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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Child protection'
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1
Watts, Vivienne J. "Child protection in schools: Advancing teachers from intuitive to rational thinking in child protection decision making." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 1997. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/36562/1/36562_Digitised%20Thesis.pdf.
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The number of notifications of child abuse is increasing rapidly so that, if the present trend continues, Australian child protection services will receive over half a million notifications of suspected child abuse in the year 2007, ten years hence. This trend has implications for teachers who contact children on a daily basis. Teachers have a duty of care for the children who are compelled to attend school, yet teachers currently have a poor record of reporting. The current preparation of Australian teachers for. participation in child protection is inconsistent with mandatory reporting requirements and inadequate for teachers' child protection role.
It was assumed that the aim of child protection training should be to improve teachers' child protection decision making, consequently, the purpose of the present study was to illuminate and analyse preservice teachers' child protection decision making at the point of entry to their preservice course. In so doing, the study focused specifically on the nature of participants' knowledge, beliefs, perceptions and experiences likely to influence their child protection decisions.
The literature was reviewed for the purpose of identifying existing child protection programs and factors known to inhibit or enhance teachers' decisions to report suspected abuse. Since the purpose of the study was to understand and illuminate participants' subjective knowledge, beliefs, perceptions, and experiences, and the likely influence of these factors on child protection decision making, an interpretive orientation was used. Data collection methods included the administration of questionaries, presentation of a videotaped child protection scenario as a stimulus to discussion, transcription and analysis of small group discussions, and a reflective activity.
Findings indicated that preservice teachers' intuitive decision making was dependent primarily on their interpersonal perceptions of the stakeholders, their personal beliefs, and their past experiences which interacted with each other. Knowledge played only a minimal role. The findings of the study contribute to the child protection literature by linking the role of beliefs, perceptions, knowledge and experiences with teachers' decision making in relation to child protection.
Robinson's (1993) Problem-Based Methodology was used to develop a child protection curriculum framework for use by teacher educators in preservice teacher education from the findings of the study. The findings illuminated how preservice teachers make child protection decisions at the point of entry to their preservice course.
The study is significant in that it found that knowledge played a limited role in child protection decision making, suggesting that programs which aim to improve teachers' knowledge of definitions, signs and reporting procedures can be expected to be ineffective. On the other hand, programs which also consider the role of teachers' beliefs, experiences and perceptions are more likely to be effective.
The findings imply that preservice child protection programs should include not only the skills necessary for child protection decision making, but also a metacognitive understanding of the decision making process in order to advance preservice teachers from intuitive to more rational bases of child protection decision making.
2
Kanga, Rustom H. "Child protection, morality and social justice." Thesis, University of Kent, 1992. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.305067.
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Kelly, Nancy. "Decision making in child protection practice." Thesis, University of Huddersfield, 2000. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/4845/.
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This research explores the decision making processes of individuals and groups engaged in child protection practice within social services departments in the UK. The emphasis of the research was to consider how the application of psychological theories and concepts might allow a descriptive and interpretative evaluation of decision processes in child protection practice. The research sought to elaborate upon much of previous social work literature in that it focused upon the processes of decision making rather than the outcomes for participants. Similarly it sought to elaborate upon literature in decision theory in that it focused upon real world, ongoing and naturalistic decision situations. The theoretical framework used in the research was an integrated model of decision making under conditions of risk proposed by Whyte (1989,1991). This model outlines circumstances under which individuals and groups may take decisions in the directions of risk or caution. The methodological approach was grounded in the principles of qualitative research. Drawing upon Forster (1994) and Yin (1989) documentary analysis was applied to case studies. The research considered documents in relation to two categories of child protection cases. Initially those where children who were already known to child protection practitioners had died, namely, child death inquiry reports. Ongoing cases within a local authority child protection department, where the outcomes and decision making were considered to be positive, were then analysed. The interpretation from the first stage of the research suggested that all the concepts outlined in Whyte's model could have explanatory value and that the deaths of children could be a consequence of the ways in which decisions are framed and which leave children in situations of risk. The second stage involved the analysis of documents in relation to eight ongoing cases within a local authority. The number of group meetings held in the eight cases was 38 and in 71% of these the operation of the certainty effect in the direction of risk was evident. In the remaining 39% there was evidence that the certainty effect operated in the direction of caution. Within the documents there was some evidence of group polarisation and groupthink. Resources were committed and escalated consistently in order to ensure the effectiveness of initial plans of action despite evidence that these were unsuccessful in terms of the overall well being of the children. The decisions were shown to be bounded by the 'objective' principles of the Children Act 1989 and Working Together (1991). However themes that emerged from the analysis of the cases suggest that there is a 'subjective' influence on decision processes. Evident within the analysis was a shared fundamental belief in keeping children with their mothers. Both these objective and subjective influences suggest that almost inevitably decision making in child protection practice will be driven in directions that result in courses of action that involve potential and actual risks for children. The findings emphasise how an explicit recognition of the multifaceted nature of decision making can assist in more reflective practice. The ways in which national and local policy impacts upon decision processes, at the level of the individual and groups, need to be monitored in order that the needs of children in situations that involve risk remain paramount.
4
Fay, Franziska Maria. "Perilous protection : discipline, chastisement and child protection in schools in Zanzibar." Thesis, SOAS, University of London, 2017. http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/26491/.
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Gough, David Arthur. "An analysis of child abuse and child protection work in Scotland." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 1993. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.318226.
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Featherstone, Brigid. "Feminism, child welfare and child protection : a critical analysis and review." Thesis, University of Huddersfield, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.405178.
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This PhD by publication consists of one single authored book, four single authored articles, two jointly authored articles in refereed journals, and five single authored chapters in edited books. It covers the period 1996-2004. A theme running through the work submitted is a concern to think `in and against feminism' in order to contribute to conceptual, policy and practice debates around child welfare and protection. Thus the work can be seen as involving an on going series of conversations with those who identify as feminists and those within child welfare and protection who see feminism as irrelevant, dangerous or both. -
7
Summers, Diana Elizabeth. "Child protection in voluntary sector sport organisations." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2000. http://eprints.glos.ac.uk/5283/.
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This thesis examines the issue of child protection policy in voluntary sector organisations. More particularly it examines policies concerned with protecting children from child sexual abuse, within the Church of England and British voluntary sector sport over a period in the mid-1990s. Using a poststructuralist theory, specifically Actor Network Theory (ANT) this thesis explores child protection policy and discussion through case studies in the contexts of one Church of England diocese and seven voluntary sector sport organisations, utilising semistructured interviews and documentary analysis. It is suggested that the Church of England and British voluntary sector sport have common discursive 'frames', through the historical incorporation of Christian discourses into the beginnings of modem sport in the 19th Century English Public Schools, that support sexual violence against women and children and which provide legitimate identities for abusers. This cultural support for abuse, combined with similar incoherence in the organisational structures in both the Church of England and British voluntary sector sport organisations, is identified as preventing the effective dissemination of child protection policy, where such existed. The major difference between the two areas is identified as the focus within sport organisations on an 'organisational body project' by which organisational aims are achieved. This focus on the body in sport, it is argued, provides increased access and opportunities for abuse by those, like coaches, who most immediately manage the 'organisational body project'.
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Jenkins, Brian Q. "A Systems Approach to Reducing Child Protection Recurrance." Thesis, Griffith University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/365749.
