Sibling relationships are lifelong and an integral part of a child’s sense of identity, whilst also potentially providing support, companionship, annoyance, competition, and conflict… anyone with a sibling can relate to one or more of those. Many can recall fighting with siblings as a child, but equally, siblings share memories, good and bad and as adults, would drop anything to support each other.
When children are removed from their parents, they have often faced a great deal of trauma. It is always hoped that siblings will be placed together, however for a range of reasons, this does not always happen. They may be placed with different relatives, who cannot manage the needs of all of the children together. This can be compounded if the children’s experiences have manifested themselves in complex behaviours. There may be considerable conflict between the siblings or the possible risk of sexual abuse.
These may be reasons why children are not initially placed together; however, it should never be assumed that these relationships cannot be nurtured or repaired. Permanent separation of siblings should never be considered lightly and is an area of assessment that often evokes strong emotions for Social Workers. It is accepted that children who share a positive and healthy relationship should remain together however, when those relationships have shared a history of abuse, the needs of the individual child can sometimes outweigh their need to live with a sibling.
Debbie Pedder: My Experience with siblings
I recall a case from my own Social Work history of a young boy, P, whom I met when he was placed in a therapeutic foster placement following his adoption breakdown. He had been separated from his older brother when they were both removed from their parents. His brother had been providing a caring role for him and it was the view of the previous Social Worker that the brother needed a placement of his own, where his own needs would be met and he would no longer be burdened with the responsibility of caring for a child at the age of only 8 years. P had been placed with an adoptive family however, the significance of his older brother, as his primary attachment figure, was not considered sufficiently. He could not attach to his adoptive parents and alternatively formed his attachment to their young daughter. His adoptive parents could not cope with the emotional rejection and in turn, rejected P. He had been with his foster carer for over 12 months and his trauma remained just as palpable. The re-introduction of his older brother helped both of them to begin to recover from their early life experiences and this was a powerful reminder of the importance that this relationship holds.
Beyond together or apart
The most recent guidance, ‘Beyond Together or Apart’ recognises that the introduction of the Public Law Outline means that there is an aim to reduce the time in which care proceedings are concluded to 26 weeks, requiring a fresh approach to these assessments.
Here at ACCA, we recognise the significance of evidence based assessments, collaborative working practices and listening to the voices and experiences of these children in order to make decisions that will not compound their trauma, but look to ensuring that initial placement decisions are not simply maintained, but challenged, and sibling relationships are given the opportunity to be nurtured and repaired so that these children can overcome their experiences and develop resilience to cope with the demands of adulthood.
How ACCA can help…
ACCA undertake Sibling Assessments, also often referred to as Sibling Attachment Assessments or Together or Apart Assessments. These are to consider the children’s individual needs, their relationship with each other, whether this is a relationship that can be repaired or whether the risks are so great, that the only possible outcome would be for the children to be separated. In the event that the outcome is separation, careful consideration needs to be given about the contact between the siblings. It can never be assumed that the effects of trauma are irreversible.
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