Social Work, Parents and the Child Protection Process
Representations of Parents in Policy, Organisation and Social Work Practice
By Katrin Bain and John Harris
Published
Oct 18, 2024Page count
208 pagesISBN
978-1447370642Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Policy PressPublished
Oct 18, 2024Page count
208 pagesISBN
978-1447370635Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Policy PressPublished
Oct 18, 2024Page count
208 pagesISBN
978-1447370659Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Policy PressDespite the pivotal role played by parents in the child protection process, little attention has been paid to how social workers perceive them. Exploring representations of parents within Children’s Services, at the levels of policy, organisation and frontline practice, this book uses the concept of citizenship to construct a typology with ten variants of parent-citizenship. The typology reveals the complexities of parental representations and their relationship to the content of policy, organisational environments and dominant societal themes, as it uncovers how social workers use their discretion to influence representations of parents in practice.
The book is a resource that can be used by students, practitioners, researchers and parents advocacy organisations to evaluate policy and practice and to contribute to the search for the best possible outcomes for families. Arguing that parental participation in the child protection process is essential, the book increases the visibility of parents and contributes to a much-needed dialogue about their position and the expectations of them in Children’s Services.
Katrin Bain is Senior Lecturer in Social Work at London Metropolitan University.
John Harris is Emeritus Professor at the University of Warwick and Assistant Professor at Coventry University.
1. Introduction
2. Child Protection Social Work
3. The Organisational Environment
4. The Demanding-Responsible Consumer-Citizen Parent and Poor-Neglecting Parent
5. The Franchisee Parent
6. The Partner Parent and the Respected Parent
7. The Non-Compliant Parent
8. The Personalised-Depersonalised Parent
9. The Good Enough Parent
10. The ‘Parent-Citizen’ in Policy, Organisation and Practice
11. Conclusion