That deafness is more than an organic handicap requiring training and education in special schools has been increasingly recognized in recent years. Modern approaches to care for the young deaf child stress the importance of (a) early diagnosis and (b) of pre-school auditory and speech training. It is also recognized (c) that the most influential forces in the emotional and social development of the child are his experiences in his own home during the first five or six years of his life. For these reasons, in newly-developed audiology centres and speech and hearing clinics throughout Britain, the United States, and Canada, social workers take part in a multi-professional team approach to meet the differential needs of individual children and parents. The present study is developed from the operations of the Speech and Hearing Clinic of the Health Centre for Children at the Vancouver General Hospital. The case records selected for study relate to all hearing handicapped pre-school children known to the Clinic and born in 1954 or 1955. Two separate rating scales were developed to make an assessment of (a) the child's emotional and social adjustment and (b) of parental and family strengths. These are compared at the time of (1) initial evaluation, and (2) after a period of two years making it possible to examine the influences which may promote or inhibit the healthy development of the young deaf child and have a bearing on his response to treatment. This is a first exploratory study of the areas significant for the social work contributions to the treatment process. Nevertheless there are sharp evidences of correlation between social environment, especially parent-child relationships and the emotional, social, and intellectual adjustment of the hearing-handicapped child. Effectiveness of treatment seems to depend to a considerable degree on parental attitudes and feelings toward the handicapped child. Parent education and guidance, and, if necessary the modification of parental attitudes is therefore an essential component in the overall treatment process. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This study is a comparative analysis of apprehensions and committals made by the Children's Aid Society of Vancouver, British Columbia, in the years 1938 and 1952. Only cases both apprehended and committed within the year period were analyzed, and committals of children from unmarried mothers were excluded. The purpose of the study was to determine the causes or reasons for apprehension and committal, with reference to the legislation employed, and such changes as may have occurred in the kinds of neglect or dependency, their frequency of occurrence, and in the parental status of committed children. A distinction was drawn between conditions of neglect and conditions of dependency, in congruence with formulated definitions of the neglected and the dependent child. A classification of ten conditions of neglect and dependency was devised, based on an analysis of the sixty-eight committal cases studied. The kinds of neglect included: (1) Rejection, (2) Physical Neglect, (3) Moral Neglect, (4) Desertion, (5) Desertion and Moral Neglect, and (6) Desertion and Rejection. Dependency included conditions arising from: (1) Death of the Only Legal Parent or of Both Parents, (2) Physical Illness of Parent or Parents, (3) Mental Illness of Parent or Parents, and (4) Inadequacy of Parent or Parents. Of the twenty-three cases (involving fifty-two children) studied from the year 1938, sixteen committals or 69.59% of the total were for reasons of neglect. Seven committals or 30.41% of the total, were for reasons of dependency. In 1952, of the forty-five cases (comprising seventy-seven children) studied, thirty-two cases, or 71.11% of the total committals were for reasons of neglect. Thirteen committals or 28.88% of the total were for reasons of dependency. The study revealed that the proportion of committals for neglect and for dependency in 1938 and 1952 were approximately the same. The frequency of specific kinds of neglect, however, was found to differ proportionally, as did the frequency of specific kinds of dependency. With reference to status of parents of committed children, it was found that committals from married couples and from families with illegitimacy were greater in 1952, while committals from broken homes or incomplete families were fewer. The changes are revealed and are discussed in reference to the disruptive effects of the war period, and in relation to the development of better social services and resources within the community since 1938. These factors are found to have significantly affected the pattern or character of committals. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This study is concerned with protective services for children as they have been developed in the U. S. and Canada over the past eighty years. An effort has been made to discover general trends amidst variety. Canadian developments are compared with those in the U. S., and one agency, the Children's Aid Society of Vancouver, B. C, is reviewed as an example that lends concreteness and meaning to the broader picture. Questions are raised in regard to future operations of the Vancouver society, but are not answered. The history of protective services in the U. S. and the analysis of trends has been developed from an examination of the literature on protection and related topics. Canadian children's aid societies are an integral part of the developing protection movement, and writings of early leaders in the Canadian CAS movement have been consulted. The account of the Vancouver agency has been developed from an examination of various records of the Society, and has relied heavily on a history written by Anne Margaret Angus. Interviews with former executives and board members were another source of