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AbstractBackgroundAlthough child participation has attained significant awareness in child welfare research, little is known about how this right is upheld in emergency cases. Therefore, the various degrees to which children participate in child welfare services' emergency cases and factors predicting such participation were explored.MethodDegrees of participation found in 148 case files (Mage = 11–12 years old, range; 3–18 years; 59% girls, 48% with minority backgrounds) from four Norwegian municipalities were regressed on 15 independent variables in a multinomial logistic regression.ResultsThe children's advancing age increases their probabilities of involvement in the decision‐making processes regarding emergency placements (p  < 0.001). The children's minority backgrounds enhance their likelihood of being informed of the placement and having their opinions given weight in decision‐making processes (p = 0.010). The study, nevertheless, revealed that 39% of children in emergency placements are not involved in these processes.ConclusionsCase file documentation indicates inadequate involvement of children in emergency cases. Nevertheless, older children and those with minority backgrounds are more likely to participate, although the degree of their involvement varies. The study did not find a correlation between prior contact with child welfare services and child participation.

AbstractIn child welfare policies, as in contemporary society in general, great attention has been given to parenting roles and investing in 'positive' parenting practices. Several studies have suggested that socio‐economic factors frame parenting practices. There is broad evidence of a significant correlation between socio‐economic inequalities and child welfare intervention rates. Nevertheless, few studies have investigated parenting practices in a child welfare population. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between socio‐economic status (SES) and parenting practices in a Norwegian child welfare population. The study was based on a cross‐sectional survey conducted in 2018–2019. The sample consisted of 256 parents (71.5% females). Linear regression analysis, adjusting for potential confounding and intermediate factors, was conducted. Lower SES was associated with higher levels of positive parenting/involvement practices (b = 0.146, CI: 0.026–0.266, P = 0.018), indicating an inverse pattern compared with the general population. When adjusting for symptoms of anxiety and depression, the association was slightly attenuated but remained statistically significant. No significant association was found between SES and inconsistent discipline/other disciplinary practices. The present study offers insights that should be useful in practice and further large‐scale studies.

This book focuses on the significance of family in child welfare (CW) services from multidisciplinary perspectives. The authors are concerned with how families experience encounters with CW workers, how professional CW work with families is guided by rules and principles, and how social structures and ideologies influence CW work. Taken together, the chapters contribute to a comprehensive understanding of how CW workers should understand the importance of family for children.

The book is important for everyone who works with the welfare of children and their families, and for those who educate CW workers. Although the context for many of the discussions in the book is Norwegian CW work, the topics are general, recognisable and relevant to similar discussions in other countries. The book is intended for CW workers, policymakers, researchers, and teachers and students in social work and child welfare study programmes.