• Colonialism has shaped the use of physical discipline for some Black parents • Zero-tolerance positions for physical discipline were arbitrarily employed. • Black families are being reported for the threat of physical discipline by schools. • Black families should be supported rather than being reported as an intervention. Referrals from educational settings account for a large proportion of chid maltreatment reports internationally and across North America. In Canada, research has documented distinct disparities in the referral patterns for Black families from schools focusing on concerns about physical abuse. Although schools are more likely to report allegations of child abuse to child welfare agencies than other referral sources in Ontario, some research indicates that cases alleged by educators are significantly less likely to be substantiated compared to other professionals. Given that physical abuse allegations are the main referral reason for Black families in Ontario’s child welfare systems and there is a lack of research exploring the concerns that shape these reports of alleged abuse, this study will fill this gap in knowledge. Using interpretative phenomenology as a methodological approach, the objective of this study is to explore child welfare professionals’ experiences working with Black families who have been referred to Ontario’s child welfare systems for allegations of physical abuse. Fifty-one individual semi-structured interviews and four focus groups (n = 28) were conducted with child welfare professionals for a total of 79 participants. The findings revealed that colonialism, transnationalism, culture, and parental values contribute to the acceptability of physical discipline for some Black families. Study findings indicated there are many circumstances where Black families are being reported for threats of physical discipline rather than the actual occurrence. As such, child welfare agencies have begun to consider how to support Black families and critically assess reports from schools. Recommendations and implications for policy, research, and practice are discussed.

ABSTRACT England’s children’s social work workforce is in a state of crisis, characterised by record vacancy and agency rates. However, research exploring the factors underpinning this has focussed on current practitioners’ ‘intention to leave’ practice, and there has been a dearth of enquiry that has considered former practitioners’ reasons for leaving social work roles. This remains a critical omission when we consider that former workers provide unique root cause insight in a way that perhaps current workers are not able to. This study considers the experiences of 72 of England’s former child protection social workers through the lens of Job Embeddedness theory. Adopting an iterative mixed method design, the study considered participants’ reasons for leaving child protection work, and the circumstances that might convince them to return. Participants highlighted issues with salary, caseloads, bureaucracy, unpaid overtime and agile working arrangements as factors that had informed their decision to leave child protection. Implications include the need to reform local authority pay scales, prioritise time with children, offer paid overtime and provide fixed office spaces to enhance the social, psychological and financial bond between workers and the child protection role – with associated positive implications for recruitment and retention within England’s child protection workforce.

ABSTRACT Globally, a substantial number of children experience various forms of parental maltreatment. Child protection agencies work to support these children and prevent further abuse or neglect, often through targeted interventions directed at the parents. Previous research has indicated that social workers may approach male and female perpetrators of maltreatment differently once a case is reported. To explore this further, focus group interviews were conducted to examine how Swedish social workers discuss and identify potential differences in how they approach female versus male perpetrators of maltreatment. Twenty social workers involved in assessing or delivering interventions in child maltreatment cases across three municipalities participated in one of the four focus group interviews. Through content analysis, three key themes emerged from the discussions: the conceptions of gender, approaching females versus males differently, and to deal with gender. Participants noted that they often adhered to traditional gender norms, placing higher expectations and more responsibility on mothers than fathers. Social workers were typically more supportive of fathers taking on parenting responsibilities while expecting mothers to be equally engaged without additional encouragement. The research invitation itself was viewed as an eye-opener for participants, revealing that traditional gender roles frequently influence child protection work, even though social workers generally uphold gender equality in other areas of their lives. These findings highlight the need for greater awareness among social workers and encourage the adoption of a more egalitarian view of parenting in their work with families. Additionally, the findings emphasize the importance of addressing and preventing gender stereotypes in social work with maltreated children and their parents, particularly through supervision and quality improvement efforts. This focus should also be integrated early into social work study programs at the university or training programs for professionals.

