‘It's not like we use the word emotional abuse’. A study on Norwegian child welfare workers understanding of emotional abuse

Abstract

BackgroundDespite the recognition of emotional abuse (EA) as the most pervasive and harmful of all forms of child maltreatment, it is argued to be less understood than other forms of child maltreatment. EA is regarded as a standalone form for maltreatment and an essential factor embedded in all other forms of maltreatment of children, such as physical and sexual abuse. Thus, it is crucial for child welfare workers to understand EA, as one of their core mandates is to prevent and protect children from all forms of maltreatment. ObjectiveThis study aims to explore how child welfare workers in Norway describe and understand EA. Participants and settingThe study included 24 child welfare workers in 6 child welfare offices in Norway. MethodsThe data were obtained from focus group interviews and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. ResultsOverall, the findings reveal that EA was unfamiliar to the child welfare workers, and that there is a low degree of awareness on EA among the study participants. Further, EA is closely connected to whether parents provide sufficient emotional care for their children and is understood as part of the complex situation surrounding the child. ConclusionsThis article concludes with the need for reflective and sensitive discussions regarding understanding and awareness of EA in child welfare work. This has the potential to lead to greater insights into how EA is understood by child welfare workers as well as to enhance child welfare workers' abilities to describe, communicate about, and document EA.