Abstract

The task of building and maintaining effective multi-disciplinary relationships is a constant challenge for the residential child care sector in Scotland. The absence of effective multi-disciplinary collaboration has been cited regularly as a contributing factor to instances of poor and problematic practice. Social pedagogy has much to offer in terms of enabling the residential child care sector to address some of these issues and assist with the task of establishing effective multi-disciplinary relationships. This article will explore how this can be achieved in practice, drawing on research based on multi-disciplinary social pedagogy training delivered in Scotland. The evidence demonstrates that social pedagogy can begin to break down the very real barriers that often prevent residential child care practitioners from developing and maintaining multi-disciplinary relationships. It can assist with the task of developing a shared language and understanding; the creation of a clear focus on the developmental needs of children and young people; and a more nuanced approach to dealing with issues of risk. The messages from this article will hold relevance for the professions of residential child care, health and education and be applicable to practitioners throughout Europe and beyond.

Highlights

  • In the United Kingdom the residential child care sector and social work more generally have regularly been criticised for failing to act in a collaborative and joined-up manner

  • Alongside attitudes to risk that regularly struggle to be informed by the developmental needs of children and young people, it can often be quite debilitating for practitioners

  • In many European countries social pedagogy has evolved as a profession which has roots in youth work, social welfare, early years, formal education and care settings, and social pedagogues can be situated in a range of settings (Bird & Eichsteller, 2011)

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Summary

International Journal of Social Pedagogy

Social Pedagogy: Developing and Maintaining Multi-Disciplinary Relationships in Residential Child Care. How to cite: McPheat, G., Vrouwenfelder, E. International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 2017, 6 (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

Introduction
Social Pedagogy
Child Care Policy in Scotland
Social Pedagogy in Scotland and the UK
Common language
Working across professional boundaries
Developing Social Pedagogy in Scotland and the UK
Expectations of roles
Influencing other agencies and developing a common language and framework
Conclusions

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