Transcultural countertransference: A clinical tool for supporting adolescents

ABSTRACT Social support is crucial in mitigating occupational risks and burnout among child protection social workers (CPSWs). However, research on this phenomenon remains limited in the unique context of Seychelles. Workplace social support can significantly influence psychological well-being, resilience, and job retention, aligning with frameworks such as the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model and Maslach & Leiter’s Burnout Model (2016). This study addresses the research question: How does social support mediate occupational risk and burnout among CPSWs in Seychelles? Drawing on in-depth interviews with 11 child protection social workers, including their Legal and Child Protection Unit supervisors, the study employs thematic analysis to examine how different forms of social support – socio-emotional, instrumental, and informational – buffer against high job-related stress, burnout, and workforce attrition. Findings indicate that collegial relationships are a critical protective factor, reducing turnover and fostering emotional resilience. Additionally, social support mitigates workplace stressors such as high caseloads, exposure to trauma, and resource constraints, which are key contributors to burnout in child protection work. By highlighting the essential function of workplace social support, this study provides valuable insights for organisational policies and interventions to strengthen support networks, reduce burnout, and ensure the sustainability of the CPSW workforce.

Implementation, namely the process of putting a new intervention into practice, requires careful planning and active support. Nevertheless, in Finland, relatively little attention has been given to strengthening implementation competence and leadership in social and healthcare services, and there is no published domestic research available on the topic. The present study piloted an implementation coaching for leaders and managers in child and family social work and evaluated the feasibility of the coaching with mixed methods. The coaching was conducted in three wellbeing services counties in which social workers from child protection and family social work simultaneously participated in Motivational Interviewing training. The goal of the training was to enhance the implementation competence of leaders and managers, and consequently, to support the implementation of Motivational Interviewing at the practitioner level. The research data consists of surveys and focus group interviews with the coaching participants. The results indicate that the participants' self-assessed implementation competence improved during the coaching process. Participants felt that the coaching helped them in implementing Motivational Interviewing within their teams as well as in planning future change initiatives. Furthermore, they described becoming more aware of the significance of implementation in leadership and development of services. However, frontline managers expressed a desire for more information about the intervention being implemented, so they could better support social workers in practicing new skills. In the future, it is essential to continue the systematic development of implementation support and to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of this support. Particular attention should be given to tailoring implementation support for different stakeholders, such as senior and frontline management.

While the overrepresentation of Black families in contact with the child welfare system is a well-established, how child welfare workers specifically engage Black families in voluntary services is poorly understood in Canada. This study aims (1) to explore workers' experiences of Black families engaging with voluntary services?; and (2) understand how workers' perceptions shape decision making practices as it relates to voluntary services. An interpretive phenomenological analysis approach is employed drawing on data collected as part of the Mapping Disparities for Black Families Project (MDBF). Data was collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus groups with a total of 79 participants from April 2022 to January 2023. Results from this study reveal racial differences between Black and white families in child welfare practices related to consent and use of legal sanctions. Study findings also uncover a pattern of documenting and perceiving Black families as 'aggressive' in child welfare. Lastly, it was found that workers who effectively reframed perceived anger and other emotions in their interactions with Black families had greater engagement success. Implications of this study highlight the fallacies of consent and voluntary services in child welfare. Findings from this study also suggest that narratives of Black families begin to form even before Black families are formally inducted into the child welfare process due to not only worker's preconceived bias ideas but also prejudicial reporting that is then reinforced by worker bias. Policy and practice recommendations are discussed.

