IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v116y2020ics0190740920300116.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Voices from the frontline: Child protection workers’ perspectives on barriers to assessing risk in domestic violence cases

Author

Listed:
  • Olszowy, Laura
  • Jaffe, Peter G.
  • Dawson, Myrna
  • Straatman, Anna-Lee
  • Saxton, Michael D.

Abstract

Previous research has identified barriers for child protection workers in effectively intervening in domestic violence (DV) cases. The child protection sector has been criticized for placing the onus on victims to keep children safe and failing to engage perpetrators. This qualitative study examined barriers for child protection workers in assessing risk with families where DV is the primary concern. The sample included 29 key informants in the Ontario, Canada child protection sector who were interviewed on their risk assessment, risk management and safety planning practices in the context of DV. The results indicated that key informants identified barriers at the systemic (i.e., lack of collaboration with community partners), organizational (i.e., lack of written policies or procedures specific to DV), and individual (i.e., client-worker challenges, high caseload, lack of ongoing training) levels. Specific difficulties in engaging and providing intervention for perpetrators were also identified. Finally, child protection workers highlighted a diverse range of promising practices in engaging effectively with victims, perpetrators and their children. These findings emphasize the importance of community collaborations to manage risk with these cases as well as ongoing consultation with DV specialists to respond and keep families safe.

