Ian's social worker transcript

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Stage 1

How can someone who's got so much going for him be so hell bent on self destruction? He had a great job, nice house, and a wife and kids he always says he didn't deserve.... and then this? So many of the people I work with have nothing to start with and... Well if that doesn't excuse everything, it sure makes it understandable. I don't feel I've ever really connected with him. But there must be some key?... Need to keep an eye on the positives for this report.

No different from most other people on probation really...started well...kept early appointments...if not exactly at ease. I felt he was beginning to open up a good bit more. By the fourth week...no show! And the standard letter to his home reminding him of his obligation...blah, blah...and a phone call on week five with some excuse. Then nothing in week six. A phone call made...he picked up the phone but made no sense at all. I'm sure he's back drinking again....What can I put here?

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Stage 2

That's the third phone call in about six weeks from the Community Service Office to say he's failed to turn up to his placement. It's at the dementia centre. And I suppose on top of that you'd need to include the fact that some of the staff were saying they thought they'd smelt drink from him. On the other hand the head of the centre says he's great with the residents and very patient. He certainly talked about it almost enthusiastically, which is quite something for Ian. So, what should I say about that?

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Stage 3

I sometimes wonder why we make conditions of attendance at alcohol counselling centres without being clear who's responsible for monitoring attendance. I'm never entirely sure about the boundaries of confidentiality here, but I always feel they resent passing on information about how people are getting on. The facts are clear though. His attendance was okay initially, his motivation was never clear, and he hasn't turned up at all during the last three weeks...so that's...

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Stage 4

We really focus here on the offender and his behaviour, not his family. But no question, this is at the root of Ian's problems. And he needs to make some sense of it all. I've had Shavita's social worker telling me that he's stopped paying the mortgage. There have been occasional maudlin and tearful calls from him to Shavita pleading to speak to the kids...och it's all a bit of a mess.

Will he talk to me about any of this? No chance so far...but it's where we need to go if we want to get Ian sorted. As I said at the beginning, this is a man with a future. So, what would be relevant here?

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Stage 5

This is always the tricky bit. It's so easy to treat his as a cut and dried instance of clear breach and recommend instituting full breach proceedings. And me, as a social worker, I always want to see the other point of view, the underdog. Only he's not really, when you think of the damage he's done so far. But he's definitely got a lot of potential to turn things around, if only we can find the right start. It's important to get the tone of this final entry right.