This study examines how the unprecedented placement of blame on social workers
in B.C., following the Report of the Gove Commission into Child Protection in 1995, has
affected those workers, by exploring the phenomenon from the point of view of the social
workers themselves. By using structural social work theory, with a feminist perspective,
the conceptual context is explored in terms of how risk and blame have been constructed
and how the relationship between clients and workers, and the treatment of social
workers by management have been impacted by that construction.
Purposeful criterion sampling was used, applying a snowball approach of
recruitment. Ten social workers participated who are or have been recently employed by
the Ministry for Children & Families. Data collection occurred through one focus group
session as well as individual interviews. Transcripts of the interviews were made from
audiotapes. Categorical and holistic content analysis led to identification of participant
themes.
Findings confirmed fear of blame as a significant contributor to high stress levels
but, surprisingly, social workers expressed their belief that a similar fear was frequently
behind management decisions. This research provides unique insight into the factors
which motivate individuals to do the difficult work of child protection. It also offers an
explanation for the ongoing difficulty which government experiences in recruiting and
retaining skilled, trained staff, which, if unaddressed, is a serious impediment to the
effective delivery of child welfare services in B.C. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UBC/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/10458 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Early, Marsha |
| Source Sets | University of British Columbia |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis/Dissertation |
| Format | 7894550 bytes, application/pdf |
| Rights | For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use. |
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