Skills and knowledge not checklists: social work interventions into childhood emotional abuse

ABSTRACT

One of the most harmful forms of childhood abuse and neglect is emotional abuse. Harm may occur in ways that are not easy to see, leading to challenges for social workers. Consequently, cases may remain unresolved and the level of abuse may continue and intensify. Risk assessment tools will not necessarily pick up on the less tangible aspects of emotional harm. The social worker carrying out the work must have the necessary knowledge and skills to recognise emotional abuse and the impact it may have on a child. They also require emotional intelligence and self-awareness of their own role in the assessment process to identify and work with emotional abuse effectively. This qualitative doctoral research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council explores some of the ways in which child protection social workers in England intervene with emotional abuse. This article suggests that social workers use aspects of their subjectivity to inform their day to day work with emotional abuse. Interrogating one’s own practices is, therefore, essential in supporting effective practice approaches to reduce harm. The goal of this research is to support the development of teaching and training in relation to social work with emotional abuse.

KEYWORDS:

• Emotional abuse
• education
• child protection
• risk

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the ESRC at the University of Sussex [ES/J500173/1].

Notes on contributors

Gemma North

Dr. Gemma North is a researcher, educator and registered social worker with a focus on professional responses to unseen harm.