Social Learning

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Community safety refers to the act of creating a sense of security for the members of a given society. It is covers a wide scope, having to deal with individuals and families and various groups within the society. In the event described by the scenario, community safety has narrowed down to the family level thus aiming at providing safety to children in families (Collins, & Davis, 2008). Albert Bandura in his theory of social learning argues that people can gather understanding and knowledge from the behavior of those around them. This theory is especially applicable to children as they always try to emulate their parents and elders in the family.

A family that has one or both parents with unacceptable traits such as being violent or having a drug abuse problem will definitely have a negative influence on a child brought up in the same family. It is therefore important to find the best solution to this. Removing the child from this family and providing efficient care to him/her until the parent or parent undergoes a proper correction program is the solution provided for the situation in this scenario. This might be an efficient solution. However it does have its up-sides and down-sides (Taverner, 2002).

The aspect of family is important to a child as it clings on familiarity built over the period that the child has been in the family. Having to take a child from its parents will be like trying to overwrite the familiarity established ever since it was born. This will definitely have an impact on the child’s confidence. As much as this sounds trivial, the impact it would have on his future person will definitely be noticeable (Taverner, 2002).

Having to relocate a child will put a pause in the progress of their growth mentally and socially. It will be more of trying to start a fresh rather than being given batter parenting. This applies to the situation whereby the child is still very young and is still at the stage of defining himself or herself socially. The parents might be the only ones the child is comfortable around. At this point the child is very fond of the parents and taking him/her away from the parents might not be the best option (Handmer, 2008).

A child needs to grow with at least one parent figure. Putting a child under foster care or government security will remove this aspect from the child’s even if the system is not permanent. This fact not only bases on the aspect of familiarity but also on the aspect of parental love. As much as the system put in place to solve the parenting problem posed, it is difficult to replace the position occupied by a child’s parents in his/her life (Handmer, 2008). This is seen even in orphaned children who have a problem accepting new parents. It is, therefore, important to put in mind the role of a child’s parents in his/her life before providing a solution in the scenario described.

On the other hand, letting a child be brought up by parents who do not have acceptable moral traits will have an adverse effect on the child. A child is more likely to pick up a drinking habit when one or both of his or her parents are a drunkard (Handmer, 2008). The child’s confidence might go down a bit when he is taken under care to rectify the situation. However, it will definitely give him a new overlook that will help him or her make better choices. This is definitely a much better option.

Parents of the child in question might choose to undergo correction for the behavior that caused the event where the child was put under different care. In this event the parent or parents will be given a proper documentation proving it to be true. This will make them better parents and when the child is allowed to go back home, they will be able to provide the best moral standing to him/her (Jefferson, 2007). The issue of familiarity can be handled by putting the child in the care of a close relative to whom the child is familiar.

Providing a solution to this problem requires close scrutiny as it borders breaking some social truths established by the institute of family. Every child has a right to parental care. On the other hand parental care might not be helpful if the parents are not able to provide it efficiently to their child. Therefore, there must be adequate research proving that the parent or parents are not fit to take care of the child and that putting the child under alternative care would be of good to the child (Mooney & Neal, 2009).

Children are more aware of what they see or hear as they are not well equipped to understanding everything around them. For this reason they tend to try and do what they see others do. They tend to do this based on the level of familiarity and thus family has a greater impact on a child’s behavior and personal traits. Parents need to be of acceptable moral standing, not just for their own sake but for the sake of their children too. The society will be able to influence the child’s behavior as they get older but it is difficult to overwrite values learned at home (Mooney & Neal, 2009). Morally upright parent will also be able to give proper advice to their children when they get older and are more likely to be influenced by the society.

The Department of Job and Family Services has made an acceptable effort in interpreting the theory of social learning. However it has left out a crucial part concerning the importance of family to a child’s growth. It is true that children will learn from their surrounding but then we cannot overlook the impacts that taking a child away from its parents will have. On the other it is not acceptable to let a child be brought up by parents who have unacceptable moral standards. Therefore a solution is definitely needed for this situation.

The Department of Job and Family Services should try and address the issues posed by policy in order to improve its efficiency. This policy might not be a hundred percent in handling the situation but it is the best solution at hand (Siegel, 2007, p. 110). Having a child brought up by parents who cannot provide the best moral standing will cause a far much worse impact on a child’s personal traits and coexistence with members of the society. Social learning does apply to this scenario as the upbringing of the child will depend on what he learns. The child will emulate its parents if proper care is not taken. The policy provides a solution to a problem that might occur later on in life if the situation at hand is not dandled.

References

Collins, M. A., & Davis, J. (2008). Criminal minds: killer profile. Waterville, Me.: Thorndike Press.

Handmer, J. (2008). Community bushfire safety. Collingwood, VIC: CSIRO Pub..

Jefferson, M. (2007). Criminal law (8th ed.). Harlow: Pearson Longman.

Mooney, G., & Neal, S. (2009). Community: welfare, crime and society. Maidenhead (Eng.): Open University Press.

Siegel, D. (2007). Sisterhood, interrupted: from radical women to grrls gone wild. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Taverner, P. (2002). Community attitudes to road safety: Community Attitudes Survey, Wave 15, 2002. Canberra, A.C.T.: Australian Transport Safety Board.