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Child protection recurrence exists where children and families have repeated involvement with authorities responsible for preventing and addressing harm caused by child maltreatment. Prior research has examined repeated reports, repeated investigations, and repeated substantiations of child maltreatment. Child protection recurrence is problematic for children, as concerns about abuse or neglect remain unresolved despite repeated contact with child protection authorities. For families, repeated investigations can be experienced as invasive, stressful, and stigmatising. For governments, recurrence represents repeated work screening and possibly investigating allegations about the same children and families. It also raises questions about the accuracy of risk assessments designed to prioritise services, and the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent further maltreatment. Child protection recurrence therefore raises questions about the effectiveness and efficiency of child protection services.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Arts, Education and Law
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McFadden, Paula Martina. "Resilience and burnout in child protection social work." Thesis, Ulster University, 2013. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.592009.
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Background: Child protection social work is acknowledged as a stressful career. Retaining experience in child protection teams has been a major issue due to staff turnover. In the current economic climate, with job alternatives scarce due to a freeze on recruitment, retention of staff may be undesirable. This creates a situation of individuals with the potential of being burnt out, delivering a critical function of social work. This may impact negatively on not only the well-being of staff but also the quality of the service they provide. Aims and Objectives: The overarching aim of this study is to examine the factors that contribute to resilience and burnout in the child protection workforce in Northern Ireland. The objectives are to identify the protective factors that sustain resilience in some staff and also to identify and measure aspects of burnout and resilience within this workforce. Organizational contexts are examined from the perspective of job engagement or burnout to measure the perceived impact of workload, values, community, equity, control and reward. Demographic variables are also identified. A systematic literature review was conducted and places the findings in Northern Ireland in the context of other studies from an international perspective. The results may influence policy and procedures regarding the recruitment and retention of child protection social workers. Methodology: Mixed methodology included the use of quantitative and quatitative methods at the data collection and data analysis stages of the study. Cross sectional survey design was used for a quantitative questionnaire that included psychometric tests to measure aspects of burnout, resilience, organizational factors and demographic variables. Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 "Leavers" and 15 "Stayers". The five Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Trusts participated in the study as well as a voluntary sector child protection organization. The response rale for the quantitative part of the study was 43% and there were n=162 respondents. Data Analysis: The quantitative data was analysed using SPSS version 17. Correlations and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the data. Interviews were transcribed and input into Nvivo 9 in preparation for thematic analysis. Results: The results show that workload is a predictor of burnout and that manager and peer supports are associated with resilience. Resilience is both intrapersonal, relying on the specific characteristics of individuals, and interpersonal due to the quality of relationships with significant others in the organizational context. Organizational culture and climate are important contextual factors that impact on workers desire to stay or leave. The quantitative results were reinforced by the qualitative findings from the qualitative interviews. Conclusion: Interventions to ameliorate the current issues within child protection social work require an overview of the social work career from pre-training all the way though to employment and beyond. Employers need to consider issues such as workload, quality management support and supervision, positive team support and the wider organizational culture and climate which all impact on workforce resilience or burnout.
10
Holland, Sally Anne Louise. "The comprehensive assessment in child protection social work." Thesis, Cardiff University, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.327223.
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Lee, N. M. "Stabilising child protection : a social psychology of cooperation." Thesis, University of Reading, 1996. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.360064.
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Hart, Diane. "The contested subject : child protection assessment before birth." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2001. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/365588/.
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The study focused on the activity of an inner city local authority during one year. This was contextualised by an analysis of statistical data, the policy and procedural framework and the organisational structure of the study authority. Data from the case files of all babies (31) either unborn or under the age of one year who were subject to an Initial Child Protection Case Conference during 1993-4 year were then collected using a pro forma. Key documents were copied and studied in their entirely. Three levels of textual analysis were applied: a description of the families, the operation of the child protection system and the outcome for the babies one year after the Conference; case studies illustrating both the range of dilemmas and social work styles, and a thematic analysis of the ways in which the assessing social workers constructed the notion of a 'safe baby'. These levels of analysis are reflected in the presentation of the findings. The population of families who had been the subject of pre-birth assessment was found to be particularly troubled, with mothers experiencing substance use or mental health problems. Many also had a history of difficulty in caring for previous children. There were indications that the child protection system provided an inadequate framework for undertaking pre-birth assessments and the responses to referrals was inconsistent. However, only a quarter of the babies where pre-birth or neo-natal assessment had taken place were living with their mother in the community at follow-up, supporting the view that this vulnerable population is particularly in need of an adequate social work response. The case studies confirmed this vulnerability whilst demonstrating the variable nature of social work practice. When this practice was further explored thematically, judgements were found to be based on constructions about the natural mother, the peripheral father and the passive baby. Fundamental issues were raised about an alternative paradigm for practice where the subject status of those involved in the assessment process could more effectively be recognised in the construction of evidence. However, the political framework would need to support such an approach and further debate is needed about the proper role of social workers at this point in a child's life.
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Boodhoo, Amanda. "An examination of collaborative working in child protection." Thesis, University of Greenwich, 2010. http://gala.gre.ac.uk/7134/.
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Background Collaborative working between health and social care professionals in child protection work has been generally promoted in the western world as best practice (Laming 2009, HM Govt 2010). Problems in achieving effective collaborative working have beset child protection systems and have been a constant feature in a number of serious case reviews (Brandon et al 2010). Collaboration between professionals of different disciplines is complex and involves interpersonal, interprofessional and interorganisational dimensions. Aim The aim of this research project was to investigate the extent to which health and social services professionals practising within two health and local authorities perceived that a collaborative approach was adopted between the two agencies when working both with families where there were children in need of services and families where there were children in need of protection. Factors that may enhance or inhibit collaboration were explored. Method The sample used was a purposive sample, comprising social workers and health professionals working in one of two boroughs. A case study approach was adopted and data collection involved a mixed approach of both qualitative and quantitative methods. A postal survey across the two boroughs was undertaken, using a questionnaire which was distributed on two separate occasions to allow comparison of the extent to which there was effective collaboration pre and post the Laming Inquiry. The questionnaire included a series of brief vignettes and a multi staged vignette, based on real life cases which were anonymised and were developed to assess the application of thresholds across the two boroughs and across professional disciplines, and to explore collaboration throughout the safeguarding continuum. The questionnaire used a number of open, closed and scaled questions to generate both quantitative and qualitative data. The questionnaire was distributed to a total of 311 practitioners at the pre Laming stage and to a total of 300 practitioners post Laming. Results In analysing the responses from participants across health and social care, a number of important themes have emerged. The responses to the vignettes demonstrated different levels of professional participation in work both with children in need and at different stages of the process for children in need of protection. Professionals in the borough with established child in need policies valued the multi-agency approach that was adopted in work where there are children in need of services There was lack of consensus in several of the cases in terms of thresholds of concern; a range of factors that may enhance or inhibit collaboration were identified, including shared thresholds, the practice of informal joint meetings, joint assessment and joint training. The majority of respondents believed the Laming Inquiry had impacted on collaboration in both areas of practice, children in need of services and children in need of protection. Although a number of positive outcomes of the Laming Inquiry were identified, the impact in terms of work load and stress generated as a result of policy change from the Inquiry were highlighted. In analysing responses in the current study, a theme that was very evident was the extent to which the emotional impact of safeguarding work affects the ability of professionals to achieve a collaborative way of working. In reflecting on the findings of the research the following recommendations are made: Recommendations In undertaking this current research and reflecting upon the learning that has taken place, as a result of the valuable input from professionals who participated, the following recommendations are made: Recommendations at the level of practice 1. Health and social care organisations should consider the development of multi-agency practice teams to provide services for children in need. 2. Health and social care organisations should consider the development of multi-agency safeguarding supervision, based on a model that allows reflection, particularly for complex cases and includes the supportive element for practitioners. Recommendations at the level of policy 3. Health and social care organisations should undertake assessments at the time of policy change to identify the financial and human requirements to resource the change. Recommendations for future research 4. Further research is undertaken to explore in greater depth the emotional impact of safeguarding work and potential approaches to support professionals. 5. Future research is undertaken to explore the child and young person’s experience of collaborative approaches in safeguarding practice.
