RE: Therapeutic Visitation

["Ken Little" <ken-little@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I would suggest interviewing service recipient families.

My anecdotal experience, doing just that, would suggest that families are
often further alienated by "therapeutic visitations" from well intentioned,
but inadequately prepared mental health workers.

I typically have a conversation with families, early on in the relationship,
about their previous experience(s) with mental health professionals.
Usually, families report having had multiple workers assigned, usually of
short duration with high turnover.  My observations agree with this.
Secondly, families typically report negative interactions with highly
judgmental and hyper-critical workers.  My observations agree with this as
well.

Family diversion workers and/or reunification workers seem to identify and
attempt to address every problem within a family, not just the most vital
ones and they often fail to recognize any strengths.  This approach has the
effect of establishing an antagonistic relationship with the family from the
outset.  Families who do not respond well are then further pathologized and
labeled as resistant.

Again, these remarks are based on clinical experience.  And, although quite
general, are not intended to include all workers who come into contact with
families at risk.

Best Wishes,

Kenneth H. Little, MA
Mad River Behavioral Health
PO Box 190, Campton, NH  03223
603-726-7400

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu
> [mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu]On Behalf Of
> Trista Borra
> Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2003 9:39 AM
> To: Child Maltreatment Researchers
> Subject: Therapeutic Visitation
>
>
> I am doing a literature review on the impact of therapeutic visitation
> on improving the parent child relationship and impact on return of
> custody. Any guidance on where to begin would be helpful.
> Thank you
>
>
> Trista Borra, CSW
> Project Coordinator
> The Permanent Judicial Commission
> On Justice for Children
>