Social Work and the Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Social Work and the Law - Case Study Example In other instances, abuse reports from hospital visits were ignored and the child was returned to her abusers. The Timeline article noted that three social workers were sacked after a public inquiry by Lord Laming found them guilty of negligence. Since Victoria's death, there has been an upheaval in reforms to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults, especially in the areas of social work and the government in the UK. Under the Children's Act of 2004 (Smith 2005), legislation in the following areas has been introduced: physical and mental health, emotional well being, protection from harm and neglect, education training and recreation, contributions by children to society, and social and economic well being. The question becomes whether these generalized areas can become focused enough to matter. Studies indicate that the basic areas affected by the Act are the rights of children through the revised Mental Health Act; needs of pupils through Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA)__related to the number of new international family arrivals; disability awareness training; the Education Act 2005; help for people with dementia through the International Health Study related to quality of life; the need for new legislation prohibiting discrimination because of sexual orientation, and the effort to balance work and life in the community (Background 2006). This is an ambitious enterprise, but given past history, it is not likely that the Children Act 2004 will resolve all of the issues in conflict. There is presently a two-year assessment underway funded by the Nuffield Foundation which began in October 2004 and will continue to September 2006. The assessment is based on the Human Rights Act of 1998 which brought the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into UK domestic law, and the purpose is to determine anti-discriminatory measures available under the Equality Bill which extend to children and young people (All Party Parliamentary 2005). One concern in the Climbi inquiry was allegation of racism. Victoria was African and spoke little English (Timeline 2003). At present, no police officers criticised by the inquiry have lost their jobs, and one of the social workers involved has been allowed to resume working with children (Climbi Inquiry 2005). With anti-discrimination a key concern in the UK and Blacks, ethnic minorities and the disabled the focus of many reforms underway, the social aims of the UK government are commendable, but one wonders if they can actually chan ge public perception in a way that creates a safe environment for children. The policies contained in the law have weaknesses. The Equality Bill allows for enforcement against anti-discriminatory actions, but, according to the Child Impact Statement, "its powers in relation to the Human Rights Act 1998 are primarily promotional." Clause 9(2)(a) of the Equality Bill defines human rights as ECHR rights specifically, though subsection (b) enables the new Commission on Equality and Human Rights to exercise its functions in respect of other human rights. This could include the UN Convention on the Rights of the

Effects of Alcohol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Effects of Alcohol - Essay Example Besides, majority of the teenagers are not found to be a part of responsibilities. Mostly they are college or high-school students seeking to experience activities like smoking, drinking etc. For teenagers drinking starts with the concept of "exploring", all they want is just to discover and explore the taste like they have tasted never before. After they have explored the new "taste", they drink for fun, in friends' gatherings, get together or simply they are convinced to drink by the word of mouth. This "fun" activity takes them to the journey, which is all ended up at the threshold labeled "heavy drinkers". The reductions in alcohol use by adults in their late twenties largely reflect the impacts of new responsibilities associated with engagement, marriage, pregnancy, and parenthood due to which psychologically 'drinking' becomes secondary for them. "Research suggests that parental behavior plays a central role in adolescent use and misuse of alcohol. Parental drinking affects adolescent perception of alcohol misuse in several ways. The children of drinking parents are less likely to see drinking as harmful and more likely to start drinking earlier. Both these attitudes and behaviors, in turn, predict greater alcohol misuse particularly at age 17-18. Parental drinking may also be mediated by friends' alcohol use in predicting alcohol misuse in adolescence". (Abbott et al, 1997, p. 280) One of the main causes for teenage drinking is the fact that they impinge heavily on decisions regarding living arrangements, but there are other important living contexts that may bear important relationships to substance use. Living with one's parents, in a dormitory, with roommates, or living alone offer varying levels of constraint or opportunity with regard to substance use. "Newcomb and Bentler (1985) found significant co variation between substance use and living arrangements, although their work emphasized the selection interpretation of these results. Those living with their parents as young adults reported the lowest levels of alcohol use of any group in adolescence. Those living with roommates, alone, or in "other" arrangements did not evidence distinct patterns of substance use". (Bachman, 1997, p. 24) As far as adults are concerned, many are independent and smart enough to take their own decisions wisely. Their stability refers to the living arrangements in which they ar e not dependant on anyone. If, however they are unstable financially, they drink and in rare cases become heavy drinkers but that does not affect their health as badly as teenage drinking affects. "Employment", one of the main reasons of drug use refers to those complex situations, which results in varying results depending on what aspect of employment is under consideration. The costs and benefits of employment in adolescence have been the subject of some