information. The writer was employed for three years as a staff member, and this, too, contributed to an understanding of the Society. The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the first social machinery created for purposes of child protection, was organized in 1875. The idea spread rapidly. In the 1890s and early 1900s, Canadian communities began organizing children's aid societies to act as protection agencies. Although trends are similar to those in the U. S., there are some special characteristics. Canadian children's aid societies made extensive use of placement in free family homes while protection agencies in the U. S. were depending almost exclusively on institutional placements. In Canada, from the beginning, there was an integration of protection services with other services in behalf of children that was longer delayed in the U. S. Canadian protection agencies have been given continuing guardianship responsibility when the courts have deprived parents of their children; other patterns have been followed in the U. S. The Children's Aid Society of Vancouver, B. C. is a representative example of Canadian protection agencies. When it was organized in 1901, the protection of children was the primary motivation. Later, as the burden of caring for children increased, the original purposes of child protection were somewhat forgotten. During World War 1 and the early 1920s, as problems multiplied and the quality of care deteriorated, a ferment of new ideas in child welfare was at work. Eventually, difficulties of the Society and disagreements as to its future course contributed to a decision that the community should take a look at itself and its child-caring practices. Thus the B. C. Child Welfare Survey of 1926-27 was brought about. Extensive changes in the functioning of the Vancouver CAS were recommended. During the years from 1927 to 1931, recommendations were carried out and the agency was effectively reorganized. In the succeeding years there has been no radical change in direction or focus - only growth in size and a refinement of practices. Recently questions have been raised regarding the future functions of the Society and future provisions for the protection of children in the Vancouver community. Various changes have been advocated, and a careful consideration of alternative possibilities and of future directions will be needed. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

In this study, emphasis has been placed on the fact that case work treatment with mothers depends upon the mother's personality. The analysis is made from 40 case records of mothers of pre-school children who were, because of problems of one sort or another, treated at the Child Guidance Clinic at Vancouver in 1950. The study analyzes case records for the above group of mothers, and it was noted that the mothers could be classified according to their personality type and a four-way classification is derived. The classification of the four groups is based upon the degree of adequacy of the mothers in terms of such factors as feelings of worth, security, self-confidence and several others. The mothers are described as "better than average", "average", "less than average", and "incomplete information". The latter group represents those mothers who were seen only once, and therefore, insufficient material is available to classify them according to the "adequacy rating" criteria. Mothers who were "better than average" were found to benefit most from treatment. The "less than average" mothers benefitted least. Treatment methods have been described descriptively. This study has employed the classification of treatment methods as derived by Mr. Geoffrey Glover in a previous study of a similar nature. Deviations from Mr. Glover's classification system are noted in the text of the study. Statistics are presented to show with what frequency the individual methods are employed by the social worker. The emphasis of the study is upon the way the mother's personality influences the worker's choice of treatment methods. It is noted that treatment in general falls into different, but over lapping phases. About 90 per cent of the treatment is found to be of a supportive nature, and 10 per cent of a more intensive kind. Mothers received more interviews than children, 58 per cent and 31 per cent respectively. Fathers received only 11 per cent of the interviews. A suggestion is made that additional training may be necessary if workers are to work on more intensive levels and to meet their accepted responsibility in treating very severely disturbed and upset clients. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The general issue of defining job satisfaction and the adverse implications of low job satisfaction are discussed. This is followed by an application of the research to the specific problem of job satisfaction among child welfare line social workers in a provincial government agency. The needs satisfaction and values satisfaction model of job satisfaction theory are described and a rationale is provided for the selection of the needs satisfaction model for this research. A variety of research instruments are reviewed, including the Job Satisfaction Survey Questionnaire, the Job Descriptive Index, the Quality of Work Life Survey, and the Professional Satisfaction Inventory. A new quantitative measures questionnaire is introduced for use specifically among social workers. It was hypothesized that job-specific variables will be stronger correlates of a facet-free measure of job satisfaction than will variables not specifically related to social work. It was hypothesized that specific differences will exist between the importance attributed to variables between less experienced and more experienced workers. It was further hypothesized that specific differences will exist between the satisfaction