Getting Beneath the Surface: Scapegoating and the Systems Approach in a Post-Munro World

Invisible Children, Dying to Save Others: A Discussion of Three Fatal Child Abuse Cases and the Prevention of Future Deaths

“…Scapegoating is when a person is blamed for wrongdoings, mistakes or faults of others in the interests of expediency, and it happens when the failings or disowned aspects of a group are punished for them (Ruch et al 2014). As a mechanism to control inner chaos and gain control, power and allegiance (Ruch et al 2014), scapegoating is a powerful human processing dynamic that apportions and isolates blame. Girard (1986) theorises that scapegoating is performed to maintain social cohesion and order.…”

“…The ramifications of scapegoating are thus increased costs and workloads, increased pressure on social workers (Jones 2014); and, as argued, more pressure potentially leads to fatal judgment in risk assessment. Ruch et al (2014) argue that the lack of trust generated by scapegoating means that the vicious cycle -starting from, lack of visibility of the children, faulty parental representations, interventionist failures to adequately neutralise risks early, to a child's death, then scapegoating, which leads to a climate of distrust -is a bleak picture for our children's future. Navigating the tension between safeguarding the intactness of families whose children may not need protecting by the state and those that require protection is a delicate exercise.…”

“…There is no easy solution, especially not one that only relies on training and identification of dysfunctional representations. While providing reflective spaces (Munro 2011;Ruch et al 2014) is one way of addressing the negative impact of scapegoating, society needs to also build on community-based approaches that focus strengthening the resilience of families. Projects such as the Pathways to Prevention Project (Homel et al 2006) is an example.…”

“…Second, the article discusses the practice of scapegoating in child protection. Scapegoating has become a pervasive and persistent culture routinely interwoven into child protection practice (Ruch et al 2014). However, not all children who have suffered abuse and neglect become an issue of national concern (Jones 2014).…”

Being Thrown Under the Bus and Rising Above the Fray: Maintaining Authenticity

“…The effect is that the guilty persons or groups are not punished and this provides a mechanism for them to gain control of inner chaos or understanding, and it gives them the opportunity to seize control, exert power, or form allegiances. (Ruch, Lees, & Prichard, 2014). because the descriptions of those affected are often vague or abstract due to the multiple layers of the experience.…”