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parenting

In summing up, the judge on the case
stated the support from the Elfrida
Society Parents Project peer support
group and the specialist advocacy service
had “been invaluable” for this young
mother’s success.
The judge encouraged the local
authority to continue to pay for a further
three months of one-to-one support from
the Elfrida Society Parents Project.
Although the local authority social
worker found a reason to stop funding the
advocacy support, B continues to access
support via the peer support group and
parents’ drop-in sessions at Elfrida.
The confidence this mother has gained
now gives her a sense of a brighter future.
She feels she can work towards seeing her
two older children (who are still in care),
now that she understands what she needs
to do.
She is now a successful parent with a
learning disability, who knows who to go
to and who to ask when she does not
understand something.
While B’s experiences of social work
interventions so far will make it difficult
for her to ever trust a social worker again, Keeping families together: a family court judge has described the Elfrida Society parents’ project
with our support we are confident that peer support group and the advocacy service as “invaluable”
she will gain a better understanding of
why they might intervene in her family life Justice Many managers also hold on to outdated
in the future, and how to get the best out The Elfrida Society has learned over the practice methods, which in some cases
of those situations for everyone involved, years that advocacy support for people conflict with basic human rights.
particularly her children. with mild to moderate learning disabilities We need to establish a better system
becomes even more important when they and improve understanding on the part of
A call for justice become parents. all who work with parents with learning
For justice to be done, we need a radical Parents with learning disabilities who disabilities to achieve justice.
change in both the culture and practice of have had their children taken into care This will begin with professionals
social work. We propose: may not all get the justice we have going out of their way, adjusting their
● ●Development of specialised social learned how to fight for. practice and putting aside what they think
workers who know how to work with The whole Elfrida community is they know.
parents with learning disabilities instrumental in the success of a parent Professionals need to learn from the
● ●Social workers must understand and with learning disabilities, expressed parent, and understand that each case is
appreciate the important role an through peer support in our weekly different. To do this, they will need to
advocate plays in achieving the best support groups. learn the value of the advocate, who can
outcome for the children and parents My experiences as an advocate have understand the individualised support and
● ●Social work students who wish to included some light bulb moments, communication that needs to take place
specialise should be encouraged to revealed, for example, in the look on the between professionals around the family. n
learn about learning disabilities, in face of the social worker the moment he
particular how to apply the Equalities or she realises what could have been Ali Jabeen is operations manager for the
and Human Rights Acts in practice. done differently, or what could have been Elfrida Society Parents Project, which
● ●Promotion of the value of specialising in put in place in the form of support from provides a specialist advocacy service
working with parents with learning the start. https://www.elfrida.com/parents
disabilities Not all social workers want to follow a
● ●Local authorities should prioritise finding system that is blind to the needs of
a way to keep families together rather families where a parent has a learning This article is the second in a two-part
than focusing on learning disability as a disability. Some social workers try to series on the Elfrida Society’s Parents
hindrance to successful parenting put the right support for parents in Project, which provides support and
● ●Recognition of the value of early, place but, in many cases, risk their advocacy for parents who have
appropriate support and the need for recommendations being dismissed or learning disabilities. The articles
extra time to process information rejected by managers who are looking at examine the good practice it is
We need to ensure no stone is left immediate ways to cut costs rather than developing and some of the challenges
unturned in ensuring the child’s right to long-term savings (both financial and it faces.
stay with their parents is met. emotional).

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 32 No 2 | Winter 2018 11