Exploring outcomes in a therapeutic service response to the emotional and mental health needs of children who have experienced abuse and neglect in Victoria, Australia

• Published in: Child & family social work Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 198 - 212
• Main Authors: Jackson, Annette, Frederico, Margarita, Tanti, Chris, Black, Carlina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-05-2009
• Subjects: attachment theory; Australia; Check Lists; Child Abuse; Child abuse & neglect; Child development; Child welfare; Childhood Needs; Emotions; Evaluation; Health Needs; Mental Health; Outcome Measures; outcomes in child welfare intervention; Psychotherapy; Research Methodology; Social Networks; Social work; therapy; Trauma; Treatment Methods; Victims; Australia; Victoria Australia
• ISSN: 1356-7500; 1365-2206
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2206.2009.00624.x

ABSTRACT
Children in the protection and care system are highly vulnerable and need more than protection and physical care. This paper outlines elements of an innovative therapeutic programme, Take Two, which combines trauma and attachment‐informed practice with a clinical outcomes focus. An important feature was the embedding of a research and evaluation partnership between the programme and a university. The paper discusses the challenges of implementing a research approach into a highly sensitive ‘messy’ or non‐routine environment. The paper portrays the value of a trauma and attachment perspective within a developmental and ecological framework to guide understanding and intervention with these children and their network. A description of the client group is followed by analysis of outcome measures: the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children and the Social Network Map. Findings include the significant reduction of trauma‐related symptoms, an increase in the percentage of friends identified and an increase, albeit not significant, in the percentage of people described as very close. The results point to the importance of family in the lives of these children. This study explores this type of research in situ and its value in building knowledge and strengthening practice.