Managing unregulated contact in the age of new technology: possible solutions

Abstract

Unregulated contact between young people in care and their birth parents or extended family is often regarded as a risk-laden area of social work. This article discusses the concept of contact and reviews some current perceptions of mobile technologies and social media. It considers why unregulated contact is pursued by young people in care and highlights the significance of theoretical ideas on adolescent brain development and insecure attachment. The article argues for the adoption of a different mindset by social work practitioners in terms of understanding mobile technologies and social media, and of how the risks associated with it should be assessed. A set of solutions is posited to help practitioners deal with this ever-challenging phenomenon.

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