Shenyang Guo
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195337518
- eISBN:
- 9780199864256
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195337518.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Research and Evaluation
Survival analysis is a class of statistical methods for studying the occurrence and timing of events. Statistical analysis of longitudinal data, particularly censored data, lies at the heart of ...
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Survival analysis is a class of statistical methods for studying the occurrence and timing of events. Statistical analysis of longitudinal data, particularly censored data, lies at the heart of social work research, and many of social work research's empirical problems, such as child welfare, welfare policy, evaluation of welfare-to-work programs, and mental health, can be formulated as investigations of timing of event occurrence. Social work researchers also often need to analyze multilevel or grouped data (for example, event times formed by sibling groups or mother-child dyads or recurrences of events such as re-entries into foster care), but these and other more robust methods can be challenging to social work researchers without a background in higher math. With clearly written summaries and plentiful examples, all written with social work issues and social work researchers in mind, this pocket guide will put this important statistical tool in the hands of many more social work researchers than have been able to use it before, to the field's benefit.Less
Survival analysis is a class of statistical methods for studying the occurrence and timing of events. Statistical analysis of longitudinal data, particularly censored data, lies at the heart of social work research, and many of social work research's empirical problems, such as child welfare, welfare policy, evaluation of welfare-to-work programs, and mental health, can be formulated as investigations of timing of event occurrence. Social work researchers also often need to analyze multilevel or grouped data (for example, event times formed by sibling groups or mother-child dyads or recurrences of events such as re-entries into foster care), but these and other more robust methods can be challenging to social work researchers without a background in higher math. With clearly written summaries and plentiful examples, all written with social work issues and social work researchers in mind, this pocket guide will put this important statistical tool in the hands of many more social work researchers than have been able to use it before, to the field's benefit.
Jill Duerr Berrick
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195322620
- eISBN:
- 9780199864607
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195322620.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Social Policy
There is a profound crisis in the United States’ foster care system according to this book. No state has passed the federally mandated Child and Family Service Review; two-thirds of the state systems ...
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There is a profound crisis in the United States’ foster care system according to this book. No state has passed the federally mandated Child and Family Service Review; two-thirds of the state systems have faced class-action lawsuits demanding change; and most tellingly, almost half of all children who enter foster care never go home. The field of child welfare has lost its way and is neglecting its fundamental responsibility to the most vulnerable children and families in America. The family stories this book weaves throughout the chapters provide a backdrop for the statistics presented. Amanda, raised in foster care, began having children of her own while still a teen and lost them to the system when she became addicted to drugs. Tracy, brought up by her schizophrenic single mother, gave birth to the first of eight children at age fourteen and saw them all shuffled through foster care as she dealt drugs and went to prison. Both they and the other individuals that are featured in the book spent years without adequate support from social workers or the government before finally achieving a healthier life; many people never do. But despite the clear crisis in child welfare, most calls for reform have focused on unproven prevention methods, not on improving the situation for those already caught in the system. The book argues that real child welfare reform will only occur when the centerpiece of child welfare — reunification, permanency, and foster care — is reaffirmed.Less
There is a profound crisis in the United States’ foster care system according to this book. No state has passed the federally mandated Child and Family Service Review; two-thirds of the state systems have faced class-action lawsuits demanding change; and most tellingly, almost half of all children who enter foster care never go home. The field of child welfare has lost its way and is neglecting its fundamental responsibility to the most vulnerable children and families in America. The family stories this book weaves throughout the chapters provide a backdrop for the statistics presented. Amanda, raised in foster care, began having children of her own while still a teen and lost them to the system when she became addicted to drugs. Tracy, brought up by her schizophrenic single mother, gave birth to the first of eight children at age fourteen and saw them all shuffled through foster care as she dealt drugs and went to prison. Both they and the other individuals that are featured in the book spent years without adequate support from social workers or the government before finally achieving a healthier life; many people never do. But despite the clear crisis in child welfare, most calls for reform have focused on unproven prevention methods, not on improving the situation for those already caught in the system. The book argues that real child welfare reform will only occur when the centerpiece of child welfare — reunification, permanency, and foster care — is reaffirmed.
