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Exploring the essence of enabling child participation within child protection services
Author(s) -
Bijleveld Ganna G.,
BundersAelen Joske F.G.,
Dedding Christine W.M.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
child and family social work
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.912
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-2206
pISSN - 1356-7500
DOI - 10.1111/cfs.12684
Subject(s) - toolbox , child protection , subconscious , reflexivity , action (physics) , psychology , public relations , business , social psychology , political science , medicine , sociology , nursing , computer science , social science , physics , alternative medicine , pathology , quantum mechanics , programming language
The chances that children have to participate in child protection services are largely contingent upon the attitudes and skills of case managers. They have a crucial role in ensuring that a child's voice is being listened to and acknowledged in often sensitive dialogues. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate what case managers need to facilitate child participation. By handing case managers a participation toolbox developed by children and through the use of reflexive monitoring in action, we elaborated on the barriers faced in practice. The results show that the intention to facilitate child participation is quickly overruled by often subconscious thoughts and beliefs, stemming from the complex interplay of child image, protection, and participation. Case managers need to be aware of this interplay and how this unknowingly steers their actions. Therefore, iterative reflection should be facilitated within organizations for an actual change in their daily practice and to amplify the role of children in the decision‐making processes within child protection services.