Social

Action
Research
booklet
Contents
Task 1: Brainstorm on social issues
Task 2: Research on other action videos
Task 3: Research on own video
Task 4: contact details and angle for own production
Task 1:
(this should have been done in the idea process you now need to write it down for
example you looked into an issue and didnt like it, or your realized it was too
difficult these ideas need to be noted now)

Your brainstorms should cover:

The issue
The effect the issue has on community
How easy it would be to cover the social issue
What has been done to cover this issue before
Rough idea on who you can interview

Idea 1:

Mine and Millys first idea for a social action was about how alcohol was a bigger
issue than drugs, in Reading. This has a negative effect on the community because it
gives the community and students a bad image. It might be a bit difficult to cover
this issue because there isnt any direct information to gather, and wed have to
interview drunk people or someone who has had a bad drunken experience, which
may be difficult to find. Also, people who live in Reading and who may be affected
by the drunken people, who are sometimes out until 5am making noise when people
are sleeping. There is an article talking about how alcohol is a bigger issue than drugs
in reading, however, there hasnt been any documentaries made, or any actions
taken.

Idea 2:

Our second idea was about Homelessness in Reading. We thought this would be a
good idea because it is a huge issue in Reading, and it is local for both me and Millie
so it would be easy for us to deal with the issue. Homelessness affects the community
because it doesnt make the town look very nice and it can make it look scruffy and
unsafe. They also harass people for money all the time, which can make some
people feel uncomfortable. There would be some difficult parts in this, such as which
homeless person to interview and finding the homes where they stay, and go and see
what its like. Nothing has really been done to cover or raise awareness of the
homelessness in Reading (or even in general). Instead of kicking people off where
they stay on the streets, they should do something about it. This is what me and Millie
would have done, to make a documentary from both the homeless peoples
perspective and then also see what people, charities etc. are doing about it, and
looking at places where homeless people can stay.

Idea 3:

Our final idea that we decided to do was Fostering. We thought this would be a
good idea because so many children dont have any homes and are taken into
foster cares, and it is something that concerns many people and is an issue
becoming more serious around the UK. There are a few videos and articles that are
covering this issue and but there isnt much awareness about fostering and how
many children actually dont have homes. Milly has access to foster children
because her and her family are foster carers, so we would be able to get access to
them and the children and people who come to visit the children. These are people
we are going to interview as well as the Fostering trust in Slough, called First Fostering.
Task 2:
Compare 2 social action video similar to yours
(look at LO2 Brief on website for guidance on what should be covered)

Social Action Video 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuSikwpqazA

This Documentary is about LGBTQ Youths for Fostering, and this video is about seven
different children with their own stories. It is based in the US, and it talks about
fostering and how many children are really in foster care. Around 400,000 youth are in
foster care, thought the exact count is unknown. They have used interviews in the
video (for example at 17:37 / 27:54 in the video). Both the interviewer and the
interviewee are in shot. They are sat next to each other on a sofa, which can make it
seem a bit more casual, and relaxed. They seem to have shot everything in the video
themselves, and havent taken any found footage. Theyve brought the foster
children in and interviewed them, but cut out the parts where they ask the questions.
This production is definitely to inform and raise awareness of the issue. There isnt a
lead presenter, but the creators of the production (In the Life) are talking in voice
overs and explaining the facts and figures that show up on screen at times, and then
there are experts who have been interviewed and are talking about fostering and
families and why children are put into fostering. This gives a more informative and
raises awareness better if it comes from an expert.

