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The Potential Impacts of Becoming a Parent on Practice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2016

Carolyn Cousins
Carolyn Cousins*
Affiliation:
Director, Tuned In Consulting, East Gosford NSW 2250, Australia
*
address for correspondence: P.O. Box 4276, East Gosford, NSW, Australia, 2250. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

There are many experiences in working with vulnerable children and families that require reflective practice on the part of the practitioner in order to identify issues of crossover between the personal and the professional, and areas of transference and counter transference. This article suggests a particular challenge is presented in the process of the practitioner becoming a parent themselves. Those who have been working with children and families for much of their careers may find becoming a parent presents a range of conflicting and challenging considerations that need to be unpacked throughout the process of transition. The author has a background of working in child protection for over 20 years and became a parent herself just over 4 years ago. She provides clinical and group supervision to a wide range of practitioners as an external supervisor. This practice-based reflection piece draws on the author's experience, with inputs from supervisees and the examined literature, to identify some key themes. The issues raised suggest a need for more research and greater thoughtfulness around the impact of becoming a parent on practitioners themselves and on their practice.

Keywords

child and family welfarecritical reflectionsocial work ethics
Type
Articles
Information
Children Australia , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , June 2016 , pp. 106 - 113
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2016 

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