1. 1. Assessing the Quality of DecisionAssessing the Quality of Decision Making in Child Protection:Making in Child Protection: A cross-country studyA cross-country study Marit Skivenes, Jonathan Dickens, Tarja Ps, Jill BerrickMarit Skivenes, Jonathan Dickens, Tarja Ps, Jill Berrick Edinburgh, ScotlandEdinburgh, Scotland BASPCANBASPCAN April, 2015April, 2015 Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
2. 2. Structure of the workshopStructure of the workshop The research projectThe research project Part 1:Part 1: The key findings on social workersThe key findings on social workers perceptions of time and institutional supportperceptions of time and institutional support for their decisionsfor their decisions Part 2:Part 2: International research: challenges andInternational research: challenges and opportunitiesopportunities Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
3. 3. The research projectThe research project Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child WelfareLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services A cross country study ofServices A cross country study of decision-makingdecision-making Social workersSocial workers CourtsCourts Different child welfare systemsDifferent child welfare systems Funded by Norwegian Research CouncilFunded by Norwegian Research Council in 2012-2016 with Marit Skivenes as PIin 2012-2016 with Marit Skivenes as PI Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
4. 4. PART 1PART 1 Research findings on time andResearch findings on time and supportsupport
5. 5. MethodsMethods On-line surveyOn-line survey Front-line child protection staff that haveFront-line child protection staff that have experienceexperience withwith care order proceedingscare order proceedings N = 772N = 772 Norway = 367Norway = 367 Finland = 208Finland = 208 England = 102England = 102 California = 84California = 84 Completed between February and June 2014.Completed between February and June 2014. Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
6. 6. Questions and responsesQuestions and responses The questions we are focusing on today:The questions we are focusing on today: How long from time of informing parents until theHow long from time of informing parents until the court application is made?court application is made? Do workers have sufficient time for solid decisionDo workers have sufficient time for solid decision making?making? What authorization and assessment processesWhat authorization and assessment processes review appropriateness of decisions?review appropriateness of decisions? Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
7. 7. Departure from the sameDeparture from the same situation: Case vignettesituation: Case vignette You are working with a boy Alex who is 5 (11) years oldYou are working with a boy Alex who is 5 (11) years old and whose family has received in-home services over aand whose family has received in-home services over a period of time. The case includes parental substanceperiod of time. The case includes parental substance abuse, previous domestic violence, and general neglect.abuse, previous domestic violence, and general neglect. The circumstances of the case have deteriorated recentlyThe circumstances of the case have deteriorated recently to such an extent that you are concerned that the boys riskto such an extent that you are concerned that the boys risk of harm is high. You are starting preparations for care orderof harm is high. You are starting preparations for care order proceedings with a view to removing Alex from his parents,proceedings with a view to removing Alex from his parents, and you have an interview with the parents to inform themand you have an interview with the parents to inform them about this. The parents are opposing a removal of Alex.about this. The parents are opposing a removal of Alex. Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
8. 8. Time for Decision MakingTime for Decision Making Would you have sufficient time to prepare a care order (the Alex case in theWould you have sufficient time to prepare a care order (the Alex case in the vignette) to your satisfaction? (N=756)vignette) to your satisfaction? (N=756) Finland Norway England California All % (N) % (N) % (N) % (N) % (N) Yes 24 % 37 % 52 % 43 % 36 % No 68 % 46 % 45 % 49 % 53 % I dont know 8 % 17 % 3 % 8 % 12 % Total % N 100 (208) 100 (363) 100 (97) 100 (88) 100 (756) Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
9. 9. Time workers spend on the Alex case (theTime workers spend on the Alex case (the vignette)vignette) MEDIAN. Highest n=653MEDIAN. Highest n=653 Country A. Time spent, from informing the parents of the possibility until decision is made. B. Time spent, from decision about sending application until the application is sent. Finland 10 (4-6 weeks) 11 (7-9 weeks) Norway 11 (7-9 weeks) 11 (7-9 weeks) England 5 (5 days) 6 (6 days) US 3 (72 hours) 3 (72 hours) Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
10. 10. Time summaryTime summary Same case scenario very different lengthSame case scenario very different length on the preparations for proceedingson the preparations for proceedings The time spent on care order decision makingThe time spent on care order decision making follows the system expectationsfollows the system expectations Although Nordic countriesAlthough Nordic countries havehave more time,more time, they feel the press of time more acutely.they feel the press of time more acutely. What can this tell us about the solidness ofWhat can this tell us about the solidness of the decisions made?the decisions made? Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
11. 11. How confident are you inHow confident are you inon cases about seeking care orders in court? Mean responses. (1 = Highly confident, 5 = very skeptical). N=758Mean responses. (1 = Highly confident, 5 = very skeptical). N=758 Fin Nor Eng US The decisions you make 1,76 1,68 2,47 1,61 The decisions your colleagues make 1,96 1,86 2,69 2,38 The decisions your managers make 1,95 1,76 2,76 2,2 Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
12. 12. Who authorizes your decision?Who authorizes your decision? Supervisors & senior managers almostSupervisors & senior managers almost always noted.always noted. Finns more often indicated peers,Finns more often indicated peers, parents, and children than staff in otherparents, and children than staff in other countries.countries. England & CA more often noted the role ofEngland & CA more often noted the role of attorneys.attorneys. Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
13. 13. DiscussionDiscussion Frameworks for decision making are different acrossFrameworks for decision making are different across countries. Tight timelines in CA and England; morecountries. Tight timelines in CA and England; more flexible timeframes in Finland and Norway. Timeflexible timeframes in Finland and Norway. Time follows system lines.follows system lines. Most staff feel the press of time; the Finns mostMost staff feel the press of time; the Finns most acutely.acutely. Degree of confidence varies; the Norwegians standDegree of confidence varies; the Norwegians stand out have high degree of confidenceout have high degree of confidence Child welfare decision making is weighty. No oneChild welfare decision making is weighty. No one makes these decisions alone. But we wouldmakes these decisions alone. But we would characterize the English and CA institutional supportscharacterize the English and CA institutional supports as more vertical, and the Norwegian and Finnishas more vertical, and the Norwegian and Finnish institutional supports as more horizontal.institutional supports as more horizontal. Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
14. 14. PART 2PART 2 International research: challengesInternational research: challenges and opportunitiesand opportunities
15. 15. Questions arising from aQuestions arising from a cross-country approach:cross-country approach: The challenges of:The challenges of: designing a cross-national vignettedesigning a cross-national vignette Language, e.g. who authorizes your decisions?,Language, e.g. who authorizes your decisions?, childrens participationchildrens participation system differences on for example what is consideredsystem differences on for example what is considered a care order, abuse, providing in-home services,a care order, abuse, providing in-home services, Defining a moment when a family separation occursDefining a moment when a family separation occurs Separating the policy and practiceSeparating the policy and practice Interpretations of findingsInterpretations of findings Often huge variations within country sampleOften huge variations within country sample Explorative research designExplorative research design InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services
16. 16. The bigger questions?The bigger questions? The whole object of travel is not to set foot onThe whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on ones ownforeign land; it is at last to set foot on ones own country as a foreign land. (G. K. Chesterton)country as a foreign land. (G. K. Chesterton) Do international comparative studies challengeDo international comparative studies challenge our preconceptions or reinforce them?our preconceptions or reinforce them? What are the opportunities for learning acrossWhat are the opportunities for learning across systems?systems? What are the similarities across countries andWhat are the similarities across countries and across systems?across systems? Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare ServicesLegitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services