Suchergebnisse

ABSTRACTPlacing children in out‐of‐home care constitutes one of the strongest public interventions in families. This paper explores how Norwegian Child Welfare Service (CWS) workers present their reasons as well as their work processes in the course of deciding to place children in out‐of‐home care. The analysis is based on interviews with 83 social workers and concerns 109 children recently removed from their homes. Three central elements were identified in the social workers' accounts: (1) a description of worrying conditions in the family; (2) the workers' long‐term back‐and‐forth process, which revolved around experiences from the case, particularly around interactions with the parents; and (3) a triggering factor that made the out‐of‐home placement take place when it did. These elements underline the need to include both substance (conditions related to the child and his/her family) and procedure (conditions related to the work on the case) to understand what leads CWS to removing children. Both types of conditions put the parents, rather than the children, in the centre of the workers' attention, which may be explained by the position and role of the CWS workers as street‐level bureaucrats. The findings emphasize the importance of acknowledging the contradictory position of CWS workers.

AbstractIndependent experts are commonly used in child protection care proceedings to assess families and contribute to a sound basis for care order decisions. Yet the role and function of these experts varies across contexts, with issues raised concerning the quality and impact of their reports. Based on six focus group discussions (FGDs) with child welfare service (CWS) social workers in Norway, this study aims to advance the understanding of how independent experts are used when it comes to child protection. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted, which revealed that the social workers mostly found the experts' contributions useful in that they provide a fresh pair of eyes and reduce the complexities in a case. However, the use of independent experts also had some negative aspects. The social workers experienced that their competence was undermined in court and had some experience working with experts whose work was of poor quality, which was unrecognized by quality control measures. This study raises timely questions about the role of the expert and suggests a clearer distinction between the function of providing expert knowledge to complement the social workers' assessments and the function of providing an independent assessment of the family on behalf of the courts.

Abstract
The processes used by social workers to collect, interpret and use stakeholder information in child protection cases are an unexplored but essential part of the decision-making process. This study focuses on social workers' efforts to integrate the knowledge of other professionals. This article draws on a framework for managing knowledge across organisational boundaries and a process-oriented conceptualisation of knowledge integration. The analysis of ten interviews with social workers shows that the process of knowledge integration affects the basis of social workers' decision making. We argue that knowledge possessed by other professionals is often viewed as easily transferrable and correctly received, when in fact this knowledge is often complex and subjective and requires extra effort to obtain, understand and integrate into case-specific situations. This implies a need to recognise information processing as an influencing factor in decision making within child protection that pertains to both practice and research.

AbstractEnsuring that young people in foster care receive the support they need at the right time, is a pressing issue across health- and social services. In this study, we aim to broaden the knowledge base on what constitutes appropriate help and support from the perspective of young people in long-term foster care in Norway. As part of a larger survey, young people in foster care (N = 178) aged eleven to eighteen years provided written accounts on the open-ended question: 'What advice would you give adults who help young people living in foster care?'. We conducted a systematic content analysis to identify themes and categories across the data. Four main themes were identified: enable participation; build trusting relationships; ensure appropriate follow-up; and cultivate belonging. Participation served as a pivoting point across the themes, as a prerequisite for young people in care to receive the services they need and develop a positive self-relationship. Our findings indicate that services must be tailored to recognise how the strengths and needs of young people in foster care change over time and differ across individuals. Developing practice tools that enhance young people's participation is therefore paramount, as social workers, foster parents and other adults are crucial to processes of well-being and belonging.

Even though children are active agents in their own right they remain a vulnerable group dependent on adults to protect, support, nourish and educate them. In certain circumstances and for a myriad of reasons, some families' capacity to provide for and care for their children can be reduced or compromised, and as a result they require support and assistance in carrying out this fundamental function. Family Support is one way in which children's well being can be protected and promoted. However, the way in which this mode of support is conceptualised and operationalised can vary within and across jurisdictions. For instance, family support approaches can be framed by concerns about care or control, can take a child-based or parent-oriented perspective, and may be targeted or universal in terms in eligibility. This report is part of a wider programme of work which aims to provide an innovative conceptual framework relevant to the delivery of family support in Europe. In order to provide insight to this project, this document presents a review of recent academic literature which considers the ways in which formal family support is conceptualised, developed and delivered in the European context. This includes literature from member states of the European Union, and adjacent countries from the continent that have special relationships with the Union. Much of the literature in this review stems from the UK, but it also comes from Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, France and Italy, as well as Cyprus and Croatia.

AbstractExisting research has established child welfare (CW) clients as a vulnerable group for developing negative life trajectories, including mental health problems, work‐ and education‐related challenges and premature mortality. Knowledge of later life conditions including suicidality of clients within child welfare services (CWS) in the Nordic countries is scarce. The overall aim is therefore to gain updated knowledge on how children and youth who have received or are receiving CWS interventions from the Nordic CWS fare in relation to suicidality. The population, intervention, comparator, outcome (PICO) framework guided the search through five multidisciplinary bibliographical databases. The population were former and current CWS clients; comparators were from the general population. Six cohort studies were identified (i.e., one Finnish study and five studies from Sweden), all showing evidence of a significantly elevated risk for suicide and suicide attempt in former CWS clients. CWS clients systematically fare worse concerning suicide and suicide attempt compared to their peers from the general population. In particular, former CWS clients should be recognized as being at high risk for suicide and suicidal behaviour later in life. These findings have substantial implications for CWS practice and service delivery regarding long‐term follow‐up.