Child protection is the process that aims to find, investigate and help maltreated children. In many countries this process is initiated by professionals who compile mandated reports that are then submitted to a designated agency that in many cases is part of a separate child protection system. In Sweden there is no separate child protection system. In Sweden, the child protection process is part of the family-service organization system. The system has two main objectives, one is voluntary (provide family service), the other coercive (provide child protection). This system is administered by the municipal social services agencies (referred to throughout as Social Services). Aim: The overall purpose of this study was to gain knowledge of the child protection process in Sweden. The aim was two fold, one to carry out an in-depth study of a population of reports, the other to analyse the results of the findings in relation to the child protection system. The child protection system consists of elements outlined in the macro system: the underlying ideology and the framing of the problem, and the legislation, administration and the demands placed on professionals. Method: A total population of reports made to one municipality during 1998 was followed to a final decision. The reports were collected in 2000.´There were 1 570 reports made regarding 1 051 children, which composed 4 % of children age 0-18. This initial study was used in four papers where data were analysed covering four different issues. In 2003 a follow-up study was conducted in order to determine the extent to which the child appeared in the database of Social Services. In the first paper the children’s age, gender and contacts with Social Services were described as were the content of the reports and the outcome of reporting. The objective of the second paper was a description of the reporter, and the measurement of the extent to which the reports indicated child maltreatment. The third paper aimed at analysing how the first decision, the decision not to investigate reports, was made in the child protection process. Then a re-evaluation of these decisions was made to see how well the decision was justified. The contacts taken were described. In the fourth paper the influence of the socio-economic load on the child protection process was measured. Findings: Few reports (16 %) led to an intervention being provided, and 41% of the reports were not investigated further. In the follow-up study 61% of all 1 051 children appeared in the files of Social Services. As Sweden lacks a juvenile delinquency system these cases are automatically passed from the police to Social Services and are there registered as mandated reports. Hence the police became the largest report group of reporters, followed by professionals. Of the professionals’ reports 22 % were not investigated. In the follow-up study 53 % of these re-occurred at the Social Service and were then investigated. Seventy six percent of the reports not investigated were when re-evaluated found to indicate child maltreatment. The social worker used the parents as the main source for information in 74 % of the cases. The social worker did not contact the child at all in 53 % of the cases and only nine of the reporters were contacted. In the follow-up study 45 % of the children investigation re-appeared in the files of Social Services. Children from high socio-economic load districts were more often reported than those from middle or low (4.3%, 3.1% 2.3%). The socio economic load when measured in logistic regression was not found to correlate with the decision to investigate. A main finding in this study was that the child protection process was difficult to separate from other systems within the family service. This makes it much more difficult to evaluate the child protection process. The reports filed by professionals were not investigated adequately, and the lack of criteria of specifying how reports are to be evaluated creates a risk that maltreated children will not be found. The professional reports were handled in a way that increased the risk that professionals will have negative experiences with Social Services that consequently can lead them to refrain from filing eports. Conclusion: These findings suggest the following: Pass new legislation that makes it easier to separate each of the three systems from the other. Create a national database in which data on the handling of child-protection cases is systematically recorded. Develop a national reporting form that is to be used by all who file mandated reports of suspected maltreatment. Create clear criteria that specify how a report is to be handled to ensure that the reporting professionals are met with appropriate respect and that the quality of the decisions is guaranteed all over the country.