This study aimed to explore the reasons why and how children turned into delinquents as well as to discern factors that put the children at risk/vulnerable for engaging in such behavior. The report also covered programmatic and policy responses for preventing delinquency of children and shielding them from its causes, as well as the status of coordination among other agencies in dealing with juvenile delinquency and childhood protection. To determine the societal attitudes in Qatari society toward juvenile delinquency under the justice system, eight focus groups were conducted representing different stakeholders in relation to the problem of juvenile delinquency. The talks centered on individual, family, peer and school related factors of juvenile delinquency and involvement in criminal activities in both formal and informal contexts. They also disclosed the high incidence of juvenile delinquency in Qatari and non-Qatari expatriate families, amongst boys, due to drug sales, drivers sexually abusing them or exerting a lot of control over their children. It also addresses problems that children face at school, including no breaks, long hours and strict rules. Contributors consider the impact of father absence and lack of maternal support on delinquency. Participants also mention the impact of online websites on sexual delinquency and global openings to children through games on iPads. Trainers also bemoaned the lack of external training for staff at social care centers, with some trainers who were not qualified to train social workers and child protection workers. They also spoke of trouble classifying juveniles by the nature of their alleged crimes and services split among different agencies. In conclusion, juvenile delinquency of Qatari youth is related to a set of factors at the personal, family, peer and institutional levels. Culturally tongue and coordinated, Multidisciplinary but soon developers are burned with surgeries. Longitudinal studies and assessment of the effectiveness of current prevention programs will continue to be necessary for policy development.

ABSTRACT Given the critical importance of collaboration between healthcare and social care professionals in postpartum care, this study explored how their daily tasks facilitate or hinder integrated care during the first six weeks after childbirth. Using qualitative network analysis, the study included healthcare professionals (midwives, family doctors, and family nurses) and child protection workers from Estonia. Interviews and concentric circle mapping revealed the strengths and closeness of their professional relationships. While both groups demonstrated strong task awareness and collaborated effectively within their fields, interdisciplinary collaboration primarily occurred on a case-by-case basis. The findings highlight professionals’ commitment to holistic postpartum care, but differing task perceptions and systemic barriers, such as inadequate communication and data-sharing systems, often hinder collaboration. Addressing these challenges through improved task distribution, better organisation, and enhanced data sharing can strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, foster integrated care, and improve postpartum outcomes for women.

BackgroundAs part of the ‘University Dialogue with Southern Europe 2024’ programme funded by the DAAD with funds from the Federal Foreign Office (AA), two professors, a doctoral student, 13 students from the two universities and 20 social work professionals from Germany and Greece entered into a dialogue on the topic of child protection. In the period from 1 June to 31 December 2024 together they explored the question of “how children can be protected from violence”. The aim was to exchange the state of the respective scientific knowledge, to learn from each other and to discuss strategies for combating violence against children. The research question was: “What can be learnt from looking at each other’s child protection systems?”MethodsAction research was used as a qualitative ‘bottom-up’ approach developed at the “Centre for Comparative Social Work Studies (CCSWS)” at Brunel University London (Hetherington 2006). Case vignettes were used, discussed by groups, in order to gain an insight into the functioning of their own and other child protection systems and to carry out a joint expert comparison. In addition, field visits were made to the respective locations in order to shed light on the practical implementation of child protection work in the respective countries and to enter into dialogue with the civil society actors involved.MethodsCase Studies, Field Visits, Group Work.ResultsSelected results are presented in the poster in the form of two tables based on the following question: What was learned from the Greek/German system regarding Knowledge/Attitudes/Behaviors through the Field visits/Case study/Groupwork?ConclusionsThere is an urgent need to strengthen the training of professionals in recognising and dealing with incidents of violence. At the same time, it became clear how important it is to develop common tools/strategies to improve child protection, as well as the need to develop preventative measures and support programmes for families in crisis.Key messages• While the legal frameworks and procedures in both countries are comparable, there is a notable overreliance on state support, resulting in a significantly lower availability of social services/worker.• Despite the cultural and systemic differences, there is a shared understanding of social work and child protection principles.TopicViolence against children, Child protection, International comparison.