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Adam, Zakari. "Building capacity for advancing child protection in Mali." Thesis, Middlesex University, 2016. http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/18785/.
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UNICEF is the UN worldwide agency committed to promote children’s rights across countries. Such a mandate is particularly significant in African countries like Mali where children under the age of 18 make up 50% of the population and who experience widespread violation of rights. In 2011, when I was chief child protection in this country with a role to manage UNICEF’s interventions and human resources charged to protect children against various forms of violation of their rights, I embarked on research aiming to investigate conflicts experienced by Child Protection Workers (CPWs) related to their personal beliefs/practices and professional agenda. The methodology of the research was action oriented in line with my intention to put this work at the service of CPWs in Mali and beyond to improve their practice. I worked together with them to explore various dimensions of cultural conflicts and what it takes to manage it effectively in the context of Mali. The Key findings could be summarised as follows: - CPWs are involved in various forms of violation of children’s right: Violence, Child Labour, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)… - The cultural conflict experienced by CPWs is among challenges that limit the programme from achieving better results. It also impacts negatively on the workers through lack of job satisfaction, low self-esteem and health problems due to the clash experienced between UNICEF expectations and local community values. - Socio economic determinants interrelate with strategies in the management of cultural and practice mismatches experienced by CPWs. The analysis of CPWs’ positioning through what I call ‘Triangle Model’ provides insights into various types of CPWs encountered in respect of the distance separating them from their professional values/agenda. Answers to questions raised by the triangle model is likely to help guide policies and strategies to build the capacities of CPWs and to support them to adjust to their professional agenda. This project also demonstrates that to face cultural discrepancies, stakeholders will need to go one step beyond ‘ordinary’ strategies to experiment with more contextualized initiatives. Recognition of inherent power in workers and communities should be seen as part of any theory of capacity building itself based on the framework of social constructionism.
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Alfandari, Ravit. "An evaluation of child protection reform in Israel." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2015. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/3254/.
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This thesis focuses on efforts to improve the provision of effective help to children and their families who are suffering or likely to suffer from significant harm from abuse or neglect through making better care plan decisions for them. The research evaluates the operation, process and outcomes of a recent national reform in the Israeli child protection decision making framework of Planning, Intervention and Evaluation Committees (PIECs) designed with the ambition of establishing a new way of working so that children and families will get the right help. A systems approach was undertaken as a conceptual framework in order to allow a whole-organisational understanding of what is happening in the field, and why. The research employs a qualitative method of inquiry and a case study design. The cases of 21 families brought before the PIECs were investigated and their situation was followed up after six months. Data were collected through interviews with professionals and parents, field observations of the committee meetings and document review. The key finding of the research is that there is a very limited realisation of the reform’s aims of strengthening practice and improving the safety and well-being of vulnerable children. The reform’s lack of success is explained by being ill-suited to the organisational working environment and culture. The analysis identified key systemic forces that came together to interfere with the reform having the hoped for impact across the various stages of the child protection process, including: workforce lack of skill, time, professional support, and organisational messages about practice priorities. The main conclusion of this thesis is that for good child protection work to be accomplished just drafting good reforms and telling the workforce what to do is not enough. This thesis advocates adopting systemic multi-professional working models to deliver services to children and families.
16
Sally, Christina Lynn. "Understanding Nonoffending Caregiver Protection in Child Sexual Abuse." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7253.
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Child sexual abuse is a global issue that has affected children, families, and communities for centuries regardless of socioeconomic, religious, ethnic, race, or multicultural factors and distinctions. Sexually abused children may be reluctant to disclose sexual abuse due to perceptions or realities that their nonoffending caregiver (NOC) will not believe their reports and may fail to provide adequate protection. The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess if child demographics (i.e., age, sex, and race/ethnicity); type of sexual offense (i.e., contact or noncontact); and perpetrator relationship to the child (i.e., familial or extrafamilial) predict a NOC's response (i.e., protection or failure to protect) to child sex abuse disclosures, using cognitive dissonance theory and neutralization theory as theoretical foundations. Archived and extracted data (2015-2017) were utilized from the Utah Department of Human Services. A binary logistic regression was used to determine the predictive quality of the independent variables for the outcome variable. The results indicated that the odds of protection were greater for non-White females experiencing noncontact abuse by a familial offender. Age was not a statistically significant predictor of NOC protection in the full model. The findings from this study support positive social change by providing research-based conclusions that can promote prevention, intervention, and education programs by child protection teams for victims of child sexual abuse and their families.
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Des, Lauriers Julie. "The child protection systems' response to domestic violence." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2007. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/16620/1/Julie_Des_Lauriers_Thesis.pdf.
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The co-occurrence of domestic violence (DV) and child maltreatment is high. Response to both problems has historically been via two different systems. However, child protection workers are increasingly asked to respond to this co-occurrence since research has identified that exposure to DV can negatively impact on children and that child maltreatment often co-occurs with DV. This study looks at child protection systems response to families affected by DV by using two research methods. First, a systematic review was conducted using research papers focusing on child protection workers response to families experiencing DV. Second, a critical discourse analysis of current Australian child protection policies was conducted. Findings from the systematic review show that child protection workers' response to abused mothers went from treating them as 'mad' in the 1980s, to labelling them 'failure to protect' in the 1990s and early 2000. These findings showed continued focus on abused mothers rather than on perpetrators of DV. Some contradictions were found around child removal data. However, important links were found between re-notification of children and subsequent removal. Findings from the Australian policy analysis revealed that most policies referred to DV as a child protection issue and used a feminist definition of DV. However, not all states had detailed guidelines on how to intervene safely and effectively with families affected by DV. Discussions and recommendations focus around the pressing need for more DV expertise within child protection systems. It also discusses the issue of responsibility placed on abused mothers while perpetrators of DV remain invisible. Finally, it discusses the response to children exposed to DV compared to the response to children exposed to DV who are also victim of direct child maltreatment. The key recommendations of this study are to have DV expertise within the child protection systems, to empower abused mothers rather than blaming them, which implies putting the responsibility back on the perpetrator of DV and to have resources and systems in place before responding to child exposure to DV as child maltreatment per se.
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Des, Lauriers Julie. "The child protection systems' response to domestic violence." Queensland University of Technology, 2007. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/16620/.
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The co-occurrence of domestic violence (DV) and child maltreatment is high. Response to both problems has historically been via two different systems. However, child protection workers are increasingly asked to respond to this co-occurrence since research has identified that exposure to DV can negatively impact on children and that child maltreatment often co-occurs with DV. This study looks at child protection systems response to families affected by DV by using two research methods. First, a systematic review was conducted using research papers focusing on child protection workers response to families experiencing DV. Second, a critical discourse analysis of current Australian child protection policies was conducted. Findings from the systematic review show that child protection workers' response to abused mothers went from treating them as 'mad' in the 1980s, to labelling them 'failure to protect' in the 1990s and early 2000. These findings showed continued focus on abused mothers rather than on perpetrators of DV. Some contradictions were found around child removal data. However, important links were found between re-notification of children and subsequent removal. Findings from the Australian policy analysis revealed that most policies referred to DV as a child protection issue and used a feminist definition of DV. However, not all states had detailed guidelines on how to intervene safely and effectively with families affected by DV. Discussions and recommendations focus around the pressing need for more DV expertise within child protection systems. It also discusses the issue of responsibility placed on abused mothers while perpetrators of DV remain invisible. Finally, it discusses the response to children exposed to DV compared to the response to children exposed to DV who are also victim of direct child maltreatment. The key recommendations of this study are to have DV expertise within the child protection systems, to empower abused mothers rather than blaming them, which implies putting the responsibility back on the perpetrator of DV and to have resources and systems in place before responding to child exposure to DV as child maltreatment per se.
