ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the role of the specialist referred family centre which deals typically with families where there is concern over the likelihood of harm or neglect to a child. As stated earlier, The Children Act 1989 lays a general duty on local authorities to provide or in some way promote family centres as one means of meeting their protection and prevention responsibilities in respect of child care. Such centres may focus exclusively on families where the likelihood of significant harm to children has been identified. The term ‘significant harm’ as defined by Section 31(9) of the Children Act 1989 includes both ill treatment (physical, emotional and sexual) and the impairment of health or development (White et al. 1990, p. 95). In such circumstances family attendance at a referred centre can be a requirement of a social work treatment plan that in some instances has been approved by a Family Proceedings Court. Parents and children visit such centres for a period of intensive intervention that seeks to promote better family functioning and thereby reduce risk of harm to children and hence avoid their removal from the family. Specialist centres which focus exclusively on matters concerning child protection or serious family dysfunctioning are not likely to be ‘open access’ or to act as a neighbourhood resource or promote community development. Rather, they are likely to be closed settings that have a therapeutic orientation while also engaging in surveillance and control of families during attendance.