Duncan Lindsey and Aron Shlonsky (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195304961
- eISBN:
- 9780199863648
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195304961.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Research and Evaluation
Research has already been a significant factor in child welfare policy in recent years, but this book demonstrates that it has taken a leading role in the field to spur and guide change. The chapters ...
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Research has already been a significant factor in child welfare policy in recent years, but this book demonstrates that it has taken a leading role in the field to spur and guide change. The chapters in this book assess the effect of research on the full spectrum of child welfare services. The book covers every base. The opening chapters situate child welfare research in the modern context; they are followed by discussions of evidence-based practice in the field, arguably its most pressing concern now. Recent years have seen historic rises in the number of children adopted through public agencies and, accordingly, permanent placement and family ties are critical topics that occupy the book's core, along with chapters broaching the thorny questions that surround decision-making and risk assessment. The urgent need for a more effective use of research and evidence is highlighted again with looks at the future of child protection and how concrete data can influence policy and help children. Finally, in recognition of the growing importance of a global view, closing chapters address international issues in child welfare research, including an examination of policies from abroad and a multinational comparison of the economic challenges facing single mothers and their children.Less
Research has already been a significant factor in child welfare policy in recent years, but this book demonstrates that it has taken a leading role in the field to spur and guide change. The chapters in this book assess the effect of research on the full spectrum of child welfare services. The book covers every base. The opening chapters situate child welfare research in the modern context; they are followed by discussions of evidence-based practice in the field, arguably its most pressing concern now. Recent years have seen historic rises in the number of children adopted through public agencies and, accordingly, permanent placement and family ties are critical topics that occupy the book's core, along with chapters broaching the thorny questions that surround decision-making and risk assessment. The urgent need for a more effective use of research and evidence is highlighted again with looks at the future of child protection and how concrete data can influence policy and help children. Finally, in recognition of the growing importance of a global view, closing chapters address international issues in child welfare research, including an examination of policies from abroad and a multinational comparison of the economic challenges facing single mothers and their children.
Robert J. Chaskin and Jona M. Rosenfeld (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195314083
- eISBN:
- 9780199865550
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195314083.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Research and Evaluation
Across the social welfare and human services fields, interest is growing in how to apply research to influence policy and practice; simultaneously, with globalization's advance, it is clearer than ...
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Across the social welfare and human services fields, interest is growing in how to apply research to influence policy and practice; simultaneously, with globalization's advance, it is clearer than ever that an international perspective is vital in understanding how social, political, and institutional contexts affect research and dissemination practices. This book provides insight into effective research practice and the factors involved in putting research findings to use. Leading with experience — narratives of six child welfare case studies from the UK, Ireland, Israel, South Africa, and the US — the book frames those cases in the context of relevant literatures to build up a cross-case analysis that distills lessons, throws enduring questions into relief, and lays a foundation for informing future practice. It mines the cross-national experience to develop perspective for a better understanding of the importance of different policy and cultural environments, while nonetheless emphasizing issues that are applicable across borders. The book presents various themes and lessons, placing the empirical findings against relevant theoretical frameworks and developing guidelines for improving research practice in this arena.Less
Across the social welfare and human services fields, interest is growing in how to apply research to influence policy and practice; simultaneously, with globalization's advance, it is clearer than ever that an international perspective is vital in understanding how social, political, and institutional contexts affect research and dissemination practices. This book provides insight into effective research practice and the factors involved in putting research findings to use. Leading with experience — narratives of six child welfare case studies from the UK, Ireland, Israel, South Africa, and the US — the book frames those cases in the context of relevant literatures to build up a cross-case analysis that distills lessons, throws enduring questions into relief, and lays a foundation for informing future practice. It mines the cross-national experience to develop perspective for a better understanding of the importance of different policy and cultural environments, while nonetheless emphasizing issues that are applicable across borders. The book presents various themes and lessons, placing the empirical findings against relevant theoretical frameworks and developing guidelines for improving research practice in this arena.
