An Ecological Framework for Understanding and Improving Decision Making in Child Protection and Welfare Intake (Duty) Practices in the Republic of Ireland

ABSTRACT

This article explores the factors that influenced team leader decision-making processes about pathways for duty/intake referrals in one TUSLA region in the Republic of Ireland. It provides an overview of theories relating to decision making focused on systems, risk, relationships and processes. An ecological framework is presented as the conceptual frame. The study was carried out in one region of the Republic of Ireland through a partnership research arrangement between Tusla and the local university social work programme. It involved a quantitative and qualitative research approach. The quantitative phase of the study comprised 15 participants. The qualitative phase of the study consisted of seven respondents. All respondents were duty/intake team leaders. The findings make an important contribution to existing understandings and theories relating to decision making in the Republic of Ireland and internationally. They illustrate that decision-making processes were influenced more by organisational factors than individual factors or macro factors. The discussion considers how this study can critically add to existing international literature relating to decision making at the point of first contact in child protection and welfare. In particular, it shows the value of taking an ecological approach to understanding decision making that can provide for a critical understanding of the complex factors, especially organisational (exo level), that impact on decision making at the front line. It also highlights why a diversity of aspects of decision-making influences are important to consider with a constant focus on the child and family at the centre, in line with current policy and practice perspectives.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on Contributors

Cheryl McCormack is an employee of TUSLA, the Child and Family Agency in Ireland, and works as a Long-Term Child Protection Social Worker. Cheryl graduated from National University College Galway (NUIG) in 2018 with a Masters in Social Work. Cheryl focused on the area of Team Leader Decision-Making within Child Protection Social Work as part of her MA Social Work dissertation. Cheryl also holds a degree in B.A. Public and Social Policy, which she studied, at an undergraduate level in NUIG.

Marie Gibbons works with TUSLA, the Child and Family Agency in Ireland as a Research Officer supporting the work of the Children and Young People's Services Committees in Galway and Roscommon. Marie is also a Ph.D. student in the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre in National University of Ireland, Galway. Marie's background is in social care, family support and child welfare.

Caroline McGregor is Professor and Director of Social work at NUI Galway, Ireland. She is also Senior Researcher at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre. Her research interests focus mainly on child protection and welfare, family support and youth development. Details of relevant publications are available here: https://www.nuigalway.ie/our-research/people/political-science-and-sociology/carolinemcgregor/. Caroline was the supervisor for the MA Dissertation reported in this article.