The digitalization of a social work theory: Experiences of a German child welfare social worker

Der Artikel diskutiert anhand der Ergebnisse eines Forschungsprojektes zum Wandel sozialer Dienstleistungen in der Corona-Pandemie Herausforderungen, die sich aus der Digitalisierung sozialer Dienstleistungen für deren Governance durch die Leistungsträger ergeben. Es wird ein Analyserahmen entwickelt und exemplarisch auf die Soziale Schuldnerberatung als freigemeinnützig bereitgestellte soziale Dienstleistung angewendet. Wir unterscheiden drei GovernanceDimensionen: Finanzierung, Organisation und Zugang. Die Digitalisierung initiiert Prozesse der Trans-Territorialisierung. Die institutionellen Regelungsstrukturen, innerhalb derer die Governance sozialer Dienstleistungen erfolgt, können infolgedessen ihre strukturierenden Effekte nicht mehr voll entfalten. Institutionentheoretisch gesprochen kommt es zu einer „drift“-Situation. Der Artikel diskutiert am Beispiel der Schuldnerberatung, wie dem resultierenden Bedarf institutioneller Anpassung in allen drei GovernanceDimensionen begegnet werden kann. Based on the results of a recent research project on the transformation of social services during the Corona pandemic, the article discusses challenges arising from the digitalization of social services for their governance by the public service principal. In this context, we develop an analytical framework and apply it exemplarily to social debt counseling as a social service provided by non-profit service providers. We distinguish three governance dimensions: financing, organization and access. Digitalization sets in motion processes of the trans-territorialization of social services. As a result, the institutional regulatory structures within which the governance of social services has taken place can no longer fully unfold their structuring effects. In terms of institutional theory, this leads to a „drift“ situation. This article discusses how the resulting need for institutional adaptation can be addressed in all three governance dimensions.

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The Impact of Information System on Interactions of Child Welfare Professionals with Managers and Clients

Seniutis

Petružytė

Baltrūnaitė

et al. 2021

Sustainability

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The use of information systems in public child welfare agencies of different countries is challenging primarily for frontline practitioners. This paper unveils how material information system properties are involved in the interactions of child welfare practitioners with their clients and managers. We analyze the properties on their own (functional requirements) and according to the perception of IS users (non-functional requirements). On the basis of the results of systematic literature review and ethnographic study of the use of information system at Lithuanian Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service during the COVID-19 pandemic, we identify the relation between the absence of functionality or its potential failures and data duplication problem. According to our study, data duplication leads to additional time consumption, affects the ecology of the workplace, reduces reliability of information, challenges data protection and finally keeps away practitioners from direct work with clients and exposes them to overcontrol of managers.

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The digitalization of a social work theory: Experiences of a German child welfare social worker

Cited by 4 publications

References 8 publications

Identifying Practical Knowledge for Introducing Information Systems in Community Social Care Agencies: A Scoping Review

Identifying Practical Knowledge for Introducing Information Systems in Community Social Care Agencies: A Scoping Review

Digitalisierung als Herausforderung für die Governance sozialer Dienstleistungen – das Beispiel der Sozialen Schuldnerberatung

The Impact of Information System on Interactions of Child Welfare Professionals with Managers and Clients

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