience. His clientele included youth in care, homeless, unemployed, and other at-risk populations. For his doctoral dissertation, Dr. Ellenbogen explored the relationship between child maltreatment, adjustment indicators, and later aggression problems.