Engaging with families in child protection: lessons from practitioner research in Scotland

TY - JOUR

T1 - Engaging with families in child protection

T2 - lessons from practitioner research in Scotland

AU - Gallagher, Michael

AU - Smith, Mark

AU - Wilkinson, Heather

AU - Cree, Viviene E.

AU - Wosu, Helen

AU - Stewart, J.

AU - Hunter, Scott

N1 - The research was funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Scottish Funding Council and the Local Authorities and Research Councils’ Initiative (LARCI).

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - This paper reports findings from practitioner-led research on engagement with families in the child protection system in Scotland. Engagement is here defined in a participative sense, to mean the involvement of family members in shaping social work processes. Key findings include the importance of workers building trusting relationships; the value of honest and clear communication, information, and explanation; and the potential for formal structures such as reports and meetings to hinder family engagement. These findings contribute to a growing critique of managerialism in social work.

AB - This paper reports findings from practitioner-led research on engagement with families in the child protection system in Scotland. Engagement is here defined in a participative sense, to mean the involvement of family members in shaping social work processes. Key findings include the importance of workers building trusting relationships; the value of honest and clear communication, information, and explanation; and the potential for formal structures such as reports and meetings to hinder family engagement. These findings contribute to a growing critique of managerialism in social work.

UR - https://www.cwla.org/child-welfare-journal/journal-archives/

M3 - Article

SN - 0009-4021

VL - 90

SP - 117

EP - 134

JO - Child Welfare

JF - Child Welfare

IS - 4

ER -