The Travelling Idea of Looking The Travelling Idea of Looking After ChildrenAfter Children

Conditions for moulding a systematic Conditions for moulding a systematic approach in child welfare into three approach in child welfare into three national contexts; Australia, Canada national contexts; Australia, Canada

and Swedenand SwedenPresented byPresented by

Lennart Nygren, Umeå University, SwedenLennart Nygren, Umeå University, Sweden

Looking after children in need. A three-nation Looking after children in need. A three-nation comparative study of the implementation of comparative study of the implementation of

”LAC””LAC”

Research group:Research group:Evelyn Khoo, Ph.D., Umeå universityEvelyn Khoo, Ph.D., Umeå universityUlf Hyvönen, Ph.D., Umeå social servicesUlf Hyvönen, Ph.D., Umeå social servicesLennart Nygren, Ph.D., prof., Umeå universityLennart Nygren, Ph.D., prof., Umeå university

Funding:Funding:FAS (Swedish Research Council for Working Life FAS (Swedish Research Council for Working Life and Social Sciences)and Social Sciences)

Our LAC researchOur LAC research

How come that Looking After Children is so widely How come that Looking After Children is so widely spread, how is it implemented and how does it work spread, how is it implemented and how does it work in different contexts?in different contexts?

Planned papers on:Planned papers on:- the implementation of LAC in relation to legal - the implementation of LAC in relation to legal contexts, organizational structure, key actors etc.contexts, organizational structure, key actors etc.- LAC’s functions for managers and professionals- LAC’s functions for managers and professionals- LAC as a child-centered tool- LAC as a child-centered tool

Open-ended survey questionOpen-ended survey question

””If you could give If you could give adviceadvice to anyone involved to anyone involved in the implementation of Looking After in the implementation of Looking After Children (from policy-makers to trainers to Children (from policy-makers to trainers to colleagues or anyone else) what would it be?”colleagues or anyone else) what would it be?”

AnswersAnswers

Answers from:Answers from:

AUS (NSW): 42 of 59 (60 subm.)AUS (NSW): 42 of 59 (60 subm.)CAN (Ontario): 119 of 160 (207)CAN (Ontario): 119 of 160 (207)SWE (project kommuns): 96 of 190 (210)SWE (project kommuns): 96 of 190 (210)

257 respondents; 1-10 unique 257 respondents; 1-10 unique statements/respondent, often 4-5.statements/respondent, often 4-5.

AnalysisAnalysis

Qualitative content analysisQualitative content analysis Two theoretical categories generated and Two theoretical categories generated and

named (cf. Power, 1997):named (cf. Power, 1997):

”In principle””In principle” ”In detail””In detail”programmatic andprogrammatic and operational andoperational andnormativenormative technologicaltechnological

””In principle”In principle”

ValuesValues StrategicStrategic PoliticalPolitical CriticalCritical

LAC’s value baseLAC’s value base

””Important with a lot of focus on the value Important with a lot of focus on the value base, not only the forms (swe., s.w.)base, not only the forms (swe., s.w.)

”See beyond the paper work and live the ”See beyond the paper work and live the philosophy” (can., s.w.)philosophy” (can., s.w.)

Universality of LACUniversality of LAC

””Lac should be used with all children in care” Lac should be used with all children in care” (can., man.)(can., man.)

”The LAC system works better if all areas of ”The LAC system works better if all areas of the child protection system use it” (aus., case the child protection system use it” (aus., case worker)worker)

Child-centered value statementsChild-centered value statements

””Be sure to really put the child in the centre” (swe. s.w.)Be sure to really put the child in the centre” (swe. s.w.)

”[implementation] should emphasise how the answer(s) are ”[implementation] should emphasise how the answer(s) are useful in providing needs to the child” (aus., man.)useful in providing needs to the child” (aus., man.)

”During training, please reiterate the importance of all people ”During training, please reiterate the importance of all people working together to help provide the best opportunities and working together to help provide the best opportunities and care for our children” (can., s.w.)care for our children” (can., s.w.)

Strategic planning and ”time”Strategic planning and ”time”

””Have a good, sound plan in regards to Have a good, sound plan in regards to implementation and time lines for implementation and time lines for implementation” (aus., s.w.)implementation” (aus., s.w.)

”…you have to think about (politicians and ”…you have to think about (politicians and managers) that it takes much time for social managers) that it takes much time for social workers to learn about the new..” (swe., s.w.)workers to learn about the new..” (swe., s.w.)

