Challenges and dilemmas working with high‐conflict families in child protection casework

Abstract

Social workers within child protection services report that families marked by high levels of conflict between separated parents are among the most challenging cases to handle. Few studies however have focussed on how social workers themselves experience and meet with parents involved in hostile martial interactions. This article reports on a qualitative study involving 31 social workers and provides an analysis of their experiences and dilemmas in working with such families. Findings demonstrate that social workers struggle to find ways to help high‐conflict families and often find themselves at an impasse. Parents involved in such conflict are highly resistant to change, and social workers struggle to engage with them over concerns about their children. Furthermore, findings suggest that social workers lack organizationally allotted time to assist the parents. I conclude by discussing ways in which emotional support, empowering interventions, and strength‐based approaches enable social workers to manage relationships with high‐conflict families. More research on this topic is needed to support and promote better practices for social workers to be more effective in assisting high‐conflict families.

Should we take their children? Caseworkers’ negotiations of ‘good enough’ care for children living with high-conflict parents

“…In other words, this type of factor seemed to make caseworkers more comfortable with constructing arguments for a care order in high-conflict cases. However, previous research has shown that this is not a common decision when high-conflict families are involved (Sudland, 2019).…”

Hostile relationships in social work practice: anxiety, hate and conflict in long-term work with involuntary service users

“…After the birth of the baby social work visits lasted between 18 and 33 minutes, which given the high level of concern was short. This can be explained, in part, by how uncomfortable workers felt in the home having to face such anger and aggression (see also, Henderson, 2018;Sudland, 2020). While, as we have seen, some parents, like the Jones's and the Lewis's, sometimes walked out of their own home for some of the time social workers were there, Roberta's resistance was more subtle in how she made sure there was nowhere for practitioners to sit, which left professionals having to awkwardly stand, crouch or sit on the floor.…”

“…High profile cases where children were harmed or died despite extensive professional involvement have heightened awareness of what Laming (2009) called 'resistant and deceitful parents'. Sudland (2020) shows how working with 'high-conflict' parents and families is enormously emotionally and practically challenging. Some research suggests that in such high-risk cases intimidation and physical violence towards social workers by family members are quite common (Littlechild, 2005;Stanley & Goddard, 2002).…”

«Å gå i spagaten». Familieveilederes erfaringer og utfordringer i arbeid med foreldrekonflikter i barnevernstjenesten

“…Dette er først og fremst studier om kontaktpersonenes (saksbehandlerens) 1 perspektiver (se f.eks. Jevne & Ulvik, 2012;Rød, Iversen & Underlid, 2012;Sudland, 2019). Det mangler imidlertid kunnskap om arbeid med disse familiene i barnevernet sett fra familieveilederens 2 perspektiv.…”