Anaclaudia G. Fassa, David L. Parker, and Thomas J. Scanlon
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199558582
- eISBN:
- 9780191594397
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199558582.003.0001
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health
This introductory chapter begins with a brief discussion of child labour as a global problem and changes in policies regarding child labour. It then lays out the purpose of the book, which is to ...
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This introductory chapter begins with a brief discussion of child labour as a global problem and changes in policies regarding child labour. It then lays out the purpose of the book, which is to synthesize a discussion on the key causes and consequences of child labour in the early 21st century. These are discussed in terms of the individual child, as well as the wider context of the family and community.Less
This introductory chapter begins with a brief discussion of child labour as a global problem and changes in policies regarding child labour. It then lays out the purpose of the book, which is to synthesize a discussion on the key causes and consequences of child labour in the early 21st century. These are discussed in terms of the individual child, as well as the wider context of the family and community.
John E. B. Myers
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195169355
- eISBN:
- 9780199893348
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195169355.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Crime and Justice
Child abuse and neglect are serious social problems. Preventing maltreatment from occurring and, when prevention fails, intervening to protect children, are vital concerns for policy makers, the ...
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Child abuse and neglect are serious social problems. Preventing maltreatment from occurring and, when prevention fails, intervening to protect children, are vital concerns for policy makers, the public, and professionals in social work, mental health, medicine, nursing, law enforcement, and law. Millions of dollars are spent on the child protection system. Yet, maltreatment continues. To appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of today's child protection system, it is important to understand the historical development of child protection. Part I traces the history of child protection in America from colonial times to the present. With the history in place, Part II begins with an analysis of the numerous causes of child abuse and neglect. Once the causes of maltreatment are revealed, the discussion shifts to roadblocks to reducing maltreatment. Despite roadblocks, progress is possible, and Part II outlines broad strategies for reducing the amount of maltreatment. The book ends with specific recommendations to improve the child protection system, including proposals to strengthen foster care and reform the juvenile court.Less
Child abuse and neglect are serious social problems. Preventing maltreatment from occurring and, when prevention fails, intervening to protect children, are vital concerns for policy makers, the public, and professionals in social work, mental health, medicine, nursing, law enforcement, and law. Millions of dollars are spent on the child protection system. Yet, maltreatment continues. To appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of today's child protection system, it is important to understand the historical development of child protection. Part I traces the history of child protection in America from colonial times to the present. With the history in place, Part II begins with an analysis of the numerous causes of child abuse and neglect. Once the causes of maltreatment are revealed, the discussion shifts to roadblocks to reducing maltreatment. Despite roadblocks, progress is possible, and Part II outlines broad strategies for reducing the amount of maltreatment. The book ends with specific recommendations to improve the child protection system, including proposals to strengthen foster care and reform the juvenile court.
Mark F. Testa
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195321302
- eISBN:
- 9780199777457
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195321302.003.0009
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Communities and Organizations
This chapter reviews the history of the IV-E waiver program and discusses some alternative proposals for promoting flexibility and innovation. In 2006, Congress did not renew the Health and Human ...
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This chapter reviews the history of the IV-E waiver program and discusses some alternative proposals for promoting flexibility and innovation. In 2006, Congress did not renew the Health and Human Services' (HHS) authority to grant new child welfare waivers. The chapter offers a set of recommendations for improving the use of IV-E waivers if Congress were ever to revive this program to promote results-oriented accountability (ROA) in child welfare.Less
This chapter reviews the history of the IV-E waiver program and discusses some alternative proposals for promoting flexibility and innovation. In 2006, Congress did not renew the Health and Human Services' (HHS) authority to grant new child welfare waivers. The chapter offers a set of recommendations for improving the use of IV-E waivers if Congress were ever to revive this program to promote results-oriented accountability (ROA) in child welfare.
Petra Kouvonen
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199652501
- eISBN:
- 9780191739217
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199652501.003.0027
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law, Human Rights and Immigration
A common issue in the field of child welfare is how to tailor services so that clients receive the most suitable form of care. All current legal regulations in use in the field of child welfare ...
