Abstract
There is growing recognition of the place of love in residential care for children (Smith, 2009). This paper is a critical analysis of a range of existing research on residential child care as well as studies of material culture and of care relationships more broadly. It argues that, despite increasing regulation and surveillance, adults and children find ways to show and feel love in the context of residential care. Whilst love may be regarded as something to be avoided or indeed prohibited in an adult/child care setting these deep bonds find expression in the everyday life of the children’s home. By looking at love in this embodied way, the ‘realness’ of material things to assert connection and recognition of love (Layne, 2000) is examined. As Gorenstein (1996, p.8) suggests ‘objects…[are] the perfect vehicles for conveying themes that are not commonly accepted in a community’. The paper emphasises the recognition of these symbolic and metaphorical forms of communication in practice.
Highlights
As this special edition illustrates, there is growing debate concerning the place of love in residential care for children (Smith, 2009)
This paper explores one potential medium, namely the ways in which those living and working in residential care might use objects and food to show love, connection and belonging, both to those within the care setting as well as to those out with it
Page’s work poses an interesting point for staff in residential care. They are living with the experiences of love and care that the children bring with them. These children are liable to be in late childhood or adolescence and, in a Scottish context at least, are likely to have experienced physical, sexual, More than just a bracelet: the use of material symbolism to communicate love emotional abuse or neglect (Kendrick, 2014)
Summary
Joint special issue: Love in Professional Practice. Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, 15(3) and International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 5(1). ‘More than just a bracelet: the use of material symbolism to communicate love.’. International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 2016, 5(1), pp. Peer Review: This article has been peer reviewed through the journal’s standard double blind peer-review, where both the reviewers and authors are anonymised during review. Open Access: International Journal of Social Pedagogy is a peer-reviewed open access journal
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