Children's Empowerment Theory

Empowerment Theory, It’s a process of increasing personal, interpersonal power so that children, young persons and families can take action to improve their wellbeing (Gutierrez 1999,p.229). Children and families cannot participate actively unless they are empowered. Empowerment emphasizes strength and capacities.

Child perspective, this means a child friendly perspective that is informed by new approaches to the study and analysis of children and childhood (James and Prout 1990),( http://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/3/4/893/pdf).Child must in all circumstances be seen as individuals with same rights and interests and should be given a open platform just as adults to express their views as stipulated in the convention the rights of the child

We must realize how children and youth have remained excluded by the mono logical understandings of participation implicit. Mere granting children rights or proclaiming that they are capable participants does not in create effect or transform participation. In other words, children’s participation depends principally on the invitation offered through dialogue to be acknowledged and to negotiate the terms of their recognition (Kulynych 2001; Percy-Smith and Weil 2003.

Family group conference, a newer style of decision-making is the family group conference (FGC) which, aims to encourage a more equal partnership between professionals and families, giving families a greater say in decisions which affect them and their children (Lupton & Stevens 1997).It’s a process led by family members to plan and make decisions for a child assumed to at risk or danger.

Strengths based approach focuses on the capacities and potentialities of clients. All human transcend circumstances, to develop one`s power to overcome adversity, to stand up and be counted (Dennis Saleebey 2002). The Strength based practioner works in a collaborative manner with the families and children to discover a child’s strength. Build on a fundmental belief that the families and the child have talents which can be utilized to find a lasting solution.

The skills which many arise from theoretical ideas

The social worker must always not the non verbal communication of the child or young person. Clients long for a professional who pays attention to them. It helps in healing as the client pours out his/her inner feeling.

Interpersonal, this includes life skills used to everyday life as social workers to interact and communicate with clients, individually or in a group. Social workers who have developed strong interpersonal skills are good at practice.

Question 3

Family group conference,

It’s a process led by family members to plan and make decisions for a child at risk. Children and young persons are involved in the entire process, always voluntary process and no family members are forced. Family group conference was first developed in New Zealand to work with Maori families whose children were being taken away by government into institutions. It was a method which would help social workers to with Maori and not against their values and culture.

Family group conference was adopted by many countries in the world as a model in child welfare departments, Norway, Canada, Australia, South Africa and UK are among the countries using Family group conference and it is yielding a lot fruits in child protection.

Children are now more often actively involved in FGCs (Ryan