Abstract
This study, which is based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a total of 92 child welfare workers in California, England and Norway conducted between January 2008 and June 2010, analyzes how child welfare workers view the principles underlying their respective child welfare system. We address this question using Lipsky's (1980) understanding of street-level bureaucracy. While we know about the policy principles of governments, we know little about how street-level bureaucrats view these principles. We call workers' perceptions of policy principles ‘street-level policy aims.’ We found that Norwegian street-level policy aims are child-centered and child welfare-oriented. English street-level policy aims are safety-oriented and child-centered; and U.S.-American street-level policy aims are safety-oriented and family-centered, and that in the U.S., ‘permanency’ was understood as family preservation. We also found that workers in Norway perceived fewer organizational barriers in implementing policy aims. We discuss the implications of these findings on future research.
Highlights
Through their assessments, decisions and interventions in the lives of children who are at risk of maltreatment, front line child welfare workers create child welfare policy ‘on the ground.’ This exploratory paper compares child welfare workers' views on the principles that underlie their work in England, Norway and California (USA)
This study sought to further our understanding of what street-level bureaucrats themselves think of policy aims enshrined in legislation, and what they say about translating these policy aims into everyday practice
Our study showed that it is important to differentiate theoretically between ideas underlying child welfare systems, and the opportunities of street-level bureaucrats to translate these policy aims into practice, as Lipsky's work already illustrated
Summary
Decisions and interventions in the lives of children who are at risk of maltreatment, front line child welfare workers create child welfare policy ‘on the ground.’ This exploratory paper compares child welfare workers' views on the principles that underlie their work in England, Norway and California (USA). Decisions and interventions in the lives of children who are at risk of maltreatment, front line child welfare workers create child welfare policy ‘on the ground.’. This exploratory paper compares child welfare workers' views on the principles that underlie their work in England, Norway and California (USA). Lipsky's innovative study explained how street-level bureaucrats such as child welfare workers constitute public policy in action. Governments outline policy aims that may be clear or contradictory; they may be knowable, or not knowable; and workers may (or may not) be able to implement them given organizational conditions (Brodkin, 2012)
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