Challenges of participation in child welfare

Seim, Sissel; Slettebø, Tor

doi:10.1080/13691457.2017.1320531

Cited by 41 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Due to the likelihood of neglect, abuse and inadequate care, the children in contact with Child Welfare Services (CWS) often have multiple challenges that require the involvement of professionals from various agencies. In Norway, the CWS system is responsible for both child protection and family assistance (Seim & Slettebø, ). To address the various needs of the children, professionals in different agencies must be able to collaborate across sectors, as well as with children and parents (White Paper ; ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Partnerships with children in child welfare: The importance of trust and pedagogical support

Husby

Slettebø

Juul

2018

Child & Family Social Work

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Within the context of Norwegian Child Welfare Services, children's best interests are often promoted through inter‐professional collaboration. Although children have the right and desire to participate, research reveals that professionals do not listen to them. On the basis of qualitative interviews with 10 children about their experiences collaborating with professionals, we have identified ways in which professionals can facilitate children's participation. The findings show that trusting relationships, emotional support, and pedagogical approaches increase children's participation in their interactions with professionals. The results show the importance of including a relational understanding of participation as a theoretical concept in child welfare and an awareness that power and dominance are in play.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Partnerships with children in child welfare: The importance of trust and pedagogical support

Husby

Slettebø

Juul

2018

Child & Family Social Work

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“…At the contextual level, institutions or programmes impose certain difficulties, mainly involving the authentic freedom to decide whether to participate in an investigation. Gatekeepers, such as managers or social workers-due to case load work, the need for statutory power in protective systems, the specialization of services that hinders continuity in the relationship with children (Seim & Slettebø, 2017), and other factors-can exclude some children from research or result in participants being selected without clear criteria. Regarding recruitment, Berrick et al (2000) mentioned that "administrative, political, legal, and pragmatic barriers all conspire to limit researchers' access to and contact with foster children" (p. 119).…”

Section: Challenges For Child Participation In Research In Alternativmentioning

confidence: 99%

Too Vulnerable to Participate? Challenges for Meaningful Participation in Research With Children in Alternative Care and Adoption

Quiroga

Agoglia

2020

International Journal of Qualitative Methods

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In recent years, a significant amount of research has been conducted with children from a rights perspective, especially concerning the right to be heard and participate. However, children living in alternative care and adoption have often been excluded from participating in research because they are viewed as vulnerable children who lack agency and also due to an adult-centric perspective of protection. In this article, we challenge this idea under the view that participation is a main component of protection, children are experts in their own experiences, and their views should be considered through participative research design and methods. Particular challenges that protection contexts impose for research are analyzed and several ways in which these challenges can be faced are outlined. We provide principles and examples that can be implemented to ensure that children who live in alternative care or adoption have the right as any child to be informed, be listened to, and have their views considered regarding topics that affect them.

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“…However, participation of children is still a difficult requirement in practice [40]. Difficulties in involving children in participatory practice are mainly based on the competence of social workers and attitudes to children's participation, organizational structures, material design of offices, or guidelines that represent barriers to children's participation [41].…”

Section: Child Protection Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Path toward a Child-Centered Approach in the Czech Social and Legal Protection of Children

et al. 2020

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Child protection was traditionally based on a presumption that the mother best knows what is in the best interest of her child. The discourse began to be questioned in the Czech Republic in the 1990s, followed by efforts to bring interests and needs of children into focus, as well as the ways in which they can be taken into account in the assessment process as a basis for intervention. This paper aimed to identify key features of the child-centered approach in the professional discourse of the Czech child protection and to analyze the conditions of its application. The goal was achieved through qualitative thematic analysis of professional texts in the area of social and legal protection of children since 1990 and also of legislative and methodological materials regulating child protection. This paper shows the changing of the paradigm in the social and legal protection of children and points out the shortcomings in social work practice. The reason for optimism may be the fact that an umbrella body of state administration for child protection is aware of shortcomings and, in the form of projects focusing on various topics of social work with families, works to improve competences and knowledge.

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Challenges of participation in child welfare

Cited by 41 publications

References 19 publications

Partnerships with children in child welfare: The importance of trust and pedagogical support

Partnerships with children in child welfare: The importance of trust and pedagogical support

Too Vulnerable to Participate? Challenges for Meaningful Participation in Research With Children in Alternative Care and Adoption

Path toward a Child-Centered Approach in the Czech Social and Legal Protection of Children

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