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A common issue in the field of child welfare is how to tailor services so that clients receive the most suitable form of care. All current legal regulations in use in the field of child welfare emphasize that measures for children deprived of care in their original families should be free of discrimination, which might be seen as a presumption of the right of each child to receive equal care. Equality in care might be interpreted in two senses: as care being equally available to all children and as care being individually suitable. Equal care for all children in both these senses is however not always self-evident, especially if a service field has gone through structural changes as is discussed in this chapter, using the Finnish foster care field as a case. In the chapter, foster care is the concept used to discuss all non-institutional substitute care for children placed outside their homes. Thus, the definition includes foster care provided by private households or private companies.Less
A common issue in the field of child welfare is how to tailor services so that clients receive the most suitable form of care. All current legal regulations in use in the field of child welfare emphasize that measures for children deprived of care in their original families should be free of discrimination, which might be seen as a presumption of the right of each child to receive equal care. Equality in care might be interpreted in two senses: as care being equally available to all children and as care being individually suitable. Equal care for all children in both these senses is however not always self-evident, especially if a service field has gone through structural changes as is discussed in this chapter, using the Finnish foster care field as a case. In the chapter, foster care is the concept used to discuss all non-institutional substitute care for children placed outside their homes. Thus, the definition includes foster care provided by private households or private companies.
Mary Lyndon Shanley
- Published in print:
- 1998
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198294962
- eISBN:
- 9780191598708
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198294964.003.0019
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
US law concerning families has not tipped as unequivocally in the direction of unbridled individualism as Sandel believes, and, in any event, individualism and moral values are not diametrically ...
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US law concerning families has not tipped as unequivocally in the direction of unbridled individualism as Sandel believes, and, in any event, individualism and moral values are not diametrically opposed to one another. Because law shapes the way we conceptualize human relationships, we should make sure that “the tale told by law” reflects an understanding of the importance of communal interdependence to both individuals and society, rather than simply reflecting justice understood as the protection of individual rights. In promising wives long-term support in the event of divorce, the old marriage law provided some compensation to wives for their economic vulnerability, but it promoted an inequality in both the family and the larger society; the challenge for family law and family policy is to design measures that will allow deep affection ties to flourish while not locking some people–primarily women–into dependency. In Sandel’s eyes, the dissenters in Bowers v. Hardwick missed an opportunity to articulate the possible goods to be realized by homosexual intimacy, and in doing so impoverished political discourse, but throughout his opinion, Blackmun attempts to relate the importance to an individual of being a member of a family or an intimate association and the ability to choose to establish or enter such a relationship. The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 regards neither Indian infants nor their biological parents as unencumbered individuals, but rather suggests that they are embedded in a web of relationships they have not chosen, yet which in part constitute who they are and which justify particular legal stipulations regarding jurisdiction and placement in foster care and adoption cases; it also recognizes individual rights through provisions that allow for consideration of the wishes of the biological parents and of the best interests of a particular child.Less
US law concerning families has not tipped as unequivocally in the direction of unbridled individualism as Sandel believes, and, in any event, individualism and moral values are not diametrically opposed to one another. Because law shapes the way we conceptualize human relationships, we should make sure that “the tale told by law” reflects an understanding of the importance of communal interdependence to both individuals and society, rather than simply reflecting justice understood as the protection of individual rights. In promising wives long-term support in the event of divorce, the old marriage law provided some compensation to wives for their economic vulnerability, but it promoted an inequality in both the family and the larger society; the challenge for family law and family policy is to design measures that will allow deep affection ties to flourish while not locking some people–primarily women–into dependency. In Sandel’s eyes, the dissenters in Bowers v. Hardwick missed an opportunity to articulate the possible goods to be realized by homosexual intimacy, and in doing so impoverished political discourse, but throughout his opinion, Blackmun attempts to relate the importance to an individual of being a member of a family or an intimate association and the ability to choose to establish or enter such a relationship. The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 regards neither Indian infants nor their biological parents as unencumbered individuals, but rather suggests that they are embedded in a web of relationships they have not chosen, yet which in part constitute who they are and which justify particular legal stipulations regarding jurisdiction and placement in foster care and adoption cases; it also recognizes individual rights through provisions that allow for consideration of the wishes of the biological parents and of the best interests of a particular child.
