Rosie 2

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Rosie 2

Rosie 2 was written to give managers and trainers an opportunity to enable front door practitioners to explore most of the principles from the Munro review – to reduce the procedural and bureacratic practices which Professor Munro describes in each of her three reports into child protection; a world of practice which has the time, skill and desire to put families before paperwork and children before timescales. 

Rosie 2 is a simulation which centres upon chronic neglect as a category of abuse. During the early days of creating the Centre, Professor Shemmings and Professor Reeves undertook investigative research with practitioners around topics which were posing significant challenges for practice – neglect was commonly discussed. ‘Rosie 2’ was therefore created to develop practitioner skills and knowledge in identifying and responding to neglect cases and it remains one of the Centre’s most popular and utilised simulations. This is likely to be because neglect continues to be a perennial child protection issue and is the highest category of abuse as evidenced by UK Government child protection statistics each year

The simulation continues Rosie’s story from ‘Rosie 1’ and examines the situation for Rosie and her family five years on. Rosie is now 9 year’s old and chronic neglect has become a key concern, particularly around her 10 month old twin siblings. The simulation consists of 13 scenes which explore a visit to Rosie’s home; a joint visit undertaken by a social worker and a health visitor.

An exploration of neglect is the key objective of the simulation but it offers many additional learning opportunities around: communication styles and skills of practitioners; working with hostile and resistant service users; managing disguised compliance; as well as direct work with children and adolescents.

The simulation encapsulates critical concerns which are repeated in Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) and bi-and triennial review of SCRs. These include: high risks of harm to those under the age of 1 and adolescents; insufficient and inadequate inclusion of men in risk assessments; parental mental ill health; and the challenges in assessing the needs of multiple children in the home and supporting their families. This again makes ‘Rosie 2’ a highly relevant and important simulation.

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