Challenges of participation for children in contact with child

In recent years we have seen a growth of interest in children’s participation within the Child Protection Services (CPS). This movement emerges from various sources, from the ratification and implementation of the UNs... [ view full abstract ]

In recent years we have seen a growth of interest in children’s participation within the Child Protection Services (CPS). This movement emerges from various sources, from the ratification and implementation of the UNs Convention of Children’s Rights into Norwegian law, the establishment of the Children’s Ombudsman, children’s service user interest groups and various official white papers. However, research show that children often are not participating when their families are in contact with the CPS. Participatory practice tends to be more messy and complicated then what the policy rhetoric suggests.
The authors have since 2001 been involved in four different research projects researching user participation in child protection. The data material has been collected through various research methods including interviews with children, parents and social workers. In addition we have studied the process of participation through an action research approach where different models have been developed, implemented and evaluated. Through this work we have experienced that participation needs reframing and to be understood as a relationship between the involved partners. Children’s voices are likely to be heard within the context of adult support and partnership. The central research question of the paper is: What are the challenges and opportunities for developing participatory relationships between service providers and children in CPS?
Our research suggest that good, long-term and trusting relationships with social workers are crucial to children’s involvement, but inconsistency, instability and unreliability are barriers to social workers developing relationships. There is a tendency to blame individual social workers for not succeeding in developing these types of relationships, but we would like to bring in special, structural and organizational factors in the CPS that prevent the facilitation of partnerships.