Suggested Citation

  • Olszowy, Laura & Jaffe, Peter G. & Dawson, Myrna & Straatman, Anna-Lee & Saxton, Michael D., 2020. "Voices from the frontline: Child protection workers’ perspectives on barriers to assessing risk in domestic violence cases," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:116:y:2020:i:c:s0190740920300116
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105208
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740920300116
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105208?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mills, Linda G. & Friend, Colleen & Conroy, Kathryn & Fleck-Henderson, Ann & Krug, Stefan & Magen, Randy H. & Thomas, Rebecca L. & Trudeau, John H., 2000. "Child protection and domestic violence: Training, practice, and policy issues," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(5), pages 315-332, May.
    2. Jenney, Angelique & Mishna, Faye & Alaggia, Ramona & Scott, Katreena, 2014. "Doing the right thing? (Re) Considering risk assessment and safety planning in child protection work with domestic violence cases," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(P1), pages 92-101.
    3. Fleck-Henderson, Ann, 2000. "Domestic violence in the child protection system: Seeing double," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(5), pages 333-354, May.
    4. Stanley, Nicky & Humphreys, Cathy, 2014. "Multi-agency risk assessment and management for children and families experiencing domestic violence," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(P1), pages 78-85.
    5. Postmus, Judy L. & Merritt, Darcey H., 2010. "When child abuse overlaps with domestic violence: The factors that influence child protection workers' beliefs," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 309-317, March.
    6. Hughes, Judy & Chau, Shirley & Poff, Deborah C., 2011. ""They're not my favourite people": What mothers who have experienced intimate partner violence say about involvement in the child protection system," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(7), pages 1084-1089, July.
    7. Pennell, Joan & Rikard, R.V. & Sanders-Rice, Tia, 2014. "Family violence: Fathers assessing and managing their risk to children and women," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(P1), pages 36-45.
    8. Button, Deeanna M. & Payne, Brian K., 2009. "Training child protective services workers about domestic violence: Needs, strategies, and barriers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 364-369, March.
    9. Hughes, Judy & Chau, Shirley, 2013. "Making complex decisions: Child protection workers' practices and interventions with families experiencing intimate partner violence," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 611-617.
    10. Bourassa, Chantal & Lavergne, Chantal & Damant, Dominique & Lessard, Genevieve & Turcotte, Pierre, 2006. "Awareness and detection of the co-occurrence of interparental violence and child abuse: Child welfare worker's perspective," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(11), pages 1312-1328, November.
    11. Kohl, Patricia L. & Barth, Richard P. & Hazen, Andrea L. & Landsverk, John A., 2005. "Child welfare as a gateway to domestic violence services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(11), pages 1203-1221, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Nikolova, K. & Postmus, J.L. & Buttner, C. & Bosk, E.A., 2020. "Working together to protect women and children from domestic violence: Factors influencing willingness to collaborate between organizations," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    2. Mbamba, Crispin Rakibu & Kpobi Ndemole, Ignatus & Madinatu Hassan, Sarah & Arthur, Isaac & Mountz, Sarah, 2022. "Practice approaches to combat child trafficking in trafficking-sensitive areas in Ghana: Experiences of practitioners involved in child trafficking interventions," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    3. Brian Littlechild, 2021. "Review Paper: ‘Discourses on the Place of Mothers Rights where They Are Subject to Domestic Violence within Child Protection Work in England’," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-13, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tutty, Leslie M. & Nixon, Kendra, 2020. "Mothers abused by intimate partners: Comparisons of those with children placed by child protective services and those without," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    2. Yearwood, Douglas L. & Dowd, Keith & Starsoneck, Leslie, 2008. "Exploring alternatives for improving child support application filing rates within the context of civil protection order cases," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(7), pages 821-833, July.
    3. Lawson, Jennifer, 2019. "Domestic violence as child maltreatment: Differential risks and outcomes among cases referred to child welfare agencies for domestic violence exposure," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 32-41.
    4. Renner, Lynette M., 2011. "The presence of IPV in foster care cases: Examining referrals for services, reunification goals, and system responsibility," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 980-990, June.
    5. Jenney, Angelique & Mishna, Faye & Alaggia, Ramona & Scott, Katreena, 2014. "Doing the right thing? (Re) Considering risk assessment and safety planning in child protection work with domestic violence cases," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(P1), pages 92-101.
    6. Fusco, Rachel A., 2013. "“It's hard enough to deal with all the abuse issues”: Child welfare workers' experiences with intimate partner violence on their caseloads," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 1946-1953.
    7. Renner, Lynette M., 2011. ""I'm wondering if I am completely missing that": Foster care case managers and supervisors report on their IPV training," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 386-394, February.
    8. Reif, Katherine & Jaffe, Peter & Dawson, Myrna & Straatman, Anna-Lee, 2020. "Provision of specialized services for children exposed to domestic violence: Barriers encountered in Violence Against Women (VAW) services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    9. Hughes, Judy & Chau, Shirley, 2013. "Making complex decisions: Child protection workers' practices and interventions with families experiencing intimate partner violence," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 611-617.
    10. Friend, Colleen, 2000. "Woman abuse and child protection: A tumultuous marriage (volume ii)," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(5), pages 309-314, May.
    11. Emily Keddell, 2014. "Current Debates on Variability in Child Welfare Decision-Making: A Selected Literature Review," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 3(4), pages 1-25, November.
    12. Button, Deeanna M. & Payne, Brian K., 2009. "Training child protective services workers about domestic violence: Needs, strategies, and barriers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 364-369, March.
    13. Moles, Kerry, 2008. "Bridging the divide between child welfare and domestic violence services: Deconstructing the change process," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 674-688, June.
    14. Friend, Colleen & Shlonsky, Aron & Lambert, Liz, 2008. "From evolving discourses to new practice approaches in domestic violence and child protective services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 689-698, June.
    15. Hartley, Carolyn C., 2004. "Severe domestic violence and child maltreatment: considering child physical abuse, neglect, and failure to protect," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 373-392, April.
    16. Nixon, Kendra L. & Tutty, Leslie M. & Weaver-Dunlop, Gillian & Walsh, Christine A., 2007. "Do good intentions beget good policy? A review of child protection policies to address intimate partner violence," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(12), pages 1469-1486, December.
    17. Ogbonnaya, Ijeoma Nwabuzor & Keeney, Annie J., 2018. "A systematic review of the effectiveness of interagency and cross-system collaborations in the United States to improve child welfare outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 225-245.
    18. Meyer, Andrea S. & McWey, Lenore M. & McKendrick, Wachell & Henderson, Tammy L., 2010. "Substance using parents, foster care, and termination of parental rights: The importance of risk factors for legal outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 639-649, May.
    19. Casanueva, Cecilia & Martin, Sandra L. & Runyan, Desmond K. & Barth, Richard P. & Bradley, Robert H., 2008. "Parenting services for mothers involved with child protective services: Do they change maternal parenting and spanking behaviors with young children?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(8), pages 861-878, August.
    20. Kohl, Patricia L. & Edleson, Jeffrey L. & English, Diana J. & Barth, Richard P., 2005. "Domestic violence and pathways into child welfare services: Findings from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(11), pages 1167-1182, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:116:y:2020:i:c:s0190740920300116. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.