1. Child protection teaching & learning: the challenge of indigenisation
Name
sation
Ian Milligan
International Advisor
Introduction – Greetings from Scotland and CELCIS.
My organisation works with Governments and NGO in many countries now: often doing evaluations and consultancy around systems reform.

2. Greetings from Scotland
A realistic view of Scotland but it doesn’t show the rain!

3. Scotland is famous for:
28/05/2014
Scotland is famous for:
Loch Ness monster - mythical!
Whisky – real!

4. Themes
‘Universal’ social work v national context = critical thinking required
SW curricula = values + ethical stance (Haltung); knowledge (theories); skills
Creating a culturally relevant foundation for learning & practice in child protection
4th Conference on Advancement of Social Work in Post-Soviet Countries: Achievements and challenges in Social Work Education
26/04/2018

5. Indigenisation of child & family social work?
Q. What is indigenisation in social work education?
Culturally appropriate social work
(Gray & Coates, 2010)
Beware of very individualistic western dominant models. Take account of national history, culture and religion and socio-economic development
(Much of) Western social work is highly individualistic BUT ‘’it is not a monolithic entity’ either
4th Conference on Advancement of Social Work in Post-Soviet Countries: Achievements and challenges in Social Work Education
26/04/2018

6. Many types of social work
Azerbaijan will need to take its own route to professional social work.
TWO major traditions of sw in Europe:
SOCIAL PEDAGOGY
SOCIAL WORK
Focus of social work = choices
Individual casework
group work
community work and community development
In the UK we are beginning to adopt social pedagogy: initial awareness, thinking and beginnings of UK social pedagogy.
4th Conference on Advancement of Social Work in Post-Soviet Countries: Achievements and challenges in Social Work Education
26/04/2018

7. Questions about social work
If it cannot respond to serious social problems what is the point? (In Africa some question its relevance)
What kind of social work is needed where the local culture values kinship, the extended family and community networks?
‘Secular social work which ignores religion and spirituality will not effectively address social problems’ (Ibrahima & Mattaini, 2017)
Can it respect local culture AND advocate for those who may be marginalised in traditional culture?
4th Conference on Advancement of Social Work in Post-Soviet Countries: Achievements and challenges in Social Work Education77
26/04/2018

8. Values: child protection
Respect for each child, family & community; sensitivity to minorities, migrants and those with disabilities
Listening carefully to children (includes observation and activities with them)
Participation of clients in the teaching (including the voices of ‘care-experienced young people’)
Self-reflection and desire for supervision
You should be checking – is this a western European approach
4th Conference on Advancement of Social Work in Post-Soviet Countries: Achievements and challenges in Social Work Education
26/04/2018

9. Knowledge: child protection
Family structure and child development
Changes in family life (weakening of extended family supports?)
Recognising neglect and abuse in families, and other forms of abuse
Culture, religion and place of children, especially girls
Danger of excessive reliance on ‘alternative care’ (Chaitkin et al., 2017)
Awareness of the harm of large-scale, ‘institutional’ care
Sws need to be brave = they cannot be completely separated from their culture and their society but in regards to issues of discrimination and abuse in families they must be expected to be willing to consider realities that others avoid – they may be said to hold perhaps ‘advanced’ views = which will in time become accepted by all.
and impact of globalisation
4th Conference on Advancement of Social Work in Post-Soviet Countries: Achievements and challenges in Social Work Education
26/04/2018

10. Skills: child protection
‘engaging’ children and parents
(honest communication skills),
Assessment – using assessment checklists, and frameworks
Advocacy skills on behalf of the client
Fieldwork practice is essential for skill building, feedback and values testing
4th Conference on Advancement of Social Work in Post-Soviet Countries: Achievements and challenges in Social Work Education
26/04/2018

11. integrating knowledge and skills
Protecting children and supporting families –
its not easy!
What mandate does the sw have?
What family support services are available?
Self-awareness of own prejudices
Importance of supervision
The University is where these issues and practices are all explored
Curriculum needs to include workshops, role plays, simulations and self-examination
Who are those most discriminated against
Supervision – space for emotional support and reflection

12. References/resources
Chaitkin, S., Cantwell, N., Gale, C., Milligan, I., Flagothier, C., O’Kane, C. & Connelly, G. (2017). Towards the Right Care for Children: Orientations towards reforming alternative care systems, Africa, Asia, Latin America. (Luxembourg: EU). Doi: /069502
Gray, M. & Coates, J. (2010). “Indigenisation” and knowledge development: extending the debate, International Social Work, 53, pp
Ibrahima, A. & Mattaini, M. (2017). Social work in Africa: Decolonizing methodologies and approaches, International Social Work, 2017, online.
Massive Open Online Course - Getting Care Right for All (MOOC) Children
4th Conference on Advancement of Social Work in Post-Soviet Countries: Achievements and challenges in Social Work Education
26/04/2018