Sue White, Matthew Gibson, David Wastell, and Patricia Walsh
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- September 2020
- ISBN:
- 9781447336914
- eISBN:
- 9781447336969
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781447336914.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families
This book offers an analysis and summary of the uses, abuses and limitations of attachment theory in contemporary child welfare practice, examining controversies and offering a new pedagogy that is ...
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This book offers an analysis and summary of the uses, abuses and limitations of attachment theory in contemporary child welfare practice, examining controversies and offering a new pedagogy that is responsive to the changing dynamics of contemporary families. The book shows how attachment theory can distort and influence decision-making. It argues that the dominant view of attachment theory may promote a problematic diagnostic mindset, whilst undervaluing the enduring relationships between children and adults. The book concludes that attachment theory can still play an important role in child welfare practice, but the balance of the research agenda needs a radical shift towards a sophisticated understanding of the realities of human experience to inform ethical practice.Less
This book offers an analysis and summary of the uses, abuses and limitations of attachment theory in contemporary child welfare practice, examining controversies and offering a new pedagogy that is responsive to the changing dynamics of contemporary families. The book shows how attachment theory can distort and influence decision-making. It argues that the dominant view of attachment theory may promote a problematic diagnostic mindset, whilst undervaluing the enduring relationships between children and adults. The book concludes that attachment theory can still play an important role in child welfare practice, but the balance of the research agenda needs a radical shift towards a sophisticated understanding of the realities of human experience to inform ethical practice.
Ken Taylor and Michael Shaver
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195321302
- eISBN:
- 9780199777457
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195321302.003.0010
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Communities and Organizations
This chapter discusses performance-based contracting (PBC) and budgeting in public child welfare, drawing on experiences in implementing PBC in Chicago and Philadelphia. The approach incorporated ...
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This chapter discusses performance-based contracting (PBC) and budgeting in public child welfare, drawing on experiences in implementing PBC in Chicago and Philadelphia. The approach incorporated research design elements, such as rotational assignment and risk-adjustment, in order to improve the monitoring of the performance of contractual service agents. Researchers relied on market-pricing systems to motivate quality improvement and to achieve budgetary efficiencies.Less
This chapter discusses performance-based contracting (PBC) and budgeting in public child welfare, drawing on experiences in implementing PBC in Chicago and Philadelphia. The approach incorporated research design elements, such as rotational assignment and risk-adjustment, in order to improve the monitoring of the performance of contractual service agents. Researchers relied on market-pricing systems to motivate quality improvement and to achieve budgetary efficiencies.
Mark F. Testa and John Poertner
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195321302
- eISBN:
- 9780199777457
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195321302.003.0012
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Communities and Organizations
This chapter considers the future of results-oriented accountability (ROA) and the use of empirical evidence to guide and improve child welfare policy. It assesses where current child welfare policy ...
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This chapter considers the future of results-oriented accountability (ROA) and the use of empirical evidence to guide and improve child welfare policy. It assesses where current child welfare policy stands on each of the five dimensions of ROA outlined in Chapter 1. It considers the alternative directions that ROA might take in child welfare with respect to the accountability mismatch between the enlarged scope of public interest and the limited technical capacity of states to meet rigorous standards of evidence. The chapter offers some thoughts about the future of waivers and the flexible funding of child welfare interventions, the continued viability of market-oriented solutions to the principal-agent/principal-agent problem, and the role of university-agency partnerships in fostering accountability in child welfare.Less
This chapter considers the future of results-oriented accountability (ROA) and the use of empirical evidence to guide and improve child welfare policy. It assesses where current child welfare policy stands on each of the five dimensions of ROA outlined in Chapter 1. It considers the alternative directions that ROA might take in child welfare with respect to the accountability mismatch between the enlarged scope of public interest and the limited technical capacity of states to meet rigorous standards of evidence. The chapter offers some thoughts about the future of waivers and the flexible funding of child welfare interventions, the continued viability of market-oriented solutions to the principal-agent/principal-agent problem, and the role of university-agency partnerships in fostering accountability in child welfare.