Social Action Video 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jie__iO44fs

This is more of an informative video about foster care and children who have been in
foster care, and theyre talking about their life afterwards. They havent really used
interviews, or if they have they have also cut out the questions being asked so that
the children are telling their stories, and are always talking and explaining it. They
havent used any found footage, only thing involved are single-shots of the young
adults when they are talking. The style of this production is informative and to make
people more aware of the children who go through fostering and how their lives are
completely turns around once they are taken into fostering and leave their mother or
father, and to bring these children into the light, to raise awareness. There is not a
lead presenter in this, there are only the young adults who have been in foster care
and talking about their stories, and only them talking to give an effect that theyre
talking direct to the audience.
Task 3:
Your research should focus on:

Background on the Social issue itself:

Me and Milly have decided to do our Social Action on Fostering, and we have a bit
of background knowledge to start with, especially from Millys side as her and her
family are foster carers, and so they have access to the Fostering trust and the
children that they have had or taken care of. If the Children do not find a home until
they are 18, they can then move out and start living on their own and they dont
have to find a new family. Children whose parents are unstable or not fit for caring for
the children, then they are taken in to fostering for people to then foster/ adopt these
children.

There are approximately 52,500 foster families in the UK.

In 2013, there were 92,727 children in care compared with 88,083 in 2010.

Is there already a social action group to try and prevent the issue? Yes / No

There is a trust, or company called Action for Children who helps children from
when they are born until their twenties, to get them through fostering or adoption.

If there is: Who is involved with the group? What effects has the group had on the
community? How has it helped certain individuals? Does it already have an action
video to help its cause? (Upload these if there are)

Action for Children has been helping children and young people for 147 years, to find
foster homes or adoption. This has had a huge effect on the community, because
they save children from abuse, neglect and unsafe environments. Last year, they
helped 390,000 babies, children and families in the UK. This also helps children get a
better life and not something theyre scared of.

Action for Children Quick Vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYYj3Yt6lEw

Are there any famous people involved in trying to prevent the situation?

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt is a good example on celebrities who has helped
children over many years, and have adopted children of her own. They have 4
adopted children (and 2 of their own), all from different backgrounds and ethnicities.
Theres nothing they are trying to do to necessarily prevent about the situation,
however, they have helped these children to have homes to go to.

Is there government backing to prevent the situation? Should there be? What could
they do?

The government is backing fostering agencies by creating them. A lot of agencies

take in children from overseas; however, this makes these children illegal immigrants
which is why the government help these children out in seeking a place of safety so
they can stay in the UK. Some children may be taken from their parents because they
cant look after them (mentally or physically) or the parents have been abusing
them, which requires the government to take action and help these children into a
safer environment, which often leads to fostering or adoption.
There are different types of fostering options these include short term, long term and
emergency fostering. UK Fostering offer specialist fostering placements such as
remand, respite and therapeutic fostering. They aim to match the foster carers
cultural and religious backgrounds with those of the children coming into care
wherever possible. Fostering is being offered in hundreds of different places
throughout the UK

Local Authority:
How does the issue affect the community / nation / world?

Children who are taken into foster care is happening all over the world, and it is
something that is an issue because there are so many of them taken from their
parents for certain reasons that could be a risk for the child, and going into care and
some parents are still having children which makes it more difficult because then the
fostering have to take those children in, too, if the parents arent able to care for the
child. There are a lot of Foster carers who take care of the children before they find a
new home to go to, but there are more than double the amount of children, so
raising awareness of this issue for the whole community is something we think would
help a lot of people. Women who cant have children, for example, might not have
thought of fostering, and it may intrigue them to.

Look at statistics on the social issue

1 in 10 children are affected by neglect from parents.

What can be done to prevent the issue from happening?

The government could try and do something to prevent this further, for example, if a
parent has a child who is taken into foster care because the mother has mental
problems, or is abusive so it creates an unsafe environment for the child, then these
parents shouldnt be allowed to have children once their first have been taken into
care. There is a reason the children were taken into care, so this could be taken to
court and action could be taken.

Task 4
Contact details and angle

Informative, educational or change of attitude?

Discuss why and how you will achieve this.

Me and Milly want to try and raise awareness for this issue. We want our Social Action
to be informative and educational, as well as try and change the attitudes of people
about fostering and how good it can be, and not only for the children but also quite
self-rewarding in the sense that you can know you are helping these children find
safer and better homes. We will try and achieve this through interviews with previous
children who have been in care, footage of children who are currently in care and
also footage of children before they go into care. This footage could either be found
or filmed by us. We would do this to try and make people more aware of these
childrens stories and the process of going into care, etc.
List of found footage you can use and reference where it has come from

1. Dave Thomas Foundation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jie__iO44fs&t=820s

2. The Picnic (Adoption Documentary) Real Stories -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfHVZe0mQIc
3. Removed Film on Fostering - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOeQUwdAjE0

What ethical issues will you have to overcome or be careful documenting?

