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- Title
Partnership with Parents in Child Protection: A Systems Approach to Evaluate Reformative Developments in Israel.
- Authors
Alfandari, Ravit
- Abstract
This research was set out to examine the extent to which a national reform in the Israeli child protection decision-making framework of formal committees is achieving its aim for strengthening partnership with parents. The research employed a qualitative method of inquiry and a case-study design. The cases of twenty-one families brought before the committees were investigated and followed up after six months. Data were collected through interviews with social workers and parents and observations of the committees' discussions. A systems approach was undertaken as a conceptual frame- work in order to study practice within its organisational context. Based on the relatively small sample, the key finding is a very limited realisation of partnership with parents in terms of allowing them power to influence decisions. This is suggested to have come in the way of improving outcomes for children and families. Evidence showed that mechanisms of coercion and control were used in the discussions in order to enforce agreements. The analysis identified several systemic factors that were obstacles to good partnership working, including: heavy caseloads, lack of time for building relationships, insufficient skills in communicating effectively with parents and paternalistic organisational culture. Implications are discussed in terms of whole-organisational changes.
- Subjects
ISRAEL; CONTROL (Psychology); CHILD welfare; CORPORATE culture; DECISION making; FAMILIES; FATHERS; INTERPROFESSIONAL relations; INTERVIEWING; LONGITUDINAL method; RESEARCH methodology; CASE studies; MOTHERS; PARENTS; STATISTICAL sampling; SOCIAL case work; SOCIAL workers; SYSTEM analysis; QUALITATIVE research; GOVERNMENT policy; HUMAN services programs; EVALUATION of human services programs; DATA analysis software; MEDICAL coding; DESCRIPTIVE statistics
- Publication
British Journal of Social Work, 2017, Vol 47, Issue 4, p1061
- ISSN
0045-3102
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/bjsw/bcw101