John Poertner
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195321302
- eISBN:
- 9780199777457
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195321302.003.0006
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Communities and Organizations
The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA) specified the accountability concerns for public child welfare and codified the outcomes for children served in these systems as safety, permanence, ...
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The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA) specified the accountability concerns for public child welfare and codified the outcomes for children served in these systems as safety, permanence, and wellbeing. The drive to define, measure, report, and manage these results has dominated the field for many years, even prior to the passage of ASFA. However, some people suggest that the outcome movement has so skewed attention to results that the practices which produce them have been lost. This chapter outlines an approach toward assessing the external validity of child welfare practices through research reviews of empirically-supported practices and policies across variations in populations, settings, interventions, and outcomes.Less
The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA) specified the accountability concerns for public child welfare and codified the outcomes for children served in these systems as safety, permanence, and wellbeing. The drive to define, measure, report, and manage these results has dominated the field for many years, even prior to the passage of ASFA. However, some people suggest that the outcome movement has so skewed attention to results that the practices which produce them have been lost. This chapter outlines an approach toward assessing the external validity of child welfare practices through research reviews of empirically-supported practices and policies across variations in populations, settings, interventions, and outcomes.
William A. Silverman
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780192630889
- eISBN:
- 9780191723568
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780192630889.003.0019
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health, Epidemiology
This chapter presents a 1992 commentary on the infant welfare movement. The French infant welfare movement began in the 1870s, but similar efforts were only taken up haltingly in other countries. In ...
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This chapter presents a 1992 commentary on the infant welfare movement. The French infant welfare movement began in the 1870s, but similar efforts were only taken up haltingly in other countries. In the US at the turn of the century, there was little interest in preserving the lives of marginal infants.Less
This chapter presents a 1992 commentary on the infant welfare movement. The French infant welfare movement began in the 1870s, but similar efforts were only taken up haltingly in other countries. In the US at the turn of the century, there was little interest in preserving the lives of marginal infants.
David S. Crampton and Patricia L. Rideout
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195394641
- eISBN:
- 9780199863365
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195394641.003.0008
- Subject:
- Social Work, Communities and Organizations
From the earliest days of child welfare outreach programs, social workers have developed a wide variety of practices to engage families and communities in the care and protection of children. This ...
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From the earliest days of child welfare outreach programs, social workers have developed a wide variety of practices to engage families and communities in the care and protection of children. This chapter reviews some of the efforts to promote family-centered and community-based child welfare practices and their fit into restorative justice. Specific processes discussed include family group conferencing which originated in New Zealand, family unity meetings from Oregon, team decision making from Ohio, and Family Team Conferences from Alabama. The case study presented is an example of the team decision-making approach and illustrates its use in permanency planning. The chapter describes the skills social workers need to use restorative processes in child welfare, and speculates about future directions in restorative justice and child welfare.Less
From the earliest days of child welfare outreach programs, social workers have developed a wide variety of practices to engage families and communities in the care and protection of children. This chapter reviews some of the efforts to promote family-centered and community-based child welfare practices and their fit into restorative justice. Specific processes discussed include family group conferencing which originated in New Zealand, family unity meetings from Oregon, team decision making from Ohio, and Family Team Conferences from Alabama. The case study presented is an example of the team decision-making approach and illustrates its use in permanency planning. The chapter describes the skills social workers need to use restorative processes in child welfare, and speculates about future directions in restorative justice and child welfare.
Leroy H. Pelton
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195304961
- eISBN:
- 9780199863648
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195304961.003.0002
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Research and Evaluation
This chapter examines the relevance and irrelevance of research on public child welfare, focusing on issues such as child removal, family preservation, and child protection. This is done against the ...
