Care order templates as institutional scripts in child protection: A cross-system analysis

Berrick, Jill Duerr, Dickens, Jonathan, Poso, Tarja and Skivenes, Marit (2018) Care order templates as institutional scripts in child protection: A cross-system analysis. Children and Youth Services Review, 84. pp. 40-47. ISSN 0190-7409

Preview

PDF (Accepted manuscript) - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (884kB) | Preview

Abstract

This article compares blank care order application templates used in four countries (England, Finland, Norway, and USA (California)), treating them as a vital part of the ‘institutional scripts’ that shape practice, and embody state principles of child protection. The templates are used when child protection agencies apply to court for a care order, usually to remove a child from the family home. The templates prescribe and shape the type of information and analysis that is required justify such an extreme level of state intervention in family life. They are a mechanism and a manifestation of the principles and the legislation of each child welfare system, and are able to cast light on issues that might otherwise remain unseen or unnoticed in cross-country comparisons. The analysis of the documents compares the language and form of the four blank templates, their inter-textuality, their readership, and authors. The analysis highlights the discretionary space allocated to social workers across countries and the state frameworks within which child protection efforts are embedded.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	child welfare,care order preparations,institutional scripts,discretion,cross-country comparisons
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Social Work
UEA Research Groups:	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:	18 Nov 2017 06:06
Last Modified:	14 Jun 2023 13:12
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/65499
DOI:	10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.11.017

Downloads

Actions (login required)

View Item