Discourses in Residential Child Care and Possibilities for Evidence-Based Practice | Zendy

Monika Alvestad Reime | Zendy

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Discourses in Residential Child Care and Possibilities for Evidence-Based Practice

Author(s) -

Monika Alvestad Reime

Publication year - 2016

Publication title -

professions and professionalism

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31

H-Index - 6

ISSN - 1893-1049

DOI - 10.7577/pp.1434

Subject(s) - indeterminacy (philosophy) , norwegian , sociology , discretion , evidence based practice , discourse analysis , critical discourse analysis , pedagogy , public relations , political science , epistemology , medicine , law , alternative medicine , linguistics , philosophy , pathology , ideology , politics

This article explores professional discourses in the Norwegian residential child care system. It discusses how the discourses serve as constraints on and possibilities for evidence-based practice when different definitions of evidence-based practice are considered. Among the Nordic countries, Norway has been a forerunner in the implementation of evidence-based practice in child welfare. However, I argue that tensions exist, both within professional practice and between professional understandings and policy aims. I use discourse theory to analyze interviews with 19 professionals working in coercive residential child care. The results reveal two competing professional discourses: the discourse of technoscience and the discourse of indeterminacy. Possibilities of evidence-based practice in residential child care are found within both discourses if a wide and inclusive definition of evidence-based practice is applied. This study emphasizes the importance of engaging in constant reflection when discussing possibilities for evidence-based practice within residential child care.

Keywords: professional discourses, residential child care, evidence-based practice, scientific knowledge, professional judgment, indeterminacy, discretion

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