Powerful partnerships in social work: group work with parents with children in care

Abstract

In this paper we describe and promote a model of groupwork with parents of children in care in operation in Townsville, a regional city in northern Australia, since 1989. We begin from the premise that parents have frequently been 'left out of the loop' as key players in child protection. This is despite the fact that it is parents' ability to afford protection that is at issue. The paper proceeds to discuss what is meant by empowerment in the context of a social work group work approach with parents. A model of group work is then presented. The paper concludes with discussion of the implications that this approach has for social work in child protection practice.