| Abstract: | Summary In the United Kingdom there has been difficulty in implementingthe family support provisions contained in the 1989 ChildrenAct, largely because of continued emphasis on child protectionactivity by local authorities. There is an observable internationaltendency for child-care referrals to receive investigative response,resulting in families being traumatized and children's needsleft unmet. There has been a lack of research into how child-carereferrals are initially categorized by senior social workers.This paper reports on research undertaken in two Health andSocial Services Trusts within Northern Ireland to ascertainif it might be possible to treat more initial referrals as 'child-careproblem enquiries' as opposed to 'child protection investigations'.Results demonstrate that, while such potential may exist, apreoccupation with the management of risk could lead to thedevelopment of child-care problems receiving quasi-child protectionresponses. Consequently, changes in initial decision makingmay not have the full intended effects in terms of the organizationalrelease of resources for family support or a lessening of thetraumatic impact upon families. |