with variables as reported by less experienced workers and more experienced workers. Finally, hypotheses were presented regarding specific differences in job related correlates of job satisfaction, between less experience and more experienced workers. The research proceded by way of questionnaire among child welfare line social workers in the Lower Mainland area of British Columbia. Extensive efforts were made to ensure confidentiality while allowing the opportunity for followup research. The methodology of this confidentiality plan is explained. A sample of 60 social workers resulted in 49 questionnaires being returned. Support was found for the hypothesis that job specific variables were better correlates of job satisfaction than were variables not specific to social work. There was neither confirmation nor disconfirmation for the hypothesis that there would be differences in the importance of variables between less experienced and more experienced workers. Satisfaction was higher for those variables under the control or influence at the local level than for variables which were controlled centrally. The few significant differences between less experienced and more experienced workers in satisfaction with variables were explainable by objective influences rather than subjective experiences. Only one variable, getting a sense of accomplishment from the job, was a significant correlate for both less experienced and more experienced workers. Less experienced workers also demonstrated correlations between job satisfaction and satisfaction with professional identification, while more experienced workers demonstrated correlations between job satisfaction and control of their work. Recommendations are made for the government which employs social workers, the agency which administers programs, supervisors of social workers, and the union which bargains on behalf of social workers. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to gain insights into the perspectives of child welfare alumni related to the educational experiences that facilitated or presented obstacles to academic and social-emotional resilience and well-being and to what extent. Through qualitative methodology, I sought to understand the life and experiences of these participants who experienced foster care and “came out” on the other side of the experience with the ability to live successful lives. Furthermore, I sought to discover how the school setting contributed to building well-being for this population. Data was collected from individual and focus group interviews. My sample consisted of four women who met the criteria for my study as they were taken into custodial care due to maltreatment issues and were with child welfare for at least two years following the placement decision. Results of the study indicated that alumni of child-welfare identified the school environment as contributing to feelings of safety, and as a venue in which they were provided encouragement and support from educators (i.e., teachers, guidance counselors). The findings of this study reinforce the need for school to play an active role in supporting youth in care by providing a safe, supportive environment in which students can learn the skills they need later in life, including the development of basic skills, the ability to inquire, and the ability to express themselves. While school systems are not responsible for meeting every need of their students, schools must meet the challenge when the need directly affects learning.

Thesis advisor: Erika L. Sabbath / Children are vital members of our society and arguably its most vulnerable. The job of public child welfare workers is to serve children who are experiencing abuse and neglect and their families. Essential to the public child welfare systems serving these families are the employees who work directly with them – frontline workers and supervisors. Their relationships with families are a key component in the life of the case and can have a strong impact on case outcomes. These workers, however, are under considerable stressors, and turnover rates are a continual problem. Despite extensive research on worker turnover, further work is still needed to better understand the processes by which these workers decide to stay or go. These include a deeper understanding of the impact of safety perceptions, how workers of color might differently experience these systems, and what factors into supervisors’ intent. Focus on retention rather than turnover is an additional area in need of a broader evidence base. This study seeks to add knowledge on how safety perceptions, organizational culture, job satisfaction, and role impact public child welfare employees’ retention decisions. Utilizing a statewide data set derived from a survey of Texas public child welfare workers and supervisors, this study uses regression models to learn more about their experiences and how they might shape decisions on whether to leave or remain. We found that in workers, feelings of unsafety are significantly associated with intent to leave; this was moderated by perceived organizational support. We additionally found that inclusion is significantly related with both intent to leave and intent to remain, and this does not vary by race in this study. Supervisors were just as likely to intend to leave or remain as their workers; intent to remain was moderated by perceived organizational support in both. Intent to leave and intent to remain are similar in some ways, but rather than being flip sides of the same coin, they are unique constructs. Increasing retention of these workers is vital to the long-term outcomes in the lives of children and families. Strengthening the child welfare workforce strengthens the families they serve. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Social Work. / Discipline: Social Work.

