Child welfare workers face considerable challenges in making consistent and effective placement decisions for children and families. The purpose of this article is to review literature regarding the benefits and pitfalls inherent in individual and group decision-making processes, specifically applied to the child welfare context. The article proposes a conceptual framework that draws from the strengths of both types of decision-making processes to balance consideration of risk factors with available protective factors. Drawing from multiple sources of information and opinion and using structured assessment tools should help promote placement decisions that are consistent across cases and workers and most appropriate to the family's level of need.
KEYWORDS decision making, child welfare, assessmentChild welfare workers face considerable challenges in making consistent and effective placement decisions for children coming to the attention of the child welfare system. Workers must weigh a variety of factors in making critical decisions about substantiating reports of abuse or neglect; removing children from their homes; and, selecting appropriate services to support families and ensure the safety of children. Much of the scant research that exists on child welfare decision making relates to investigating allegations of abuse or neglect (Wells, Lyons, Doueck, Brown, & Thomas, 2004). Even less research has been conducted on placement decisions for children once claims of abuse or neglect have been verified (Britner & Mossler, 2002).