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Adeniyi, Olayinka Oluwakemi. "Legal protection of the girl child against child marriage (Aure Yarinya) in Nigeria." Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/64609.
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The purpose of this study is to interrogate how law, and Nigerian domestic law in particular, can be used to bring about a change in society with respect to child marriage.
Despite international and regional prohibitions and national laws against the sexual abuse of the girl child in Nigeria, the practice of child marriage persists, predominantly in Northern Nigeria which is known for its strong religious and cultural leanings.
Of the women in this part of the country, 45% are given out in marriage before their fifteenth birthday and usually with the obligation to become mothers within the first year of marriage. The reality is that marriage for girls of twelve years or even younger is not unknown. The significance of the problem however is related to the fact that certain aspects of Nigerian law, while not expressly supporting child marriage, acknowledge or recognise the practice. The issue is further complicated by inherent contradictions in the national jurisprudence.
The existence of multiple conflicting and contradictory legal provisions, particularly with respect to the age of a girl child, and the admission in some of the Nigeria’s legislation that child marriage exists, raise questions about the condonation of the practice. In addition, there is customary law and Islamic law which do not necessarily reject the practice and which are ironically part of the applicable laws in Nigeria’s legal system.
Further aspects of the discourse are the legalities which inhibit the direct application of ratified international and regional treaties, the express decriminalisation of sexual intercourse with a girl child as long as it is within marriage, and the complexities associated with federalism.
The implications and consequences of child marriage have moved out of the private domain to the point where they now constitute bigger crimes in the public sphere, namely the danger to the lives of individual girls and the threat to the development of Nigerian society.
This thesis looks at the practice of child marriage in general and specifically the issues of age and consent as they relate to capacity and consent to marriage, sexual intercourse and the right to non-discrimination and equality under Nigerian jurisprudence.
It examines the nature, effects and legality of child marriage by investigating the reasons for the practice and the nature of legal response in Nigeria. It considers the position of the legal systems of constituent states on the application of international and regional human rights instruments to protect the girl child against child marriage, and evaluates the role of the Federal Government of Nigeria in dealing with the issue in light of its signature and ratification of international treaties and regional charters on the protection of the girl child.
The thesis further analyses the conflicts that emanate from the interplay of differing customary law, Sharia and constitutional provisions on child marriage in Nigeria’s competing legal systems. Lastly, it proposes a law making model for the prohibition of child marriage by prescribing punishment and addressing other child marriage related issues.Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2016.
Centre for Human Rights
LLD
Unrestricted
20
Richardson, Foster Helen. "Achieving a child focus? : a study of child protection conferences in cases of neglect." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2016. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/16366/.
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The child protection conference is a key part of the child protection process in England and other UK countries. This study sought to explore how child focused these meetings are in cases of child neglect and the factors which affect child focused information sharing, assessment and decision making. The study used an interpretivist approach and mix of qualitative methods. Data were gathered from two areas in three stages: audio recordings of 14 child protection conferences, documentary analysis of the reports from these meetings, interviews with 26 staff who chair or minute conferences and six focus groups with practitioners from a range of agencies. The thesis proposes a model of child focused practice which considers the individual child’s experience of child neglect, draws on knowledge of their daily life, promotes the active engagement of children and young people in child protection processes and decisions; and is orientated towards promoting child welfare outcomes which directly relate to the individual child’s experiences and circumstances. This concept is examined through consideration of the stages of the conference. It details how the work of practitioners prior to the conference, in their assessments with families and production of reports, can shape the child focus of the meeting. The influence of child and family participation in conferences is assessed and the meeting itself is explored through analysis of the conference discussion and the decision making and planning which takes place. The study found that practitioners can find it difficult to be explicit about child neglect in conferences. The thesis argues that factors such as the family’s participation, the role of the chair and the competence of practitioners can influence the degree to which the conference is child focused. The extent to which a child protection conference can be considered child focused and the implications of this for theory and practice are explored.
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Wilkins, David. "The use of theory and research knowledge in child protection social work practice : a study of disorganised attachment and child protection assessment." Thesis, University of Kent, 2015. https://kar.kent.ac.uk/48930/.
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This thesis seeks to examine how child protection social workers use theory and research knowledge related to disorganised attachment in the course of their practice with potentially abused or neglected children. In order to facilitate this understanding, three supplementary research questions are posed – (1) ‘how do child protection social workers use the theory and research knowledge related to disorganised attachment in work with children who may be at risk of significant harm due to abuse or neglect?’ (2) ‘how do child protection social workers use theory and research knowledge related to disorganised attachment when assessing children who may be at risk of significant harm due to abuse or neglect?’ and (3) ‘how do child protection social workers incorporate the theory and research knowledge related to disorganised attachment into their existing social work practice?’ The research described in this thesis consists of the use of two methods – guided conversation interviews and Q-method. In answer to the primary research aim, it was found that child protection social workers, suitably trained, are able to usefully apply the theory and research knowledge related to disorganised attachment in practice and that they may do so in a small variety of ways related to developing a better understanding of the children and carers they work with; as a way of aiding them to help and support the carers of the child being assessed, and as a way of completing better assessments. Thematically, it was notable that all of the participants described their use of the theory and research knowledge related to disorganised attachment by reference to the methods and techniques they were able to put into practice, such as Adult and Child Attachment Interviews, and how their use of this theory and research knowledge was thus mediated or applied via the use of these and other similar techniques. As a result of these findings, further research would be useful as to how the development of new techniques (or co-option of existing techniques) may be helpful as a way of facilitating the transfer of theory and research knowledge into social work practice. Further research regarding the impact of the use of theory and research knowledge related to disorganised attachment in child protection social work practice would also be useful, particularly whether the outcomes for children and families are improved as a result.
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Braun, Joy Anne. "Child protection mediation : mediator strategies for managing the process." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/32452.
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In this study fourteen child protection mediators responded to questions about their work through
questionnaires, interviews, or both, and grounded theory methodology was used. The data was
analyzed and the following four themes emerged: describing the process, explaining the process,
strategies for managing the process, and evaluating success in managing the process. Key findings
were that there are differences between the process issues that exist in the child protection context
as compared to other types of mediation, successful process management strategies include having
a pre-mediation orientation session and using non-party participants as a positive influence, and
success is indicated by changes in the communication between the parties or personal
empowerment as well as by whether an agreement is reached.Arts, Faculty of
Social Work, School of
Graduate
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Sodhi, Sabina. "Negotiating identities : Indian Canadian child protection workers speak out." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/5408.
Full textAbstract:
The population of ‘ethnic minorities’ is continuously increasing in Canada.
There is now a large population of second generation individuals who are the children of
immigrants, but born and raised in Canada. As this population rises, diversity in the
workforce is also increasing. This is especially true in the area of social work. There are
many more women of colour becoming social workers in Vancouver. Many studies have
been completed on how to work cross culturally with the client, but there is limited
research on the social workers own ethno-racial identities within this interaction. Their
ethno-racial identities are impacted by many different experiences including those of
multiculturalism, immigration, gender, and racism. Using a qualitative approach
informed by a feminist perspective, this study has explored the understanding that 6
second generation Indian Canadian female social workers have of their racial and cultural
identity and how that impacts their practice as social workers. This study has been
informed by a grounded theory approach for data collection and data analysis. This study
has found that the understanding that women of colour social workers have of their racial
and cultural identity does indeed influence the way they practice social work. Although,
for each of the 6 participants of this study, the impact of their ethno-racial identity on
their social work practice might be different, they share some similar experiences and
perspectives which have important implications to social work practice and research.
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Parry, Kirstin. "Retaining child protection workers: the effects of agency practices." Thesis, McGill University, 2010. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=86509.