Persistence and dealing with Persistence and dealing with resistanceresistance

””Persist, itPersist, it´s worth it!” (aus., man.)´s worth it!” (aus., man.)

””Be patient, it takes years to understand the depth in Be patient, it takes years to understand the depth in BBIC and all its potentials” (swe., s.w.)BBIC and all its potentials” (swe., s.w.)

”Be prepared for resistance - involve and listen to ”Be prepared for resistance - involve and listen to all!” (aus., man.)all!” (aus., man.)

”Track resistance and follow up””Track resistance and follow up”

Political/professionalPolitical/professional

””It’s good for the profession” (swe., s.w.)It’s good for the profession” (swe., s.w.)

”It is important for case managers to hear the ”It is important for case managers to hear the positives from those who have been working positives from those who have been working with the LAC system”with the LAC system”(aus., man.)(aus., man.)

CriticalCritical

””Do not use LAC!” (can., s.w.)Do not use LAC!” (can., s.w.)

”LAC is no good” (can., s.w.)”LAC is no good” (can., s.w.)

””In detail”In detail”

FormsForms Work situationWork situation Client-relatedClient-related

FormsForms

””Shorten the form!” It is quite repetitive and Shorten the form!” It is quite repetitive and way too time consuming” (can., s.w.)way too time consuming” (can., s.w.)

”Make it shorter” (swe., s.w.)”Make it shorter” (swe., s.w.)

”I”I´d stress the importance of using the tool in ´d stress the importance of using the tool in different ways depending on individual kids’ different ways depending on individual kids’ needs, i.e. skip questions, modify etc.” (aus., needs, i.e. skip questions, modify etc.” (aus., s.w.)s.w.)

Work situationWork situation

““Tailor the training to the needs of the population Tailor the training to the needs of the population being trained. Be flexible with the agenda” (can., being trained. Be flexible with the agenda” (can., man.)man.)

””Use it everyday so it becomes part of your routine” Use it everyday so it becomes part of your routine” (aus., s.w.)(aus., s.w.)

”Good software is necessary” (swe., s.w.)”Good software is necessary” (swe., s.w.)

”Stay on top of your recordings” (can., s.w.)”Stay on top of your recordings” (can., s.w.)

The clientThe client

””Make the questions for older children less intrusive” Make the questions for older children less intrusive” (can., s.w.)(can., s.w.)

”Can the A+A forms be more child/adolescent ”Can the A+A forms be more child/adolescent friendly?, e.g. more colour/pictures” (aus., s.w.)friendly?, e.g. more colour/pictures” (aus., s.w.)

””more time to spend completing them with kids and more time to spend completing them with kids and more time to review questions with kids” (can., s.w.)more time to review questions with kids” (can., s.w.)

A few patternsA few patterns

Most comments are explicit or implicit recommendations to Most comments are explicit or implicit recommendations to implement LAC in all three countriesimplement LAC in all three countries

Relatively few direct references to national and structural Relatively few direct references to national and structural contextscontexts

Managers and supervisors mainly addressed “in principal” Managers and supervisors mainly addressed “in principal” issues, plus specific “details”: hands-on training and adequate issues, plus specific “details”: hands-on training and adequate IT supportIT support

Swedish social workers more ”in principal” than Australians Swedish social workers more ”in principal” than Australians and Canadiansand Canadians

Canadian social workers stressed the problems with too long, Canadian social workers stressed the problems with too long, repetitious formsrepetitious forms

LAC and travel theory: translation LAC and travel theory: translation and transformationand transformation

Why are ideas likely to travel?Why are ideas likely to travel?Modern values:Modern values: rationality and accountability rationality and accountabilityEfficiency:Efficiency: documented success documented success

ImitationImitation Translation in relation to contextsTranslation in relation to contexts ””Editing” of conceptsEditing” of concepts The ”soil” and organizational insecurity (vertical and The ”soil” and organizational insecurity (vertical and

horizontal)horizontal) So, LAC is indeed a travelling ideaSo, LAC is indeed a travelling idea

Closing wordsClosing words

Most managers Most managers andand social workers are positive to social workers are positive to LAC in relation to the question askedLAC in relation to the question asked

A possible tension between managers’ in-principal A possible tension between managers’ in-principal views and social workers’ ”in-detail views”?views and social workers’ ”in-detail views”?

A possible tension between the idea of A possible tension between the idea of standardization and the idea of flexibility?standardization and the idea of flexibility?

An successful international traveller in child welfare An successful international traveller in child welfare work - good for all contexts?work - good for all contexts?