ABSTRACT Schools play a pivotal role in safeguarding vulnerable children due to the time children spend within them (Nohilly, M. 2019. “Cultures of Care in Primary Schools in Ireland That Support Child Protection Work.” Child Abuse Review 28 (4): 261–272; Treacy, M., and M. Nohilly. 2020. “Teacher Education and Child Protection: Complying with Requirements or Putting Children First?” Children and Youth Services Review 113:105009). This role was significantly expanded in Ireland under the Children First Act 2015, positioning schools and personnel as central to Child Protection and Safeguarding (CPS). However, little research exists on how school communities perceive these responsibilities or the factors influencing their efforts. This study uses a mixed-methods case study approach and Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) to examine the perspectives of principals, chairpersons, and teachers. Key findings reveal two major challenges: the subjective application of the ‘Threshold of Harm’ principle, described as unclear and inconsistent, and systemic barriers like poverty, neglect, and drug-related issues, which make fulfilling CPS responsibilities difficult. While most participants believed their efforts positively impact children’s lives, many acknowledged that some children remain inadequately protected. This study critiques the procedural, adult-centric nature of CPS practices, arguing they overlook children’s ongoing needs and the critical role of care. By reaffirming schools’ supportive function (Gilligan, R. 1998. “The Importance of Schools and Teachers in Child Welfare.” Child & Family Social Work 3 (1): 13–25, Gilligan, R. 2000. “Adversity, Resilience and Young People: The Protective Value of Positive School and Spare Time Experiences.” Children & Society 14 (1): 37–47), this article advocates for a shift toward a holistic, child-centred safeguarding approach that emphasises care, connection, and children’s lived experiences.

The challenges of family group conferences for at-risk children: risk assessment by parents and social workers

The remote work of child protection professionals during COVID-19: A scoping review and thematic analysis

Abstract Previous research has shown that professionals’ child protection attitudes influence their decision-making. This study investigates whether these attitudes are associated with person perceptions that professionals form about parents who may be perpetrators of child maltreatment (e.g. perceptions of the perpetrator’s sociability, competence, and morality) and whether they mediate the decision to provide a supervision order. A vignette study was conducted among 133 child protection workers. The estimated structural equation model (SEM) showed that child protection attitudes had an impact on person perceptions that were formed about the perpetrator of child maltreatment (perceived competence and morality). Workers were less likely to support a supervision order when they perceived the perpetrator as more moral. The analysis did not reveal a direct relationship between child protection attitudes and decision-making, while the indirect effect was significant, suggesting that person perceptions on morality mediated the relationship between child protection attitudes and decision-making. The results of this analysis help to confirm and deepen our understanding of the role that individual decision-makers play in decisional variability in the child protection context with implications for staff selection and staff development.

Introduction: From 13 June 1915, when the National Stefania Association was founded, for almost a century, the health visitors, alongside the doctors, were the health-social-child protection carers of children and families with children, the coordinators of this work. Objective: (1) To review the changes in the last decades that have changed the work of doctors, health visitors and health professionals in child protection; (2) to describe their place and responsibilities in the child protection system; (3) to make suggestions based on our professional experience on how they can work more effectively to better represent the interests of children in need. Method: We studied the legislation, professional regulations and literature related to the topic, and we also carried out systematic and analytical work based on our own professional experience. Results: Act III of 1993 on social welfare, Act XXXI of 1997 on child protection, and the creation of the family and child welfare services and centres in 2016, brought radical changes. Health professionals play a key role in the child protection signalling system and work together with other child protection actors. Our own health-child protection DDTT (Detection–Diagnosis–Treatment–Therapy) model and checklist, which have proved successful in our own work, can be used to help health professionals in their health-child protection work. Discussion: The place and responsibilities of doctors, health visitors and health professionals in the child protection system have become clearer. The role of all health professionals is very important in this work. Conclusion: More attention should be focused on cases within their own competence, on primary prevention in the field of health and child protection. Teamwork, traditionally important in the health sector, is also important in the health and child protection field. Also to follow the changes, participation in training courses is recommended. For more effective work, we recommend the use of the DDTT model and checklist, which have been well proven in our own work in health and child protection. Orv Hetil. 2025; 166(35): 1391–1400.

