A Pathway of Care for Vulnerable Families (0-3)

5. Developing skills and capacities within the workforce

The person coordinating support needs to have relevant training, supervision and an overall picture of family needs. He or she also needs to have information on all services that are available to provide appropriate support. He or she will be accountable for coordinating the plan of support for the child.

Taking a strengths-based approach is key to developing parenting capacity and allowing families to find the best way to help their children grow and develop.

Engaging clients with support services and interventions is recognised as a key factor in ensuring their success in resolving problems and achieving positive change in the lives of families. The most effective approaches and methodologies are more likely to achieve their potential when parents are partners in the endeavour rather than being coerced. The overwhelming consensus is that power issues, meaningful opportunities to participate in, and challenge, decision-making and planning, to understand processes, "readiness to change" and worker style are crucial to effective engagement and the promotion of the role of parents as the real experts in their child's development.

Practice-related factors include the inherent power imbalance between client and worker, inadequate assessment of need, practitioner attitude and the pervasive gendered assumptions influencing both service development and practice. ³²