Full textAbstract:
This study involves a quantitative, descriptive study of the Ontario child welfare organizational practices that most influence retention of its workers. A model was created to display significant factors related to worker retention. The purpose of the research was to compare how independent variables such as worker demographics, client variables, and agency procedures, individually and together with worker job satisfaction impacted worker retention in two Ontario Children's Aid Societies. Measures utilized included the Job Satisfaction Survey (Spector, 1997), a demographic information sheet, and an organizational survey to compare differences in the actual organizational practices and workers' satisfaction levels with those practices of the two agencies. Job satisfaction mean scores were then compared to JSS norms from the human services and nursing professions. Findings indicated that agency procedures combined with worker job satisfaction factors most contributed to retention rather than the worker demographics and client variables and this was consistent with other studies. Therefore, child welfare agencies need to increase their efforts regarding agency policies and practices such as competitive salaries, quantity and quality of supervision, and inclusive fringe benefits in order to retain workers.Ce projet de recherche englobe une étude quantitative et descriptive des pratiques organisationnelles exerçant la plus grande influence sur la rétention des travailleurs voués au bien-être de l'enfance en Ontario. La création d'un modèle a permis de présenter les facteurs significatifs liés à la rétention de ces travailleurs. L'objet de la recherche consistait à comparer la façon dont des variables indépendantes, dont les caractéristiques sociodémographiques des travailleurs, les variables liées à la clientèle, ainsi que les procédures des agences, exerçaient un impact, individuellement et conjointement avec la satisfaction professionnelle, sur la rétention des travailleurs membres de deux sociétés d'aide à l'enfance de l'Ontario. Parmi les instruments de mesure utilisés figuraient une enquête sur la satisfaction professionnelle (Spector, 1997), une fiche d'information démographique et un sondage organisationnel. Ces instruments visaient à comparer les différences caractérisant les pratiques organisationnelles réelles et le niveau de satisfaction des travailleurs avec les pratiques adoptées par les deux agences. Par la suite, les scores moyens de satisfaction des travailleurs ont fait l'objet d'une comparaison avec les normes de l'enquête sur la satisfaction professionnelle, dans les domaines des services à la personne et des professions infirmières. Conclusions indiquent qu'Agence procédures associées au travailleur des facteurs de satisfaction d'emploi plus contribués à la rétention plutôt que la démographie de travailleur et variables client et c'était compatible avec d'autres études. Par conséquent, organismes de protection de l'enfance ont besoin d'accroître leurs efforts concernant les politiques des organismes et des pratiques telles que les salaires compétitifs, la quantité et la qualité de surveillance et d'avantages sociaux inclus afin de conserver des travailleurs.
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Leigh, J. T. "Constructing professional identity in child protection : a comparative ethnography." Thesis, University of Salford, 2013. http://usir.salford.ac.uk/29567/.
Full textAbstract:
This doctoral study explores what being a professional in child protection social work actually means to those working within this context. In an attempt to unravel the meaning of professional identity for social workers, I carried out an ethnography ‘at home’. But in order to create that passage of space and time between me and the discourse I currently employed, I also decided to observe the Flemish child protection system. This study has, therefore, a comparative element. My analytic focus has been drawn towards certain cultural factors which impact upon and influence the ways practitioners construct their identities. By considering where professionals are located, in the North West of England and Flanders, I wanted to explore the systems for which they work; systems embedded in unique yet diverse cultures which collectively impact on the practitioner in some shape or form. Data analysis has involved material from interviews, naturally occurring talk, electronic information (case notes, reports and emails), photographs, organisational policy and procedures. The findings demonstrate that social workers in England are firmly situated within an incongruent agency which is entrenched in a context of blame. Subsequently, a blame posture has been established which further encourages various forms of destructive discourse to emerge. Practitioners also find they are stigmatised and labelled as professional failures by both society and the agency they work for. In Flanders, however, by drawing from a discourse which evokes compassion for abusers, child protection professionals perceive themselves differently. As well as feeling confident and passionate about their practice they feel valued and revered by their agency and society. If our identity is constructed out of the discourses which are made culturally available to us then this comparative ethnography shows just how and why the practitioners from these two settings perceive their own professional identities so considerably differently.
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Platt, Dendy. "Refocusing child protection practice: The role of initial assessments." Thesis, University of East Anglia, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.410022.
Full textAbstract:
This research project was established in the context of attempts in the late 1990s to'refocus' practice in the area of child protection. There was an interest in the possibility that reducing the numbers of investigations, at the margins of child protection procedures, might enable time and resources to be redirected towards more supportive responses. It was anticipated that the research might add to the range of studies that helped to evaluate 'refocusing', by exploring issues involved in the front line practices of social workers. To achieve this, it focused on the proposed alternative to the investigation, the initial assessment. Data came from 23 case studies: families where the situations involved concerns about children that came close to the child protection threshold. The cases were part of Social Services' workloads in two local authorities in the north of England. For the most, the social work responses were initial assessments, but a small number of investigations were included in the sample. 44 qualitative interviews were conducted with social workers and parents, focusing on the process of the assessment (or investigation), and issues arising from it. The findings indicated that social workers were able to use initial assessments to combine aspects of both child protection and family support approaches, especially in borderline cases. They demonstrated how workers used a number of techniques - especially in terms of practical reasoning and relationship building - to help them manage this situation. Concepts used by workers in evaluating their assessments included specificity of information, severity of harm, the role (or culpability) of the parent, the degree of parental co-operation and the availability of corroborating information. The congruence of views about the assessment (between worker and parent) was an important factor affecting the working relationship. Practice implications included the suggestion that initial assessments are an acceptable response in borderline cases.
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Scourfield, Jonathan Bryn. "The construction of gender in child protection social work." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.270159.
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Saraw, Sanjit. "Child protection : an ecological perspective to assessment and treatment." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2010. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/937/.
Full textAbstract:
The term “Child Protection” encompasses a complex interplay of factors that must be ecologically considered in managing, assessing and treating children and young people. Research indicates that those children and young people displaying sexually harmful behaviour are more likely to have been subject to adverse childhood experiences. The ecological model emphasises that it must be considered in the context of the individual child and parent factors, the relationship between child and parent factors, and their relationship with outside pressures and influences. Previous assessment has focused on the historical and individual factors related to risk of re-offending. More recently, the focus has shifted to a dynamic, strength-based perspective that allows for the consideration of the transitional processes that distinguish children and young people from adults who sexually offend. The current thesis is divided into six chapters that guide the reader through an ecological perspective of early childhood experiences, environmental and contextual experiences, and dynamic and static concerns and strengths in predicting further sexually harmful behaviour. A critique of psychometric assessment focuses on parenting stress from a child, parent and interactional perspective, whilst an empirical research study explores the array of risk and protective factors relating to risk of reoffending, and the use of an actuarial assessment in guiding management and treatment. Finally an individual case study of an adolescent‘s assessment and therapy following sexually harmful behaviour is presented. In line with international perspectives of assessment and interventions that work with this population, consistent support is found for the use of an ecological model in the assessment, management and treatment of children and young people, and discussed in the context of limitations of the thesis and clinical implications within the United Kingdom.
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Cossar, Jeanette. "Service users' perspectives in child protection and adoption research." Thesis, University of East Anglia, 2015. https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/53470/.