To describe the epidemiology of cerebral palsy (CP) among children in rural areas of Malawi. This was a cross-sectional study on children with CP younger than 18 years from a rural district registered in the Malawi Cerebral Palsy Register. Community child protection workers, trained as CP key informants, identified children with CP using a population-based approach. A multidisciplinary medical team ascertained the CP diagnosis before registration. The children's baseline characteristics, CP risk factors, and comorbidities were documented. Descriptive and inferential analyses were completed. A total of 911 children were screened (December 2023-June 2024), and 538 were registered (median [interquartile range] age = 5 years 11 months [range: 2 years 7 months-11 years 10 months], 59.3%male). Bilateral spastic CP was the most common type (46.3%), with most children (90.5%) classified in Gross Motor Function Classification System levels III to V. The observed CP prevalence was 1.7 per 1000 children. Perinatal asphyxia (40.5%) and cerebral malaria (12.3%) were the most common 'probable causes'. Institutional deliveries were reported in 95.1% and prolonged or obstructed labour was the most reported labour complication (42.7%). Our findings suggest that preventable causes are the main drivers of CP in Malawi. As such, factors in the health care system that contribute to these causes need to be evaluated.

This study employs a phenomenological approach to explore the dynamics of trust within the Mockingbird Family, a relatively new model of foster and kinship care introduced in Australia. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with children (n = 21) and members of their care networks (n = 33) involved in the pilot implementation of the model. Trust is examined as a multidimensional concept that spans interpersonal, organisational and societal contexts. Findings show that trust is co-produced through everyday interactions between children and carers, strengthened through collaboration among carers, agency staff and child protection workers, and reinforced by organisational coherence and political support. Drawing on the lived experiences of children, carers and professionals, the study offers insight into how trust can be intentionally built and sustained within collective care environments. The Mockingbird Family model highlights trust as an emergent process shaped through mutual engagement, peer support and structural responsiveness, rather than as a fixed attribute or predefined outcome. These insights contribute to reimagining foster care as a relationship-centred, interconnected system.

ABSTRACTDespite the undeniable significance of love in parent–child relationships, there is a gap in empirical research on this topic. Love's mythological, abstract and subjective nature complicates its academic investigation, often overshadowed by the presumption of its universal presence. The current study aimed to explore the intricate nature of parental love through the lens of child protection social workers (CPSWs) working with children at risk due to harm, abuse, neglect or self‐risk behaviours up to the age of 18. Utilizing qualitative methods, 20 in‐depth interviews were conducted. Two themes were identified: the unchallenged belief in parental love and its therapeutic potential within the parent–child nexus. This study illuminates the roles of parental love in scenarios of child abuse and neglect from the perspective of CPSWs. The findings emphasize that viewing love as a given shields CPSWs from confronting the possibility that a parent may not love their child. This perception facilitates their work with parents who have harmed their children, enabling them to engage these parents as agents of change. The research advocates for engaging in open and authentic dialogues with parents within the framework of child abuse and maltreatment. This perspective not only challenges prevailing stereotypes but also highlights the necessity of personalized support and understanding in addressing the complexities surrounding parenting and child welfare.

ABSTRACT Record Keeping is an essential component of child protection work. A qualitative research study was undertaken with primary school teachers in Ireland which explored practices in relation to record keeping in child protection. The research findings highlight that a variety of approaches are undertaken in school in relation to record keeping in child protection. Furthermore, the findings revealed that ongoing monitoring in child protection is not part of record keeping processes in schools and there are inconsistencies in practice across schools. The findings highlight the need to establish a framework for monitoring signs of symptoms of abuse on an ongoing basis.

Supervision is an important component of all areas of professional social work practice, particularly in high risk areas where clients are at risk of or are being harmed.Child protection practice, is recognized as a high-risk service area and therefore professional supervision is of particular importance in ensuring the provision of best practice child protection services to the children and families.The purpose of the study is to identify how respondents perceive supervision within a professional practice environment and how this understanding may then act to shape the expectations of what supervision should be in the future.This is an exploratory qualitative study, based on 15 in-depth interviews with present and past practicing workers in the statutory child protection system.The study respondents recognize supervision as an important activity in supporting professional practice in stress related risk practice environments and in facilitating professional learning and development in social work child protection practice.The study indicates supervision is an ethical professional activity that provides professional support for practitioners working in a complex, stressful and risk-based practice environment.The contribution of good supervision to best practice child protection services, which in turn to benefit the agencies, professional practitioners and clients, are widely recognized.