Qualitative Case Studies: Assessing Child Welfare Workforce & Service Gaps Through Multiple Lenses

This presentation will focus on the use of qualitative case studies for identifying workforce and service gaps in child protection, both at the system level in Nigeria and at the case management practice level in Swaziland.... [ view full abstract ]

This presentation will focus on the use of qualitative case studies for identifying workforce and service gaps in child protection, both at the system level in Nigeria and at the case management practice level in Swaziland. This qualitative case study methodology utilizes a participatory approach for stakeholders across sectors to discuss problem-identification, referral pathways, decision-making, service coordination and integration, and outcomes for cases. The qualitative case study methodology is designed for studying complex phenomenon in context by promoting an effective, contextualized reflection on practice. This is especially applicable for complex systems like child protection systems because one can explore complex processes at multiple levels - individual, family, community, organizational, and the broader system. Especially applicable are complex problems such as child sexual abuse and domestic violence. These are situations in which those being studied can’t be manipulated through experimental design because of the specific risks involved.
The strength of qualitative case studies is that stakeholders such as social workers, children, parents and caregivers, and authorities can tell their stories, often with different viewpoints. This allows for a better understanding of the different truths through different lenses. It is these collective stories that give meaning to why certain decisions and pathways were taken from problem-identification to outcome. These contextual conditions are just as important as what is happening. For example, you can address contextual questions such as: Who worked whom? Who didn’t work with whom? Who was included/excluded; power differentials; boundaries; teamwork; and outcome(s)? The presenter with provide examples of the specific applications that includes guided discussion questions for system mapping and assessment (Nigeria) and the development of case management guidelines for practice (Swaziland).