Heads in the Cloud: An Example of Practice-Based Information and Communication Technology in Child Welfare

Abstract

Changes in information and communications technology (ICT) in human services have accelerated rapidly and have elicited academic concern about the impact on practice, changes in approaches to implementation, and a shift to user-led development. This article describes the development of ICT by a nongovernment child welfare agency over the past two decades. It is guided by a social constructionist view of technology in which technology is shaped by social factors, but in turn shapes the "social" implementation as requiring the integration of two distinct technologies: a standardized framework for practice and the computer. Both technologies had to be carefully aligned to workplace culture, but the interests of workers have not been allowed to dominate those of and children and families. The organization of work has had to change. This article explores the agency's experience drawing on theories of implementation of ICT in human services. ARTICLE HISTORYThe evolution of information and communications technology (ICT) has been transformative in social workers' lives over the past two decades; however, the social workers' use of ICT has been slow to develop and mired in controversy. There have been expensive failures of software development, frustration among practitioners and a paralyzing academic debate. This article describes attempts by social workers at the child welfare agency to explore ICT's capacity to enhance practice and improve outcomes for children and families. It is based on a social constructionist view of technology in which social processes shape technology and technology affects social organizations. I draw on theorists who examine why social workers take up particular aspects of technologies (Hutchby, 2001(Hutchby, , 2003 and how implementation of computer technology needs to be attuned to the culture of the workplace. The resulting computer program has been used in this busy practice agency for over 18 years, its efficacy has been independently evaluated and it now used voluntarily by 22 similar agencies. The initial ICT project, and its CONTACT Susan Tregeagle

Action research with caseworkers: Responding to and reflecting on the impacts of COVID‐19 on birth family contact

“…In contrast, a social constructionist view of technology and accompanying ideas of social shaping of technology posits that technology is shaped by complex social processes and social factors (Hutchby, 2001). Like Tregeagle (2016), we argue that the use of technology is 'both the result of, but also shapes, social processes ' (p. 228) and that the COVID-19 pandemic is a factor that shapes uptake and use of technology.…”

Understanding the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on families involved in the child welfare system: Technological capital and pandemic practice

“…The first author's CME allows us to provide context to childwelfare practice, particularly as compared to post-pandemic case practice. We also utilized the second author's 6-year, 15-wave participant-observer ethnography related to intergenerational digital inequalities Magsamen-Conrad et al, 2013, 2016 to understand technology use and adoption.…”

“…The challenges of ICT use in casework are underrepresented in existing literature. This research explores issues related to the ethics (Cooner et al, 2020), security, and privacy (Zhang & Gutierrez, 2007) of communication between CPS caseworkers and the families they serve via ICTs (see Tregeagle, 2016). In an opinion piece, Tregeagle (2011) warns CPS workers that ICTs have the potential to distort communication, increase deception, and lead to the exploitation of service users.…”

Theoretical Foundations for the Study of Social Innovation in the Public Sector

“…The first is a survey of social workers that looks at the impact of a technological change on social worker perceptions about administrative burden [18]. The second looks at the influence of two relevant social groups, social workers and information and communication technology (ICT) professionals, on the development of an effective case management information system in Australia [20]. The third looks at how the social and material can interact to produce changes in the characteristics of information technology over time that allows for re-prioritization in the privileged forms of knowledge within the information system [17,22].…”