Jadwiga Leigh

A tale of the unexpected: managing an insider dilemma by adopting the role of outsider in another setting:

This article explores a dilemma encountered by the author when collecting data from a child protection local authority while working for the same agency as a social worker. Favoured by ethnographers for being able to capture something that is uniquely different, the method of ethnography was chosen in this study to use the author’s insider positioning to access material that may prove to be rich and original in content. Despite feeling prepared for the challenges that lay ahead, the unexpected hidden dilemma that did emerge encouraged the author, as a result, to closely examine certain perplexities that then followed. These would not only affect established relationships with colleagues within the field but also impact her own professional identity by forcing her to question certain values and loyalties expected from the agency for which she worked. However, by adopting a dual role and taking up the position of outsider in another similar setting, it was found that enough distance and space were created to encourage the author to employ reflexivity and overcome the difficulties experienced as a ‘native’ at home.

Crossing the divide between them and us: Using photography to explore the impact organisational space can have on identity and child protection practice

This article aims to explore how visual methods can be employed in social work research as a means of understanding the impact of space and environment in child protection practice. It will draw from the findings of a comparative ethnography, which, alongside the traditional methods of data collection, also involved the use of photography to capture the nature of two very different agencies situated in England and Belgium. The aim of using images was primarily to contextualise the everyday details of both settings and provide the reader with a visual dimension of what both agencies have embodied for the researcher, the participants and the service users. The findings demonstrate just how important the organisational setting can be in developing, or impairing, the way in which relationships are built between professionals and the families they work with.

The State of Regulation in England: From the General Social Care Council to the Health and Care Professions Council

In this paper, we analyse the way in which social work, as a profession, has coped with and responded to the various forms of regulation to which it has been subject in England. First, we briefly detail the rise of external regulation of the professions, discussing both the rationale for, and criticisms of, such developments. Second, we take a closer look at developments within social work and the operation of the General Social Care Council (GSCC)s conduct proceedings from its inception in 2001 until its dissolution in 2012. Third, we focus on the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and consider how it has begun its regulation of social workers since it took on this responsibility from August 2012. We conclude by outlining some of the concerns we have as well as discussing reasons as to why we feel this area of work needs to be explored further.

Atmospheres of mistrust and suspicion: Theorising on conflict and affective practice in a child protection social work agency

Organisational conflict is normally recognised as a disruptive activity which interrupts relational dynamics and productivity. However, this paper will argue that in addition, if conflict is not resolved carefully, it can trigger negative affect which will in turn unsettle and destabilise a whole workforce. Based on the findings from an organisational ethnography, the author examines how conflict emerged in a child protection social work agency by theorizing on the concept of affective practice. In doing so, the author makes the argument that although affect emerges in interaction it can be exacerbated by the unintentional pursuit of problematic strategies. Examining affective practice in such a way enables studies to bring into play the atmospheric factors which impacted on those who were present at that moment so that readers can understand how people were moved, attracted to or pained by certain social interactions. This is important when trying to comprehend how coercive power approaches in social work prevent care objectives from being met. The paper will conclude by suggesting that when practitioners are preoccupied with trying to survive in the workplace they will find it difficult to meet the needs of the children and families they are working with.

An analysis of HCPC fitness to practise hearings: Fit to Practise or Fit for Purpose?

ABSTRACT All professions regulated by the HCPC have ‘protection of title’. This means that only those on its relevant register can legally work as or call themselves a social worker. As such, the HCPC’s Fitness to Practise panel wields a lot of power over individuals brought before it, effectively being able to prevent them from gaining employment as a social worker or imposing conditions on their practice. This article reports the findings from a study which examined publically available notes of HCPC fitness to practise hearings. The aim was to analyse what happens when an initial investigation finds that there is a case to answer, what factors influence the findings of the Fitness to Practise panel and how the outcome of the hearing then affects the social worker subject to the HCPC process. Using thematic analysis, our findings suggest that the seriousness of the alleged misconduct does not necessarily relate to the severity of sanction applied. It is the social worker’s engagement with the process, her insight into the issues and her credibility as a witness that appears to have the most significant bearing on the level of sanction applied.

Blame, Culture and Child Protection

This final chapter summarises the findings from all the chapters in this book. It explores what it means to be a social worker in England today and how different this is to what a social worker in Flanders experiences. It discusses the common similarities and differences evident in the two settings and explores the notion that for social work practice to be effective, practitioners need to be situated in a safe environment. Only then can contentious issues be resolved respectfully and sensitively. However, it is recognised that this objective can only ever be achieved with the support of a congruent workforce and a degree of sensitivity from those in government.

Life in the Dimes Ashe Department

This chapter sets the scene by explaining the context of the Dimes Ashe department when the study began. It is 2010 and the coalition government has just been elected. All local authorities across the country find they are suddenly faced with a reduction in spending. Despite having implemented new services to improve early intervention measures, the impending loss of a significant amount of money means that the department is about to experience cuts and job losses. The Dimes Ashe department is also awaiting another visit from Ofsted. Although it previously received a ‘good’ rating, the impending cuts create panic for everyone because no-one knows just how service delivery will be affected.

The Process of Professionalisation

This chapter explores the process of professionalisation and examines how social work in England developed into a profession with different specialist areas. By discussing the various contexts which have been experienced by the ever evolving profession, the importance of professional identity is revealed. It is recognised that child protection discourse has had to emerge amidst a number of complex ethical issues. This has meant that social workers have had to learn how to make difficult decisions and handle conflicting values during pressured times. Yet these issues of complexity are often used as a powerful shaming device, employed to question the credibility and reputation of social workers. However, it is then revealed that life may be different in Flanders because the Flemish are part of a ‘social welfare’ system and this leads to different approaches towards child abuse emerging in practice.

The Effect Others Have on Flemish Practice

This chapter explores how, in comparison to the social workers in England, the Flemish feel they are revered by certain groups in their society. This is because the professionals in the VK agency attempt to build relationships with not only the families they work with but also the media, the government and members of the public. This emancipatory form of practice is open, transparent and inclusive, and it provides them with a credible reputation. One which sees the media and the public try to understand the processes of child protection practice rather than search for a scapegoat to blame. As a result, being blamed for the decisions that they make is not a fear the Flemish professionals have to contend with. Its absence provides practitioners with opportunities to be creative in their practice.

How Others Affect Child Protection Social Work

In this chapter, social workers from the Dimes Ashe department disclose how they feel viewed by certain groups within society. Their narratives begin to reveal how important wider cultural issues and perceptions of social workers are in shaping the way that these participants practise. By considering where social workers are located this chapter provides a nuanced understanding of what it means to be a social worker in practice today.