Harnessing information and communication technology for vulnerable children : the redevelopment of the Australian case management systems 'Looking After Children' and 'Supporting Children and Responding to Families'

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the redevelopment of two child welfare case management systems used in Australia: Looking After Children (LAC) and Supporting Children and Responding to Families (SCARF). LAC and SCARF are attempts to address the poor outcomes that are widely agreed to be experienced by children in 'out of home care' or 'in need' in their own families. These case management systems are significant attempts to change social work practice. They represent a shift from earlier modes of practice characterised by autonomous professional relationships to more standardised approaches to social work. They rely heavily on written text and open the opportunity to use information and communication technology (ICT) in child welfare services. A decade after their introduction, the local licensee of these case management systems sought to reassess the use of LAC and SCARF in Australia. This thesis is part of that process. It aims to address three issues: firstly, to investigate the experiences of children, young people and their families of case managed interventions; secondly, to see if recent developments in ICT could contribute to children's welfare if integrated into case management systems, and if so how; and thirdly, to examine how the answers to these questions could inform the future development of case management systems. I take a social constructionist approach to LAC and SCARF and the research questions and draw on Michel Foucault's theories of discourse and power/knowledge. I explore LAC and SCARF as texts that embody discourses of social work, management and childhood, and reflect tendencies towards 'technologisation' and 'democratisation' (Fairclough, 1992). I use social constructionist theories to explore the increased use of written text and ICT in child welfare. I identify these discourses by using Fairclough's text oriented discourse analysis (TODA) with three sets of texts: the relevant social work literature, the LAC and SCARF forms and transcripts of semi-structured interviews undertaken in a study with service users. The study undertaken for this thesis augmented the limited international and local research on service users experiences of case management systems, and, extended the scope of these studies to consider the neglected impact of technology in social work interventions. I undertook the design, implementation and interpretation of the study by considering the exercise of power in the research setting. The study was unique in that it explored the long-term use of case management systems in which service users were no longer dependent on welfare agencies. The 2 and others to subjugate service users voices. The study findings relate to the aims, planning process, power relations and technology of the case managed intervention. Service users were found to have a wide range of experiences. Many participants valued practical, social and emotional assistance and the development of insight. The findings indicated that trusting and reliable relationships between service users and social workers were possible. Service users, however, challenged the way in which poverty, extended family relations and childhood were understood and wanted more specialised assistance. They identified written text as creating barriers to their participation in interventions. They described the case management systems as failing to constrain their own, or workers', exercise of power. Technology was inevitably part of these child welfare interventions. The existing pen and paper-based systems were problematic. ICT was shown to have communication possibilities in child welfare interventions, and its greater use could potentially address the increasing social disadvantage of service users in the wider society. Although growth in the use of ICT appeared inevitable, however, methods employed aimed, as far as possible, to acknowledge and restrict the opportunity for myself ICT was shown to have limited impact on social work aims and processes and may be problematic in child welfare. In addition, there were significant barriers to the immediate use of ICT, including limited availability, co-option by social workers and managers and poor understanding of ICT's impact on communication in social work practice. The findings of this study provide a basis for redevelopment of LAC and SCARF and the construction of social work knowledge. Service users could make an important contribution, and this study has identified areas in which social work knowledge could better reflect their experiences. This is particularly so as social workers are significantly divided over the aims and processes of intervention, and there is only limited debate about the effects on child welfare of societal -orders of discourse regarding childhood,'democratisation' and 'technologisation'. Social workers interests need to be differentiated from those of service users, particularly in relation to the use of ICT. Future development of case management systems will be highly contested given the complex and socially significant discourses that they embody. Change will be constrained, but inevitable, and discourses must be monitored for their impact. Methods and opportunities must be found to involve service users in the redevelopment of case management systems. ICT will play an increasing role in social work practice, and will require ongoing assessment. This study provides a possible starting point for policy development focused on service users experiences.

Date of Award	2009
Original language	English