From Mandated Reporter to Community Supporter: Reimagining Schools and the Nexus to Address Intersectional Social Justice, explores the transition from mandated reporting to community support within schools, focusing on the implications for Black families and the broader goal of addressing intersectional social justice. The study critically examines the role of schools beyond their educational mandate, highlighting their potential as pivotal hubs for supporting vulnerable populations and addressing systemic issues such as racism, bias, and poverty. Through a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, the research delves into the impact of mandated reporting on Black families, the understanding and practices of mandated reporters, and the potential for educators to transition to roles of community supporters. Grounded in theoretical frameworks such as Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Critical Policy Analysis, and conceptual frameworks of Abolitionism and Culturally Responsive School Leadership, the study scrutinizes the historical and contemporary challenges posed by mandated reporting. It reveals the adverse effects of over-reporting, particularly on marginalized communities, and the perpetuation of systemic racism within the child welfare system. The research highlights the experiences of educators, parents, and former foster youth, underscoring the need for systemic reform and the abolition of practices that harm Black families. The dissertation proposes a reimagining of schools as community support systems, advocating for policy reevaluation, the adoption of an abolitionist approach, and the implementation of culturally responsive leadership. Recommendations include enhancing training for educators, fostering collaborative partnerships, and advocating for policy changes that prioritize family and community well-being over punitive measures. The study concludes with a call for continuous research and data-informed decisions to ensure the effective transition from mandated reporting to community supporting, ultimately redefining the role of schools in achieving intersectional social justice.

Child maltreatment is a worldwide concern. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, social workers are mandated reporters. When there is reasonable suspicion, they are required by law to report suspected child maltreatment to the appropriate Child Protective Services office. In this study, the research problem was the underreporting of child maltreatment, even when reasonable suspicion existed. The purpose of this study, as reflected in the research questions, was to understand social workers' perceptions of their role as mandated reporters, to explore how their perceptions impacted reporting, and to develop recommendations that could be implemented to help ensure appropriate reporting. An action research study was conducted with master's level social workers in southern Virginia. Symbolic interaction theory was used in researching the social workers' role and their perceptions as mandated reporters interacting with clients. Qualitative data were collected from a focus group of 6 social workers and analyzed using specific coding protocols. Six themes emerged: (a) importance of the role of social worker as a mandated reporter, (b) role conflict, (c) negative consequences, (d) feelings, (e) increased knowledge of child abuse laws, and (f) education of clients. The findings of this study may be used by regulators and agency personnel to design education, training, and supervision to help ensure social workers are prepared to appropriately respond to mandated reporting requirements.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka förskolepersonals upplevelse av socialtjänst, utifrån förskolepersonalens professionsperspektiv, kopplat till upplevd oro för barn i förskolan. En kvalitativ metod har använts där sex respondenter har deltagit i semistrukturerade intervjuer, där inkluderingskriterierna var att intervjupersonen arbetar i en kommun i Mellansverige med mindre än 20 000 invånare och minst tre års erfarenhet av arbetet som förskolepersonal. Resultatet visar att förskolepersonals möjligheter att göra en orosanmälan begränsas av riktlinjerna på förskolan och att det är rektorn som avgör om en orosanmälan ska göras, men även av svårigheter att definiera oro, kunskaper gällande lagtext och föräldrakontakt. Gällande upplevelsen av kommunikationen upplever förskolepersonal socialtjänsten som frånvarande. Återkoppling gällande orosanmälningar samt ett ökat engagemang från socialtjänsten att verka för att informera och göra sig synliga för förskolorna önskas. För att nyansera kommunikationen professionerna emellan och vad som påverkar förskolepersonal gällande oro om att ett barn far illa, har systemteori samt anknytningsteori använts. Föreliggande studies slutsats är att kommunikationen mellan förskola och socialtjänst bör förbättras och ansvaret till förbättring placeras på båda professionerna. / The aim of this study is to research preschool teacher’s experience of the social services, from the preschool teachers’ professional perspective, linked to perceived concerns for children in the preschool. A qualitative method is used. Six respondents participated in semi-structured interviews. All interviewees work in a municipality in Central Sweden with less than 20 000 inhabitants and have at least three years' experience as a preschool teacher. The results show that preschool teachers’ opportunities to report a concern are limited by guidelines and that the principal decides whether a report is made, but also by difficulties in defining concerns, parent contact and knowledge regarding legislations. Furthermore, the preschool teachers experience the social services as absent. Feedback regarding reports of abuse and increased commitment from the social services to inform and make themselves visible for the preschools is requested. Systems theory and attachment theory is used in order to nuance the communication between the professionals and what affects the preschool teachers regarding concerns that a child is at risk of being abused. This study concludes that communication between the two professions need improvement and that the responsibility for this is placed on both professions.