As adoption is a social, emotional and legal process which involves children who will
not be raised by their birth parents, to become full, permanent and legal members of
another family. Ethical issues in this change over time, as children who were adopted
become adults and may choose to find out their genetic and historical identity, and
claim their rights to this. When interviewing the children that Milly and her family have
taken in and care of, we are not allowed to ask them about their background and
where they come from, as this could be a danger for the child if someone who knows
them, saw the video, and could cause complications. However, instead when
interviewing them, we could ask them questions such as how foster care has helped
them, etc.
For me and Milly, we may have to think about things like confidentiality, such as if
someone agrees to be interviewed, but wants to remain anonymous, then we will
make sure they stay anonymous. We would not be allowed to film or document
anything that we havent received permission to film or document.

List of social action groups you could interview. Can you follow a volunteer or
member of the project?

Milly has access to previous children who have been brought up and stayed with
Milly and her family as foster children. We also have access to those parents as well
as the Foundation, who we could interview and ask questions such as, how many
children do you get in per year, how many of those get to go to new homes, etc. We
will be using our own footage as well as maybe include some footage from previous
documentaries and use clips from experts talking about the issue.

Research on the subject: Research around the subject? Information that you need to
know BEFORE you interview people

We need to know what questions we are going to ask and who to interview. We will
be interviewing the Foundation, First Fostering in Slough, and ask them questions
about how many children they get in each year and how many go away with new
families to a better home. We will keep things between the people we are
interviewing and us, confidential if they request it. Milly has a child at around 2-3 years
old, and we might need to ask the Fostering Foundation if we are able to interview
the childs mother.

Fostering is a way of providing a stable family life and environment for children and
young people who are unable to live with their parents at a point in time. Foster
carers can provide a range of different support to children and young children.
By becoming a foster carer, you can make a real difference in a childs life providing
them with a safer and more loving environment, to give them every chance of a
happy childhood and to succeed in life. It can be very rewarding but also very
challenging.

A childs previous experiences of neglect, abuse, loss or trauma can often

mean a fostered child will show their anger, hurt, and confusion through their
behaviour and difficulties in relating to others. Through our training and
support we'll help you develop the skills and expertise to be the therapeutic
parent a child needs to thrive.

https://www.fosterandadopt.suffolk.gov.uk/fostering/why-become-a-foster-carer
http://ukfostering.org.uk/fostering-information/

What shots / cut a ways / footage will you need to film in order for the social action
video to have impact?

We will be using all types of shots, including cut-a ways, close-ups, shot-reverse-shot,
over the shoulder, etc. The over the shoulder and shot-reverse-shot will be used during
interviews and close-ups will be used to fill in gap between scenes. We will also be
using found footage from previous videos/ documentaries on the issue, in some parts
of our video. Music will be used to create a more dramatic effect we want it to
create an effect in the viewer and make them think about the issue.

Interviews
Contact details

Name: James Townend

Position: Founder of the Fitzgerald Fostering

Involvement in action: Interviewed on the Fitzgerald Fostering Agency

What can they discuss in the video? They will be talking about the fostering agency
as a whole, such as the history, why people should foster, what the difference is
between fostering and adoption, etc.

Where can they be interviewed? They will be interviewed at the Fostering Agency in
Bracknell, Berkshire.

Phone number: 01753 550031

Email address: N/A

Name: Lesley Fitzgerald

Position: Founder of the Fitzgerald Fostering

Involvement in action: Interviewed on the Fitzgerald Fostering Agency

What can they discuss in the video? They will be talking about the fostering agency
as a whole, such as the history, why people should foster, what the difference is
between fostering and adoption, etc.

Where can they be interviewed? They will be interviewed at the Fostering Agency in
Bracknell, Berkshire.

Phone number: 01753 550031

Email address: N/A