“It's hard enough to deal with all the abuse issues”: Child welfare workers' experiences with intimate partner violence on their caseloads

Fusco, Rachel A.

doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.09.020

Cited by 36 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…In case that mum actually turns around and says "actually yeah, can I leave, or what are my options, or how can I do that?" Lilly's assessment is consistent with previous research suggesting that child welfare workers are gripped with the same fear as the victim, leaving them to either collude with or avoid the perpetrator (Fusco, 2013;Mennicke et al, 2019).…”

Section: Mother Blamesupporting

confidence: 82%

“…This quote is significant because it shows unequal power relations in client-worker relationships and the pervasiveness of commonly held constructions of unfit young mothers (see Zufferey & Buchanan, 2020). This extends on previous research that primarily focuses on the challenges for child protection workers when working with DV cases (Bourassa et al, 2008;Fusco, 2013;Mennicke et al, 2019).…”

Section: Mother Blamesupporting

confidence: 60%

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The Removal of Children in Domestic Violence: Widening Service Provider Perspectives

Cramp

Zufferey

2020

Affilia

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A range of service providers support mothers and children who are experiencing domestic violence (DV). However, research tends to focus on the role of service providers in child protection services and DV services. This potentially excludes valuable insights from a wider range of nongovernment service providers on the systemic issues that mothers experiencing DV and child separation may experience. This research explored the perspectives of 16 different nongovernment service providers about working with women who have had their children removed while experiencing DV. The study used an intersectional feminist approach that highlighted intersecting gendered and racialized power relations in service responses functioning to reinforce multiple dimensions of disadvantage. The study found that mother blame was a pervasive issue both within and outside of child protection services. Service providers described the challenges of navigating a system that revictimizes women, with particular impacts for Aboriginal and culturally diverse mothers. The findings reinforced the importance of preventing mother blame, holding perpetrators of DV more accountable, and improving collaboration across services and for more flexible responses to women living with violence.

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Section: Mother Blamesupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Mother Blamesupporting

confidence: 60%

The Removal of Children in Domestic Violence: Widening Service Provider Perspectives

Cramp

Zufferey

2020

Affilia

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“…While self-efficacy in an area does not necessarily reflect actual competence, it may influence the ambition and the resolve with which a particular situation is approached (Bandura, 2006). In addition, lack of IPV training may be linked to victim blaming attitudes, which have a negative effect on the support and services, rendered (Black et al, 2010;Fusco, 2013;Hanson & Patel, 2010;Hester, 2011;Humphreys, 1999). Our study consequently advises PSS organisations striving to increase their ability to identify victims of violence to raise the staff competence in IPV as well as to implement relevant administrative procedures throughout the organisation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…When failing to do so, the risk of victims returning to violent partners may increase (Ulmestig & Eriksson, 2017). In addition, lack of IPV knowledge among social workers may lead to negative attitudes towards women not leaving abusive partners and to the problem being denied or avoided (Black, Weisz, & Bennett, 2010;Fusco, 2013;Hanson & Patel, 2010;Hester, 2011;Humphreys, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-perceived competence and willingness to ask about intimate partner violence among Swedish social workers

Lundberg

Bergmark

2018

European Journal of Social Work

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In this article we explore the extent to which Swedish social workers encounter IPV, as well as their readiness to handle these cases. The study draws from data gathered in an online survey answered by 787 caseworkers within the personal social services, exploring the rate of asking clients about intimate partner violence, access to IPV training, level of self-rated competence, and amount and frequency of IPV-cases in the caseload. Our findings do on the one hand confirm that IPV is a widespread problem that a large proportion of social workers come across on a regular basis, and on the other show that substantial parts of Swedish social workers consider themselves to be rather ill-equipped at handling cases of IPV. Results from multiple regression analyses show that training, high self-perceived competence and administrative procedures each tend to increase the likeliness of social workers regularly asking clients about IPV. Social service organisations striving to increase their ability to detect and support victims of IPV are thus likely to benefit by raising the level of staff competence as well as implementing administrative procedures throughout the organisation.

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“…Child welfare cases with IPV are more likely to result in both maltreatment substantiation and removals from the home (English, Edleson, & Herrick, 2005; Kohl, Edleson, English, & Barth, 2005), but these families are offered fewer services (Beeman, Hagemeister, & Edleson, 2001). As a result, mothers who experience IPV feel disempowered by the child welfare system (DeVoe & Smith, 2003; Fusco, 2013), and this may be compounded when the mother uses drugs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions of Strengths-Based Child Welfare Practices Among Mothers With Drug Use Histories

Fusco

2019

Journal of Family Issues

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Families in the child welfare system show especially poor outcomes when a parent has a drug use history. These parents may be difficult to engage, which may contribute to their failure to follow through with service planning and receipt. The child welfare system has historically emphasized risk and pathology and does not always use a strengths-based approach, although this has and can greatly increase client engagement. The current study involves data from mothers of young children receiving child welfare services ( n = 336) to examine individual and family risk factors and mothers’ perceptions of strengths-based practices by their caseworker. Roughly one third of women reported past year drug use. Mothers reporting drug use perceived four dimensions of strengths-based practice lower than mothers with no drug use history. Individual and family risks were associated with lower perceived strengths-based practices among mother who used drugs. Strengths-based practices with mothers with drug use histories are discussed.

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“It's hard enough to deal with all the abuse issues”: Child welfare workers' experiences with intimate partner violence on their caseloads

Cited by 36 publications

References 47 publications

The Removal of Children in Domestic Violence: Widening Service Provider Perspectives

The Removal of Children in Domestic Violence: Widening Service Provider Perspectives

Self-perceived competence and willingness to ask about intimate partner violence among Swedish social workers

Perceptions of Strengths-Based Child Welfare Practices Among Mothers With Drug Use Histories

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