Shifts in Residential Childcare Practice

At St. Dominic's Children's Home we have identified six (6) major shifts taking place within the field of residential childcare. These are:

1. from 'power and control' to 'building relationships';
2. from the child as the the client to the family system as the client;
3. from children 'ageing out' of care to the earliest possible reintegration of the child into the family system;
4. total institution to community-based;
5. from the child as the 'object' of care to the child (child acted upon) as the 'subject' of care (child participates);
6. from problem-centered to solution-focused/outcomes oriented.

The changes in structure and methodology which these shifts demand will prove challenging for many within the field as they demand a re-evaluation of core beliefs. Many of us grew up hearing "children must be seen and not heard", for example, but today's child has the right to a voice and is expected to participate (age-appropriately) in making decisions which affect him/her.

What are some of the other shifts taking place?