Enacting Firm, Fair and Friendly Practice: A Model for Strengths-Based Child Protection Relationships?

Area of Science:

• Social Work
• Child Protection
• Psychology

Background:

• Strengths-based solution-focused approaches are increasingly adopted in statutory child protection.
• Limited research explores how frontline practitioners implement these methods, particularly regarding worker-client dynamics.
• Understanding these relationships is crucial for effective child welfare practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how frontline practitioners apply strengths-based practice in statutory child protection.
• To explore the complexities of worker-client relationships within these approaches.
• To identify successful models for balancing collaboration and authority.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods study was conducted in a large Canadian statutory child protection agency.
• Data collection involved 225 workers describing their application of strengths-based practice.
• In-depth interviews with 24 practitioners were analyzed using interpretive description.

Main Results:

• Only four practitioners fully enacted strengths-based practice congruent with theory and their mandated role.
• Successful practitioners navigated a balance of collaboration and authority.
• Key elements included transparency, impartial judgment, attentiveness, and valuing clients as human beings.

Conclusions:

• Current conceptualizations of worker-client relationships in strengths-based child protection are extended.
• The findings align with effective mandated relationship principles.
• A model for reconciling worker authority with client empowerment is proposed.