Professional discretion and actuarial decision-making in child protection: A participant observation
Abstract
This Presentation focuses the challenges of decision-making in child protection. Comparative studies show that actuarial risk assessment tools predict future maltreatment more accurate than clinical assessment. Despite a long... [ view full abstract ]
This Presentation focuses the challenges of decision-making in child protection. Comparative studies show that actuarial risk assessment tools predict future maltreatment more accurate than clinical assessment. Despite a long tradition of research on statistical decision-making only a few studies deal with how such instruments are used and integrated into the professional decision-making practice. Moreover a critical discourse can be noticed, where concerns are discussed about the fact that such standardization systems might have a negative impact on professional discretion. I will present data from an ethnographical study, which was gained during a three-month field visit in a California Child Welfare Services. In this institution actuarial risk assessment is used as part of a Structured Decision Making Model. The material is based on the protocols of a participant observation. I observed social workers’ direct interactions with clients, group decision making processes between social workers and families, hotline service, staff meetings and court hearings. I shadowed several social workers and their supervisors and participated in the daily life of the Child Welfare Service. I used daily field notes to document observations with the intention to experience of how professional social worker come to their decisions under the conditions of the application of actuarial tools. The data show a practice of negotiation between the social workers and the assessment tools. Based on a materialist approach I would like to discuss that this negotiation practice can be interpreted neither as manipulation of the tools nor principally as a decline in discretion. One of the main results is that a highly standardized practice can activate reconstructive processes and can even lead to more discretion.
Authors
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Pascal Bastian
(University of Mainz)
Topic Area
Systems and workforce related responses to allegations of abuse and neglect
Session
OP-39 » Decision Making and its Impact (14:30 - Tuesday, 30th August)
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