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Empowerment in Child Protection Work: Values, Practice and Caveats
Author(s) -
McCallum Sharon,
Prilleltensky Isaac
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
children and society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.538
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-0860
pISSN - 0951-0605
DOI - 10.1111/j.1099-0860.1996.tb00456.x
Subject(s) - empowerment , work (physics) , child protection , sociology , social work , psychology , nursing , political science , medicine , law , engineering , mechanical engineering
The purpose of this paper is to examine the employment of an empowerment framework in the context of child protection work. In order to explore this we offer a definition of empowerment that is based on its three key essential values: self‐determination, collaboration and democratic participation, and distributive justice. Following an explanation of these values we identify possibilities and limitations for applying these principles in child protection practice. The discussion centres around necessary and sufficient conditions for the employment of empowerment guidelines, and dilemmas associated with their implementation. Finally, we reflect on the challenges of advancing an empowering agenda in child protection.