Mental illness is a problem that affects many people; however, little to almost no research relates to mental illness and reunification rates for mothers who have had their children removed from them by the child welfare system. The purpose in this study was to assess and compare reunification rates between mothers with mental illness, those with substance abuse, and those with co-occurring substance abuse and mental illness. The conceptual framework for this study was the use of the structured decision making (SDM) assessment tool in child welfare. The research questions addressed the differences in reunification rates among mothers with mental illness, substance use, and co-occurring mental illness and substance use in cases where children are removed due to neglect or abuse. This study also addressed the difference in timelines for reunification for mothers with mental illness in comparison with mothers with substance use and mothers with co-occurring substance use and mental illness in cases where children are removed due to neglect or abuse. In addition, this study addressed the dynamic assessment factors from the family assessment of needs and strengths (FANS) that predict reunification. This study used archival data related to the reunification status, reunification timelines, and the strengths and needs of the mother. A ï?£2 analysis was used to determine whether a difference exists in reunification rates between the groups. In this study, no statistical significance was found; however, the study brought to light areas for further research. This includes using larger sample sizes that cover an entire state to compare reunification rates. This can assist in program development for reunification and decrease the number of children in care.

This is a descriptive study of the community process by which a complaint is made to a protective service agency. It is by this process that deviant child care is first identified and the decision to take action is made. The study develops a typology of the complaint process and identifies seven elements as significant in complaints that reach community agencies. The elements were: the complaint situation, the precipitating events that brought the complaint situation to the attention of someone outside the nuclear family, the relationship between the complainant and family, the complainant's motivation for responding to the complaint situation, the complainant's justification for making the complaint, the social support for making the complaint sought and received by the complainant, and the complainant's knowledge of an established channel of communication for making the complaint. Essentially the question asked was who complains about what to whom and why. Data were obtained from questionnaires representing l01 complaints about ninety-six families. These questionnaires were completed with information from the Women's Protective Division of the Portland Police Bureau, the Multnomah County Juvenile Court, and the Multnomah County Public Welfare Commission on complaints received primarily during a one month period. Statistical analyses consisted of computer cross tabulations of the study variables. Two - thirds of the complainants were from the private sector of the community while one-third were agency personnel. Private individuals usually knew of the complaint situation through first hand observation over a period of time. A vast majority of the relatives and one -fourth of the non-relatives who complained had cared for the children in the past. Although only one - fourth of the complainants actually suggested an investigation, three - fourths of the referrals were accepted for service and investigated. It was found that all of the complaint situations could be classified as neglect, abuse, or inadequate supervision. Abuse situations were rated highly serious for the child(ren) involved while inadequate supervision situations were rated least serious. In half of the situations reported a breakdown in or a lack of a child care arrangement led to the complaint, usually of inadequate supervision. The data suggested that a primary element of a successful complaint process is social confirmation and support, especially in situations of neglect which were the most difficult for complainants to evaluate. Motivations for complaints fell into three categories: concern for the child, self concern, and mixed concern. Child concern was most prevalent in situations determined to be highly serious. A universal characteristic was the complainant's need to legitimize the complaint through discrediting the parents involved-- "discrediting information" is defined as information which was negative and unrelated to the complaint situation. Strong evidence of discrediting information, however, was associated with neglect rather than with either abuse or inadequate supervision. The evidence converged on a typology of the complaint process in which each different complaint situation involved a different profile of the complaint process. The essential element of a successful abuse complaint was a highly serious situation; for a successful neglect complaint it was the presentation of discrediting information; and for a complaint of inadequate supervision it was the lack of a child care arrangement. Knowledge of the complainant's early diagnosis and motivation for action is essential to the building of a system that will facilitate the reporting of neglect and abuse.

No description available.