Publications from ODSW Social Insights: Letters by DSW (Vol 2) | Page 47

Working with Various Client Groups
• Concrete Support in Times of Need: This refers to a family’s ability to access
help and resources when needed, from informal and/or formal support
networks. Parents often require help in accessing the resources they need
to build a healthy environment for their children. Helping to build parents’
awareness of available resources and providing support as they navigate
the service sector can help families to be more informed and empowered.
• Social-Emotional Competence of Children: This refers to the children’s ability
to express and control their emotions in a developmentally appropriate way.
Social-emotional competence is critical to a child’s overall development. The
community partners’ role can be to help parents understand the importance
of attachment and social-emotional development, provide resources to
help parents nurture that development and raise a red flag when there are
concerns about a child’s development of these foundational skills.

Sharing a common framework
We should increasingly adopt this common framework in working with
families to develop a shared reference for advancing our services and
programmes. As many of our practitioners work with families, they can
influence, guide and share expertise with them, and also help to recognize
when things are off track.
Social service practitioners, when working with volunteers, grassroots and
community partners, have the opportunity to see patterns of behaviour
change and recognise when additional services may be needed. Community
partners can play an important role in helping parents and caregivers learn
to care for themselves as an important part of caring for their children.
Sometimes, the provision of anticipatory guidance is sufficient. If it is
inadequate, they can steer families towards further support.

Earlier Intervention for Child Development
Parents are important partners in nurturing the health and well-being of
children. However, they may sometimes need support and help in building
their own capacity to care for their children. The support is particularly
needed by those who seem to be overwhelmed by parenting, feel isolated or
are struggling to understand and respond to their children’s needs. Trauma,
which stems from the mismanagement of behaviours, neglect or abuse, can
be averted by identifying families who may need support and providing
them with help early. When children experience trauma, it can adversely
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