Informal pathways as a response to limitations in formal categorization of referrals in child and family welfare

ABSTRACT

The study consists of eight interviews with 11 social workers in four Danish municipalities. The study examines social workers’ immediate assessment of new referrals. Which challenges do social workers encounter and what justifications do they use? This study shows an interesting span between formal categorization and informal pathways in the decision-making process regarding referrals. Time and timeframes constitute an over-all dilemma during assessment and in the decision about how to react to a referral. When social workers create individual pathways in assessing referrals, the purpose is to compensate for limitations in the formal system of categorization. This includes both safeguarding children in a short-term perspective and enabling a more sustainable long-term change in the family to the benefit of the child at risk.

KEYWORDS:

• Referrals
• decision-making
• risk assessment
• child and family welfare
• children and families at risk

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethical approval

Legal and ethical approval has been applied and given according to current rules provided by Danish Data Protection Agency

Notes

1. Actuarial models primarily make links or connections in data, they do not predict (Shlonsky and Wagner 2005).

2. Educational violence refers to using physical punishment of children as a common part of educating the child (Rayce, Poulsen, and Karmsteen 2016).

Additional information

Funding

The research was funded by TrygFonden, Denmark, TrygFonden.