Full textAbstract:
This critical commentary is based on four research studies and associated publications. The studies are all concerned with researching service users’ perspectives and with service user involvement in the research process. Two of the studies examined adults’ perspectives on adoption, focusing on support for birth relatives and on post-adoption contact. Two of the studies focused on the perspectives of children and young people on seeking help with abuse and neglect, and on their experiences of child protection services. The commentary begins with a literature review which sets the context for the studies. It covers the development of service user participation in social work practice and in research, and existing research on the perspectives of service users on child protection and adoption services. The second chapter explores methods of involving service users as participants in research and as co-researchers in child protection and adoption research. The final chapter discusses the contribution of the studies, focusing both on the subject matter and the process of research. It is argued that service users’ perspectives can address a need identified within relationship-based practice to pay attention to power differentials in social work relationships. Service users’ perspectives highlight the value service users accord to the relationships they form with social workers, and suggest ways in which practice could be improved to avoid the experience of child protection and adoption services compounding the effects of a difficult life history. Involving service users in the research process can allow service users a distinctive platform. It is argued that building collaborative relationships between academic and service user researchers can enable service users’ perspectives to contribute to the construction of social work knowledge, in a manner that contrasts with the inevitable constraints in service user involvement in child protection and adoption practice.
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Mawodza, Obdiah. "Protecting girls against child motherhood and the rights of child mothers in Zimbabwe." University of the Western Cape, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/6827.
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Doctor Legum - LLDThe issue of child motherhood remains a key challenge, especially in developing countries such as Zimbabwe. Despite bearing the worst of its effects, Zimbabwe looks largely to have fallen short of answers to solve this problem. The focus has been on legal solutions to prevent and ban child marriages, which leaves the plight of child mothers and/or motherhood often forgotten. Interestingly, the 2016 landmark case of Mudzuru and another v Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs which declared child marriages illegal serves as an eye opener to the challenges of how to legally protect child mothers in Zimbabwe. Though dealing with child marriages, the importance of the case is the fact that child marriages are the major contributor of adolescent motherhood in that married girls become predominantly child-bearers. According to provincial statistics in Zimbabwe, Manicaland and Mashonaland Central provinces have the highest number of child mothers averaging 27 and 30 per cent, respectively. The Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey reported that nine out of 10 teens aged 15 to 19 are sexually active, and two out three first have had sex before the age of 15. Therefore, girls are at risk of becoming child mothers, without necessarily being married. Consequently, the need to protect girls from early motherhood, and give effect to the rights of girls who are already child mothers becomes a pressing issue. Zimbabwe has made several international commitments to the realisation of children’s rights. It is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which contain provisions that protect girls against child motherhood and the rights of child mothers. In 2013, Zimbabwe adopted a new Constitution. It espouses a regime of justiciable children’s rights. It has also promulgated subsidiary laws that are also relevant to children’s rights. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to critically analyse legal and policy measures towards the protection of girls against child motherhood and the rights of child mothers in Zimbabwe.
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Parsons, Patrick Michael. "The Development of and Perceptions of the Value of Statutory Child Protection Measures Regulating Non-State Schools in Queensland: An Exploratory Study." Thesis, Griffith University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/365542.
Full textAbstract:
From time to time there are widely-reported cases of child abuse in churches, voluntary groups, child care operations, schools, and the wider community, which draw attention to the issue and tend to draw the topic into sharp focus for governments, the media and the community.
While there can be no guarantees in place to protect children, there is public agreement that the problem of child abuse be addressed and that governments of the day recognize their duty to be active agents in child protection. The role of government in creating and implementing legislation is the topic of this thesis: where particular emphasis is placed on how regulatory measures are perceived and valued by primary school principals in the non-state sector in Queensland.
Three aspects of the problem are identified, namely the historical appearance of categories of child abuse, the emergence and role of the law in setting up concepts aimed at child protection, and the importance now placed on the school in discussions around abused children. It is within this context that the existing key statutory child protection measures are analyzed, and through which the objects of the research and research questions are posed. A 3-phase analysis is undertaken to set a context that situates the empirical study.Thesis (Professional Doctorate)
Doctor of Education (EdD)
School of Education and Professional Studies
Arts, Education and Law
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Hallett, Christine. "A case study of interagency coordination in child protection services." Thesis, Loughborough University, 1993. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/7521.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis is a case study of coordination policies and practices in child protection services. The study is an exploratory, descriptive account of the processes and outputs of interagency coordination rather than a hypothesis-testing study or an evaluation of the outcomes of coordination. It is based on empirical research undertaken in two research sites in the north of England. The principal data sources used in the research were: an analysis of the social services departmental case records relating to a sample of 48 children on child protection registers for physical or sexual abuse; interviews with 90 professionals (social workers, teachers, community nurses, police officers, doctors and others), drawn from a sub-sample of the 48 cases; a questionnaire issued to those interviewed and selected others, completed by 81 respondents; and analysis of central government guidance, local interagency procedures and other documents. In Chapter One of the thesis, selected topics in the literature on interagency coordination and the policy background to the study are reviewed. The research methods used and the characteristics of the case sample and the interview and questionnaire respondents are presented in Chapter Two. The principal research findings are presented in Chapters Three to Eleven covering three main topics: i) interagency coordination in the key phases of a case career (namely referral, initial investigation, medical assessment, case conferences, child protection plans and intervention, monitoring and review) ii) an examination of local interagency procedures and the role of Area Child Protection Committees and iii) the perceptions and experiences of respondents concerning interagency work. The thesis concludes that there is a high degree of routinised coordination with a relatively clear division of labour in child protection services; that coordination involves principally the exchange of information, arranging for the sequential and separate performance of key tasks and some limited shared decision-making but that there is little joint hands-on collaboration; that interagency activity peaks in the early phases of the construction of a case and diminishes thereafter; that the implementation of policy guidance may be seen as relatively successful and that there is some support for the idea that interagency coordination strategies tend towards conservatism.
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Bellefeuille, Gerard, and Frances Ricks. ""A pathway to restoration: From Child Protection to community wellness"." School of Native Human Services, 2003. http://142.51.24.159/dspace/handle/10219/402.
Full textAbstract:
The administrative devolution of provincial child welfare
jurisdiction to Aboriginal authorities, dating back to the early
1980s, has resulted in a number of improvements for Aboriginal families that experience child
protection services (Bellefeuille, Ricks and Garrioch, 1997; Hamilton, 2001). The larger
political objective, however, of Aboriginal Peoples to govern and self determine their own
culturally distinct, integrative and holistic community healing approach to social wellness and
tackling the pressing concerns of child maltreatment, family break down, and vanishing sense
of community, has failed to come about under the prevailing deficit oriented child protection
paradigm.'
Our experiences for over thirty years as a front line social work practitioner and past
director of the largest First Nation child welfare agency in the country, and as a
researcher, academic, and organizational consultant to several First Nation agencies leads us
to conclude that the realization of the Aboriginal vision for an alternative child
welfare model is untenable under the force of the imposing protection paradigm.
In this article, we share both our thoughts about the devolution process, the
traditional protection paradigm under which Aboriginal agencies are required to operate,
and our experience in helping to shape the alternative paradigm which we believe must be
built upon new themes that emphasize "community"and"wellness."
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Morgan, Katherine L. "Gender and child protection work : voices from the front-lines." Thesis, McGill University, 2004. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=83158.
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Child protection work largely relies on mothers in fulfilling its aim to protect children and support families. Mothers are expected to shield children from abuse and neglect regardless of circumstance. Fathers evade such expectations, and are rather treated as unimportant or as aggressors. In either case, they are distanced from the child protection process. These divergent expectations of mothers and fathers often go unnoticed in child protection practice, as social workers are consumed with the urgent need of assessing risk to children. Workers' reliance on mothers becomes a habit that is not easily countered because there is neither the time nor the tools to engage in such a battle. The present study seeks to illuminate gender constructions and their reproduction in front-line child protection work through the voices of social workers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight former and current front-line workers for this study.