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This chapter examines the relevance and irrelevance of research on public child welfare, focusing on issues such as child removal, family preservation, and child protection. This is done against the background of the four levels of the child welfare system: its programs and services; the structure of the child welfare system itself; child welfare policies; and cognitive and emotional factors such as conceptions of justice. The fundamental discrepancy between research and practice is explored: the focus of child welfare practice on individual child and family, and the emphasis of most social science research on aggregate data.Less
This chapter examines the relevance and irrelevance of research on public child welfare, focusing on issues such as child removal, family preservation, and child protection. This is done against the background of the four levels of the child welfare system: its programs and services; the structure of the child welfare system itself; child welfare policies; and cognitive and emotional factors such as conceptions of justice. The fundamental discrepancy between research and practice is explored: the focus of child welfare practice on individual child and family, and the emphasis of most social science research on aggregate data.
Brid Featherstone
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781861349880
- eISBN:
- 9781447301974
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781861349880.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Comparative and Historical Sociology
Since 1997, child-welfare services have been faced with new demands to engage fathers or develop father-inclusive services. This book emerges from work by the author as a researcher and educator over ...
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Since 1997, child-welfare services have been faced with new demands to engage fathers or develop father-inclusive services. This book emerges from work by the author as a researcher and educator over many years, on the issues posed by this agenda for child-welfare practitioners, in a variety of contexts. In locating fathers, fathering, and fatherhood within a historical and social landscape, it addresses issues seldom taken up in practice settings. The book explores diversity and complexity in fathering in different disciplines such as psychoanalysis, sociology, and psychology, and analyses contemporary developments in social policies and welfare practices. The author employs a feminist perspective to highlight the opportunities and dangers in contemporary developments for those wishing to advance gender equity. A key strength of the book is its inter-disciplinary focus.Less
Since 1997, child-welfare services have been faced with new demands to engage fathers or develop father-inclusive services. This book emerges from work by the author as a researcher and educator over many years, on the issues posed by this agenda for child-welfare practitioners, in a variety of contexts. In locating fathers, fathering, and fatherhood within a historical and social landscape, it addresses issues seldom taken up in practice settings. The book explores diversity and complexity in fathering in different disciplines such as psychoanalysis, sociology, and psychology, and analyses contemporary developments in social policies and welfare practices. The author employs a feminist perspective to highlight the opportunities and dangers in contemporary developments for those wishing to advance gender equity. A key strength of the book is its inter-disciplinary focus.
Hannele Forsberg and Teppo Kroger (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781847424068
- eISBN:
- 9781447303534
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781847424068.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families
Children and families are at the heart of social work all over the world but, until now, Nordic perspectives have been rare in the body of English-language child welfare literature. Is there ...
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Children and families are at the heart of social work all over the world but, until now, Nordic perspectives have been rare in the body of English-language child welfare literature. Is there something that makes child welfare ideas and practices that are in use in the Nordic countries characteristically ‘Nordic’? If so, what kinds of challenges do the current globalization trends pose for Nordic child welfare practices, especially for social work with children and families? Covering a broad range of child welfare issues, this book provides examples of Nordic approaches to child welfare, looking at differences between Nordic states as well as the similarities. It considers, and critically examines, the particular features of the Nordic welfare model — including universal social care services that are available to all citizens and family policies that promote equality and individuality — as a resource for social work with children and families. Drawing on contemporary research and debates from different Nordic countries, the book examines how social work and child welfare politics are produced and challenged as both global and local ideas and practices.Less
Children and families are at the heart of social work all over the world but, until now, Nordic perspectives have been rare in the body of English-language child welfare literature. Is there something that makes child welfare ideas and practices that are in use in the Nordic countries characteristically ‘Nordic’? If so, what kinds of challenges do the current globalization trends pose for Nordic child welfare practices, especially for social work with children and families? Covering a broad range of child welfare issues, this book provides examples of Nordic approaches to child welfare, looking at differences between Nordic states as well as the similarities. It considers, and critically examines, the particular features of the Nordic welfare model — including universal social care services that are available to all citizens and family policies that promote equality and individuality — as a resource for social work with children and families. Drawing on contemporary research and debates from different Nordic countries, the book examines how social work and child welfare politics are produced and challenged as both global and local ideas and practices.
Mark F. Testa and John Poertner
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195321302
- eISBN:
- 9780199777457
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195321302.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Communities and Organizations
Fostering Accountability presents a model of child welfare decision-making that holds public officials answerable for the integrity and validity of the actions they take on behalf of the ...
