Service User Perspectives: Relationships and trust
Learning Objectives
After considering this resource, you should understand more about the emotional dynamics between a looked-after child and their carer.
Khadija, a care leaver, talks about her respect for her foster carer as a positive role model and as someone who encouraged her to achieve. She also acknowledges the complexity of their relationship, which has not always been straightforward.
This video is part of a project by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) to record video oral histories of people whose lives have been affected by their experiences in residential and foster care. The full interview with Khadija now lodged with the British Library.
To find out more about the Care Leavers' Stories Project and to view further films visit www.scie.org.uk/socialcaretv.
Reflective Questions
- As a social worker, how would you go about building trust with a young person like Khadija?
- Is Khadija's determination to stand on her own feet a sign of her resilience or defensiveness? Discuss.
- Looked after children typically achieve poorly in the education system compared to children living with their birth families. Why is this and do you think it should be part of a social worker's role to try to change it?