Professional Values Challenged by Case Management—Theorizing Practice in Child Protection with Reflexive Practitioners

Abstract

In this article, we theorize and reflect based on former research into professional practice and discretion as well as use some results from working together with practitioners in child protection services to explore the phenomenon of non-performing. Regulation lies at the heart of the contemporary child protection discourse. On the one hand we have seen a trend towards systematization of assessment content and procedures, on the other hand it is assumed that rational management approaches can secure consistency of performance. Social workers may be weary of the constraints all this imposes, but seem generally content to comply. Our reasoning was that social workers in child protection should be helped to get to grips with modifications to practice so that multi-challenged families could be accorded priority. These changes would include a reframing of assessment to take account of family needs as well as the needs of children. Follow-up would also require much more attention. Additionally, the choice of help provided for children and families would have to come into better focus, despite the limitations often experienced in practice. The question we asked was whether these types of reframing could be fostered within local child welfare units. We conducted a field trial in which child protection units were encouraged to reframe their practices, with the support of an expert group. The idea was to enhance and enable innovation through the combination of a more thorough dialogue with the families involved, as well as critical reflection based on available knowledge related to the identified challenges. We do a critical discussion of the work and the results from this in order to enhance knowledge on innovation in child protection.

Child protection investigations of child custody cases in Norway: caseworkers’ obstacles and coping strategies

“…deadlines) and make informed decisions (BLD 2013(BLD , 2019Lipsky 2010), even the most dedicated, child-centred caseworker can feel the need to prioritise performance demands over the children's right to express their views on their own terms. These findings illustrate that caseworkers may need to make their work look good on paper instead of relying on values derived from social work theory (Marthinsen et al 2020). As previous researchers point out (Ferguson 2016;Munro 2002), caseworkers are in a dual relationship because they are expected to reach informed conclusions and provide appropriate services in accordance with the CPS system's procedures and performance measures and, at the same time, to build trustful relationships with parents and children.…”

Social Work with Families in Special Distress: Collaborative Practices

“…We should bear in mind that this sample reported having a high caseload, and this hinders their capacity to find the time and space for reflecting on the work developed. Other studies have also reported these high caseloads (e.g., Leigh and Miller 2004;Marthinsen et al 2020). Moreover, as we highlight in the results (Section 3.2), supervision is not included as a mandatory activity for most social workers in Mallorca (Spain), and this may contribute to not finding reflection spaces.…”

Aligning values in applied professional practice: a case study of children’s services qualifying programmes in a Scottish university

“…Engelbertink et al (2022) argue that students should be supported in this aspect of their studies as they develop their professional identity. Gunetilleke et al (2011) and Marthinsen et al(2020) argue that the increasing predominance of liberal economic thought, which influences developmental discourse and practice, is a key factor in these tensions. Gunetilleke et al (2011) further argue that perceived tensions may be addressed through either resolving these or by individuals choosing to work in areas which align more closely with their own values.…”

“…Such tensions are heightened for community development practitioners, as the profession is continually seeking to balance whose values should prevail, foregrounding those of the communities where they work, especially as these are in a "constant process of becoming" (Banks, 2019, p.196). Similarly, qualified Social Workers can find that the bureaucracy where they work operates a different set of values to those of the profession (Marthinsen et al, 2020). The tensions inherent in this situation means that all possible values cannot be realised simultaneously.…”

“…The tensions inherent in this situation means that all possible values cannot be realised simultaneously. To ameliorate these tensions, practitioners highlight the value of working in smaller teams, creating their own communities of practice based around common values (Marthinsen et al, 2020). In school settings, the creation of this 'values-practice gap' can only be overcome through continuous professional learning and development, and the sharing of practices in managing values tensions between staff (Brennan & King, 2022).…”