Professionals' perceptions of a multi-agency computerised data sharing system

Area of Science:

• Child welfare research
• Information systems in public services
• Multi-agency collaboration

Background:

• Implementation of computerised data linkage systems for child abuse investigations.
• Need to understand professional perceptions of new technologies in child protection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore child protection workers' and police officers' experiences with a new computerised data linkage system.
• To identify divergences in perceptions between frontline staff and management regarding the system.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews with 30 multi-agency child abuse investigation professionals (child protection workers and police officers).
• Thematic analysis of interview transcripts to identify key themes and differences in perspectives.
• Inclusion of both frontline and managerial roles to capture diverse viewpoints.

Main Results:

• Four main themes emerged from the analysis, with significant divergence between frontline workers and management on three themes.
• Management perceived the system's benefits, while frontline workers reported negative impacts on workload and usefulness.
• Key areas of divergence included understanding the rationale for change, system limitations, and technology's role in organizational structure.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a critical gap in perception between frontline investigators and management regarding new technology implementation in child abuse investigations.
• Addressing frontline staff concerns and improving system usability are crucial for successful technology adoption and effective child protection.
• Future implementations should consider frontline perspectives to ensure technology supports, rather than hinders, critical investigative processes.