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Durbin, Chris. "Aspects of internet security - identity management and online child protection." Thesis, Loughborough University, 2010. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/8548.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis examines four main subjects; consumer federated Internet Identity Management (IdM), text analysis to detect grooming in Internet chat, a system for using steganographed emoticons as ‘digital fingerprints' in instant messaging and a systems analysis of online child protection. The Internet was never designed to support an identity framework. The current username / password model does not scale well and with an ever increasing number of sites and services users are suffering from password fatigue and using insecure practises such as using the same password across websites. In addition users are supplying personal information to vast number of sites and services with little, if any control over how that information is used. A new identity metasystem promises to bring federated identity, which has found success in the enterprise to the consumer, placing the user in control and limiting the disclosure of personal information. This thesis argues though technical feasible no business model exists to support consumer IdM and without a major change in Internet culture such as a breakdown in trust and security a new identity metasystem will not be realised. Is it possible to detect grooming or potential grooming from a statistical examination of Internet chat messages? Using techniques from speaker verification can grooming relationships be detected? Can this approach improve on the leading text analysis technique – Bayesian trigram analysis? Using a novel feature extraction technique and Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) to detect potential grooming proved to be unreliable. Even with the benefit of extensive tuning the author doubts the technique would match or improve upon Bayesian analysis. Around 80% of child grooming is blatant with the groomer disguising neither their age nor sexual intent. Experiments conducted with Bayesian trigram analysis suggest this could be reliably detected, detecting the subtle, devious remaining 20% is considerably harder and reliable detection is questionable especially in systems using teenagers (the most at risk group). Observations of the MSN Messenger service and protocol lead the author to discover a method by which to leave digitally verifiable files on the computer of anyone who chats with a child by exploiting the custom emoticon feature. By employing techniques from steganography these custom emoticons can be made to appear innocuous. Finding and removing custom emoticons is a non-trivial matter and they cannot be easily spoofed. Identification is performed by examining the emoticon (file) hashes. If an emoticon is recovered e.g. in the course of an investigation it can be hashed and the hashed compared against a database of registered users and used to support non-repudiation and confirm if an individual has indeed been chatting with a child. Online child protection has been described as a classic systems problem. It covers a broad range of complex, and sometimes difficult to research issues including technology, sociology, psychology and law, and affects directly or indirectly the majority of the UK population. Yet despite this the problem and the challenges are poorly understood, thanks in no small part to mawkish attitudes and alarmist media coverage. Here the problem is examined holistically; how children use technology, what the risks are, and how they can best be protected – based not on idealism, but on the known behaviours of children. The overall protection message is often confused and unrealistic, leaving parents and children ill prepared to protect themselves. Technology does have a place in protecting children, but this is secondary to a strong and understanding parent/child relationship and education, both of the child and parent.
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Oliver, Carolyn. "Making strengths-based practice work in child protection : frontline perspectives." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/46176.
Full textAbstract:
Strengths-based practice has been widely promoted as a preferred approach for statutory child protection work, but its complexity and inconsistent implementation suggest that it may be hard to do. This pragmatic mixed methods study asked frontline workers whether and how they applied strengths-based and solution-focussed ideas in their daily child protection practice and what supported and impeded their efforts. Via 26 semi-structured interviews and an online survey, 225 child protection workers from the Ministry of Family Development in British Columbia, Canada, gave their views.
The study found nearly all workers to be positive about strengths-based practice but 70% had implicit rules about the clients and situations for which strengths-based solution-focussed work was not appropriate or possible. Five definitions of strengths-based practice were identified from their descriptions of the approach, each linked to particular challenges and supports. The most applicable definition, 'Enacting firm, fair and friendly practice', illustrates a way for practitioners to navigate the strengths-based child protection relationship while managing the risk and authority inherent to their role. It involves maintaining a shifting balance between inviting maximum client collaboration and using authority purposefully and suggests the importance of judging impartially, being transparent, attending to the worker-client interaction and seeing clients as fellow human beings. It may support workers to navigate a developmental progression from occasionally doing strengths-based practice to identifying as strengths-based practitioners.
The study highlights the importance of developing organisational capacity to provide the time, resources and culture necessary for strengths-based practice. It suggests that 'fearlessness', emotional self-regulation and comfort with mandated authority support strengths-based practice and recommends greater emphasis be placed on these qualities in child welfare education. Other recommendations include adopting a system-wide child protection-applicable definition of strengths-based practice like 'Enacting firm, fair and friendly practice', implementing 'strengths-based management' and providing ongoing opportunities for practitioner reflection and education.
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Brady, James M. "An investigation of the role of paramedics in child protection." Thesis, Swansea University, 2018. https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa46061.
Full textAbstract:
In the United Kingdom (UK), revelations of child abuse on an unprecedented scale have led to calls for better detection methods. Paramedics are invited into private households and are uniquely positioned to assist with this. This study aimed to explore the role that paramedics may play in child protection with a view to informing paramedic policy, education and practice. Literature contains few empirical studies on paramedics and child protection. Legislation and policy documents acknowledge their potential contribution, but data is scant. Research is needed on their actual involvement, level of knowledge and skills. This study, undertaken in one UK ambulance service, employed a sequential mixed method design of two phases. In Phase 1, paramedics (N=276) completed a survey on their experiences, perceptions and attitudes. The resulting data informed Phase 2: paramedic focus groups (N=7). Discussions were thematically analysed. Carper’s ‘ways of knowing’ was used as a theoretical framework throughout. Findings suggest paramedics understand they have a key role to play, but lack clarity over the role. Although confident in their knowledge of physical abuse and neglect, they are less confident in their knowledge of sexual abuse (SA), childhood sexual exploitation (CSE) and female genital mutilation (FGM). More than half of respondents felt child protection referrals had not been made, that should have been. Barriers to safe practice include limited access to ‘expert’ led training; lack of feedback from social services, and lack of time. Decision making is heavily dependent on intuition. Closer working relationships between paramedicine and social services are needed. Timely bi-directional communication is vital. Training input from social services is needed if paramedics are to develop greater confidence in detecting SA, CSE, and FGM. Finally, paramedicine needs to reflect further on the challenges that can arise in prioritising the best interests of children when working with families.
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Diriwari, Wilson Ola. "Efficacy of the legal frameworks for child protection in Nigeria." Thesis, Brunel University, 2017. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/14781.
Full textAbstract:
This research evaluates the potential challenges to a total eradication of child trafficking in Nigeria. The magnitude of the problem, as well as its despicable nature, triggered increasing legislations in Nigeria in recent years. This research shows that despite the remarkable efforts in term of law and policy approaches the problem appears to persist. The objective of the research is to demonstrate that law and policies approaches to addressing the issue are not proving effective. It appears that several socio-cultural issues related to child trafficking remain unaddressed. Despite the wealth of knowledge in relation to the topic there is a gap in literature. Indeed the existing gap in literature regarding child trafficking in Nigeria is evidenced by the fact that no adequate way forward has been indicated to overcome the phenomenon. In an attempt to fil the existing gap this research inquires whether the non-achievement of goals in combatting child trafficking is imputable to the lack of toughness in the spirit of the laws and policies or the lack of efficacy due to ineffective implementation and enforcement. By proving the appropriate answers to these crucial questions the research may not only fil the existing gap in literature by also offer the adequate approach to be taken by law and policy makers and other stakeholders in the fight against child trafficking to overcome the problem. The approach taken in conducting this research is textual analysis or doctrinal analysis and deconstruction of the enforcement mechanisms of human trafficking laws and policies in Nigeria in general. However Nigeria has sufficiently domesticated international human trafficking legislation and Human Rights instruments, the issue of enforcement remains a crucial element in achieving the ultimate goal of total eradication. Where such prospect appears unattainable, it is necessary to adopt a holistic approach to combatting child trafficking in order to achieve the ultimate goal of total eradication.
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Saltiel, David M. L. "Knowledge production for decision making in child protection social work." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2014. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/7900/.