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Fostering Accountability presents a model of child welfare decision-making that holds public officials answerable for the integrity and validity of the actions they take on behalf of the children and families in their care. It operationalizes the concept of results-oriented accountability, which demands that administrators and practitioners show valid evidence of their success in improving child and family outcomes, not do not merely demonstrate mechanical procedural compliance. Drawing on the experiences of directors, staff, and evaluators, this timely and practical book describes the emergence of results-oriented accountability in child welfare with a special focus on the editors' role in establishing a university-agency research partnership under a federal consent decree. Chapters elaborate on the five successive stages of the results-oriented accountability framework — outcomes monitoring, data analysis, research review, evaluation, and quality improvement — and provide examples of applications of each stage for agency managers. By re-focusing the emphasis on developing policies based on agency data, instead of purely reactive approaches that grasp at solutions and often fall short, Fostering Accountability guides administrators in monitoring outcomes, using evidence to select interventions to enhance results, and applying management strategies to evaluate and improve these efforts. The result is a pragmatic implementation guide for administrators seeking to bring safety, stability, continuity, permanence, and well-being to the lives of abused and neglected children in the United States.Less
Fostering Accountability presents a model of child welfare decision-making that holds public officials answerable for the integrity and validity of the actions they take on behalf of the children and families in their care. It operationalizes the concept of results-oriented accountability, which demands that administrators and practitioners show valid evidence of their success in improving child and family outcomes, not do not merely demonstrate mechanical procedural compliance. Drawing on the experiences of directors, staff, and evaluators, this timely and practical book describes the emergence of results-oriented accountability in child welfare with a special focus on the editors' role in establishing a university-agency research partnership under a federal consent decree. Chapters elaborate on the five successive stages of the results-oriented accountability framework — outcomes monitoring, data analysis, research review, evaluation, and quality improvement — and provide examples of applications of each stage for agency managers. By re-focusing the emphasis on developing policies based on agency data, instead of purely reactive approaches that grasp at solutions and often fall short, Fostering Accountability guides administrators in monitoring outcomes, using evidence to select interventions to enhance results, and applying management strategies to evaluate and improve these efforts. The result is a pragmatic implementation guide for administrators seeking to bring safety, stability, continuity, permanence, and well-being to the lives of abused and neglected children in the United States.
Eileen Gambrill
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195304961
- eISBN:
- 9780199863648
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195304961.003.0003
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Research and Evaluation
The process and philosophy of evidence-informed practice and its utility in the helping professions including child welfare practices and policies is described in this chapter. This is distinguished ...
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The process and philosophy of evidence-informed practice and its utility in the helping professions including child welfare practices and policies is described in this chapter. This is distinguished from the view of evidence-based practice as using empirically based practices — the EBPs approach. The role of clinical expertise in integrating information from multiple sources such as characteristics of clients and their circumstances including their preferences and actions as well as research evidence is highlighted. Hallmarks of evidence-informed practice are reviewed and the implications of the philosophy of evidence-based practice described. Hallmarks include moving away from authoritarian practices and policies, honoring ethical obligations, making practices, policies, and their outcomes transparent, maximizing knowledge flow and using a systemic approach for integrating practical, ethical, and evidentiary issues that attends to organizational variables including funding patterns. Objections, controversies and barriers regarding evidence-based practices are reviewed.Less
The process and philosophy of evidence-informed practice and its utility in the helping professions including child welfare practices and policies is described in this chapter. This is distinguished from the view of evidence-based practice as using empirically based practices — the EBPs approach. The role of clinical expertise in integrating information from multiple sources such as characteristics of clients and their circumstances including their preferences and actions as well as research evidence is highlighted. Hallmarks of evidence-informed practice are reviewed and the implications of the philosophy of evidence-based practice described. Hallmarks include moving away from authoritarian practices and policies, honoring ethical obligations, making practices, policies, and their outcomes transparent, maximizing knowledge flow and using a systemic approach for integrating practical, ethical, and evidentiary issues that attends to organizational variables including funding patterns. Objections, controversies and barriers regarding evidence-based practices are reviewed.
