A cross-country comparison of child welfare systems and workers' responses to children appearing to be at risk or in need of help

Berrick, Jill, Dickens, Jonathan, Pösö, Tarja and Skivenes, Marit (2017) A cross-country comparison of child welfare systems and workers' responses to children appearing to be at risk or in need of help. Child Abuse Review, 26 (4). 305–319. ISSN 0952-9136

Preview

PDF (Accepted manuscript) - Accepted Version Download (307kB) | Preview

Abstract

This paper compares how frontline staff in four national child welfare systems and policy contexts – Finland, Norway, England and the USA (specifically, California) – respond to questions about a scenario of possible harm to children. The countries have different child welfare systems that we anticipated would be reflected in the workers' responses (n = 1027). The analysis shows differences and similarities between the systems, although often not in line with system expectations. There is also variation within the country samples. The study shows the complex interactions of individual and agency characteristics in addition to the role of proceduralised decision-making systems and professional discretion.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	child welfare systems,decision-making,eligibility assessment,service provision
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Social Work
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Child Protection (former - to 2017) Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Child Placement (former - to 2017) Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Child Protection & Family Support Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Centre for Research on Children and Families
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	10 Mar 2017 01:41
Last Modified:	14 Jun 2023 12:54
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/62938
DOI:	10.1002/car.2485

Downloads

Actions (login required)

View Item