Full textAbstract:
This study contributes to an understanding of how social workers produce knowledge and make decisions in child protection work. Since the early 1970s there have been a significant number of tragedies where children have died as a result of abuse and perceived errors by social workers and other professionals have been implicated. Child abuse is an extremely complex, uncertain and stressful area of work and eliminating all errors is impossible. This study undertook a detailed examination of some of the daily routines and activities of a number of social workers across two sites: a local authority child protection team and a more specialist team undertaking family assessments. Treating the sites as case studies qualitative observations and in-depth interviews were carried out in an attempt to understand how social workers made decisions in day-to-day work and to develop concepts for further research. The study found that decisions are not single events but the result of complex processes embedded in the social activities and practices that make up the work. The social workers drew on a range of sources of information all of which were fallible and then constructed knowledge for decision making through a series of social, cultural and cognitive processes. The nature of the work favoured experiential or naturalistic rather than analytic reasoning. Key practice areas such as home visiting, office duty and supervision were explored to understand how practitioners reasoned in these contexts which, despite their importance, are not well researched. An ecological model of knowledge is suggested which could help in understanding how decisions are made in practice. It is suggested that social workers’ decision making and knowledge are so embedded in the contexts and routines of practice that they can only be understood through close examination of local practices and this is a fruitful area for future research.
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Collins, Andrea Jayne. "The role of the media in child protection social work." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2000. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.500490.
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Freeman, Kecia Rachel. "Exploring the Lived Experiences of Supervising Child Protection Social Workers." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2652.
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Social workers in child protective services often handle hundreds of cases regarding children traumatized by abuse and/or neglect. In time, social workers' experiences can become emotionally and psychologically challenging. A problem for supervising child protection social workers (SCPSWs) is that they might experience the same challenges; however, there was no research that described the lived experiences of SCPSWs. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of SCPSWs. Conceptually, constructivist self-development theory (CSDT) provided the framework for understanding how SCPSWs managed their lived experiences and the issues related to them. Ten SCPSWs volunteered their time for face-to-face interviews and provided data for this study. Saldana's coding manual was used to guide the identification and coding of key words and phrases. SCPSWs experienced occupational trauma in the form of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and/or burnout similar to that experienced by front line workers. SCPSWs' experiences required them to set boundaries, stop taking work home and support each other in the workplace. Enhanced resources for training on self-care plus increased administrative and peer support could potentially improve the lives of these SCPSWs and increase their longevity and effectiveness in the workplace. Retaining experienced supervisors also has the potential to promote positive social change by improving the support supervisors can provide to front line staff, thus indirectly helping children, families, and communities they serve.
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Khoo, Evelyn Grace. "Protecting Our Children : A comparative study of the dynamics of structure, intervention and their interplay in Swedish child welfare and Canadian child protection." Doctoral thesis, Umeå : Univ, 2004. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-193.
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Farate, Eduardo J. "Protecting children in a multicultural society: an Australian story." Thesis, Curtin University, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/1402.
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This thesis is based on a research study examining the extent to which cultural background and cultural factors are taken into account by Child Protection Workers investigating allegations of child maltreatment due to inappropriate or excessive punishment. Profiles of child discipline practices within a cultural and historical context were developed and qualitative and quantitative data was gathered through a survey questionnaire sent to all the metropolitan offices of Family and Children's Services. Data was also collected from ethnic leaders, some of their community members and from refugees. The data collected was examined in relation to Child Maltreatment Guidelines of Family & Children's Services and current Child Protection Laws in Western Australia, with a particular focus on practice implications for child protection workers.
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Campbell, James Floyd. "An analysis of variables in child protection apprehensions and judicial dispositions in British Columbia child welfare practice." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/29686.
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This study analyzes variables in the child protection apprehensions and judicial dispositions within the British Columbia child welfare system. The study was based on a 10% sample of children apprehended into care of the B.C. Superintendent of Family and Child Service in 1989. It includes the following specific objectives:
1) To review reasons children were being apprehended into care and develop a socio-economic and demographic profile of these children and their families.
2) To determine percentages of congruence between social workers' recommendations to the court and judicial dispositions at the first two stages of child protection court proceedings.
3) To identify factors which impact case outcomes and account for discrepancies between social workers' recommendations and judicial dispositions.
4. To explore the policy and practice implications of the research findings.
The profile of the apprehended children illustrated that a majority came into care for reasons characteristic of neglect by omission rather than abuse by commission. Reasons for admission to care appeared to be related to the age and sex of the child, as well as family constellation.
In analyzing the relationships between the reasons for the child's apprehension in comparison to the parents' social, economic and educational status, it was demonstrated that children were predominantly apprehended from households headed by parents with limited education, low income and/or semi-skilled employment. Single female parents, parents on income assistance, aboriginal families, younger families, living in multiple dwellings, were statistically over-represented when compared to the general population.
The majority of court hearings proceeded within the time-frames set out in B.C. child protection legislation. The social workers' recommendations to the court were statistically associated with the judicial dispositions at the initial presentation to the court, and only slightly less so at the protection hearing. Whether the parents attended court and had legal counsel played a significant role in influencing the court's disposition, particularly at the protection hearing. Judicial support for the social workers' recommendations varied depending on the order sought, the highest percentage of agreement being when social workers recommended the child be in parental care, and the lowest when recommending the child become a permanent ward.
The thesis draws on these research findings, concluding with research and policy recommendations to facilitate child protection practice in British Columbia.Arts, Faculty of
Social Work, School of
Graduate
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McPhee, Debra M. "The child protection system, organizational responses to child sexual abuse and the social construction of social problems." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape15/PQDD_0004/NQ35247.pdf.
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Egan-Sage, Elmarie. "Referrals of child abuse and neglect to an English social services department : predictors of child protection decisions." Thesis, University of Kent, 1996. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.337322.
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Hearne, Joanna. "Experiences of the child protection system for women with alcohol problems." Thesis, Lancaster University, 2005. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.431409.
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Antwi, William Kwadwo. "Child protection in Ghana : exploring the perception and behaviour of radiographers." Thesis, Sheffield Hallam University, 2016. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.713518.
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Aim: This study, which was in two Phases, sought to explore the cultural understanding amongst Ghanaian radiographers of the concepts of child abuse and child protection (Phase 1) and how they perceived and participated in child protection within the health system in Ghana (Phase 2). Methods: Data was collected using phenomenological methodology. Open ended questionnaires were used in Phase 1 and semi-structured interviews in Phase 2. Participants were radiographers who were selected using purposive sampling. Data was thematically analysed and managed with NVivo Version 10. Themes developed formed the basis of the discussion. Results: Results showed that participants understood the concepts of child abuse and child protection differently. The majority of participants sought further information through history taking to gain insight into child’s diagnosis. Participants were found to trade their professional values against their behavioural beliefs in culture and superstition by indicating the fear of spiritual attacks when they intervened to help a child. Participants reported barriers such as training deficits, lack of knowledge in reporting regulations, and the absence of a framework or structures in place to guide child physical abuse management. The results showed that the majority of participants were ignorant of the role of the social worker in identified child physical abuse. Additionally, there was no teamwork in the majority of the hospitals in the management of child physical abuse. Conclusions: From the various findings, this study argues that the apparent unanimity of child abuse definition was inconclusive in this setting. The meanings assigned to child protection by participants contradicted their behaviour towards child protection. Participants’ behaviour towards child protection was congruent with the theory of panned behaviour and social exchange theory. Fear, lack of direction and collaboration characterised the management of child physical abuse.
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Chen, Xiaobei. "Tending the gardens of citizenship, child protection in Toronto, 1880s-1920s." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2001. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp04/NQ59081.pdf.
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Zarate, Emilia Maria. "Child protection in Texas : caseworkers attitudes and perceptions towards CPS services /." View online, 2007. http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/210/.
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