“It's the Only System We've Got”

Victoria A. Copeland

doi:10.52214/cjrl.v11i3.8740

Abstract

Front-line public “Child Welfare” caseworkers, also known as emergency response or investigative caseworkers, play a significant role in the “Child Welfare” system. Placed in an intermediary role within the system, investigative caseworkers are tasked with making critical decisions while attempting to advocate for families and uphold the system’s policies. To understand the caseworker decision-making processes more in-depth, a qualitative study was conducted with eighteen investigative caseworkers in four different counties. The guiding research question of the current study was: “What impacts the decisionmaking processes in which child protective service workers investigate and substantiate referred cases of child maltreatment?” Findings revealed several nuances and extensive complexities in how workers navigated often contradictory roles within the system. Important emerging themes include caseworkers’ use of surveillance during investigation and multi-institution partnership indecision-making processes. This Comment discusses the ways in which caseworkers react to and navigate ambiguity and parental resistance during investigations, lending an often-overlooked exploration into various nuances within the decision-making apparatus. Understanding nuances in the complex web of decision-making and information-gathering may lead to novel ways of thinking about how the “Child Welfare” system addresses child protection.

Highlights

The public “Child Welfare” system in the United States is comprised of a network of organizations and institutions that have collaboratively and historically exercised power over numerous families and communities in the name of “child safety and protection.”[1]. The “Child Welfare” system in the United States primarily functions through state and county departments such as the Department of Child & Family Services (DCFS) in Los Angeles
The current study aimed to explore decision-making processes of frontline investigate caseworkers at DCFS, and revealed immense amounts of complexities throughout the department including a reliance on and need for surveillance
This led to some caseworkers questioning the system, doubting its efficiency in securing child safety as it intends

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The public “Child Welfare” system in the United States is comprised of a network of organizations and institutions that have collaboratively and historically exercised power over numerous families and communities in the name of “child safety and protection.”[1]. Dorothy Roberts describes this intermediary role as the “Caseworkers as Investigators and Helpers” paradox, which explains the ways in which some caseworkers use coercion and threats during their intrusive investigations, while simultaneously being responsible for providing supportive services to families.[2] Caseworkers are expected to navigate this paradoxical role as helper and investigator; they must navigate multi-system partnerships between departments and agencies within the larger “Child Welfare” system that have historically ignored family autonomy. These systems include punitive institutions like the courts and police departments.

Methodology

Data Collection and Analysis

CASEWORKERS USE OF SURVEILLANCE IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES

Departmental Surveillance of Uncooperative Parents

Utilizing Preventative Surveillance in Ambiguous Cases

Tensions in Utilizing Surveillance for Prevention

MULTI-INSTITUTION PARTNERSHIPS IN DECISION-MAKING

Voluntary Services

Types of “Law Enforcement” Partnerships

Criminal Justice Data

Bypassing Parents Through Hospitals and Schools

Evading Consent Through Schools