Learning from parents: A qualitative interview study on how parents experience their journey through the Dutch child protection system

Abstract

The quality of parents' experiences with the child protection system (CPS) is related to the outcomes of their family's process in the system. The importance of collaboration with parents in child protection is underpinned by human and children's rights conventions addressing the right for family life and parents being first responsible in fulfilling children's rights. We interviewed 20 parents about their experiences with the Dutch CPS. Our thematic analysis shows that a CPS serving the best interests of their children is most important to parents. To realize this, professionals should (1) “not let it happen but do something,” (2) “get a clear picture of the family's situation,” and (3) “take parents seriously.” Parents emphasize that a system providing sufficient “money, time, and knowledge” is needed to facilitate professionals. Their experiences seem to influence their trust in the system and their attitude towards it. This study shows new insights in parents' experiences, such as their advice to professionals to determine the truth and to be decisive. This deepened knowledge about parents' experiences is essential for evaluating and improving the CPS.

Perspektiver på omsorgsovertakelser: En kvalitativ studie av foreldre og barnevernsarbeideres erfaringer med omsorgsovertakelsesprosesser med tilknyttede problemområder

“…Flere studier har påpekt manglende kunnskap om foreldres erfaringer med omsorgsovertakelser (Ellingsen et al, 2018;Honey et al, 2018;Höjer, 2011;Juhasz, 2018;Schofield et al, 2011;Smeeton & Boxhall, 2011;Nixon et al, 2013). Selv om det har tilkommet flere studier har også nyere forskningslitteratur savnet kunnskap om foreldres erfaringer med ufrivillige inngrep fra barnevernet (Bouma et al, 2020). Shanks og Weitz (2020) etterlyser kunnskap om foreldres behov i omsorgsovertakelsessaker, og deres erfaringer med å leve med mindre synlige stigma.…”

“…Foreldre har uttrykt ønske om at barnevernsarbeidere er empatiske, men samtidig aerlige og tydelige i kontakten med dem (Bouma et al, 2020).…”

Social workers’ constructions of parents to children in foster care

“…However, negative experiences and lack of support from social services are widely reported. Parents experience that their views are not taken into consideration (Boutanquoi et al, 2020) and that social workers base their interventions on lies and untruths due to poor investigations (Bouma et al, 2020). In order to improve practices, scholars stress that social workers need improved competences in "key social work skills" such as emphatic communication (Forrester, 2008).…”

“…Parents report feelings of loss, shame, guilt, anger, and stigma after the removal of the child. They require support from social services to cope with their situation and to be reunited with their children (Bouma et al, 2020; Buckley et al, 2011; Peterson, 2018; Höjer, 2009; Schofield et al, 2011, 2012). Studies show that parents to children in care go through different phaseswhich require different kinds of support (Balsells et al, 2015; Strength and Lietz, 2011).…”

“…Despite a new rhetoric of child protection as based on consensus, transparency and service user engagement, practices are less inclined to develop in this direction (Buckley et al, 2011). As pointed out by Bouma et al (2020), working in partnership with parents within child protection is a complicated task, as there might be tensions between children’s and parents’ interests.…”