The Importance of Family and Community Links for Children in the Out of Home Care System

Regardless of the exact setting in which the social care worker is involved, be it supporting clients in maintaining their position in the community or assisting clients in making a return to the general community, the maintenance of family and community links are key tools to the achievement of the above identified goals. The role of the parents, family and community in general must not be underestimated if we are to fully meet the needs of the vulnerable people with whom we work. In the following article we will discus the reasons why it is important for social care workers maintain these links, identify key research carried out in the area, discuss some obstacles to the maintenance of contacts for clients and finally identify ways in which we as social care workers might promote the maintenance of contacts for the clients with whom we work.