Affiliation:
1. Department of Social Work Volda University College Volda Norway
2. Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry Oslo University Hospital Oslo Norway
3. Faculty of Health Sciences and Social Care Molde University College Molde Norway
Abstract
ABSTRACTIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a major criminal, social and public health problem. As one effort to prevent IPV and intimate partner homicide, several countries have adopted legislation requiring professionals to disclose IPV to the authorities (commonly referred to as mandatory reporting). The child welfare service (CWS) is centrally positioned for detecting, reporting and preventing IPV, but there is limited empirical knowledge concerning how the service handles IPV cases or of social workers' awareness of mandatory reporting of IPV. Using qualitative interviews, we explore how CWS workers in Norway describe their discretionary space and mandatory obligations towards adults subjected to IPV. Our findings indicate an inexpedient interplay between understandings of professional mandate and individual responsibility and local routines and organisation and insufficient knowledge about IPV and mandatory reporting. We suggest that a reframing of CWS workers' understanding of their discretionary space is needed to ensure that their individual responsibility towards adults subjected to IPV is understood as part of their mandate. This reframing presupposes structural efforts, such as formal training. We propose further investigations concerning how local organisation and routines either facilitate or interfere with systematic and thorough handling of IPV in families with which the municipal CWS meets.
Reference40 articles.
1. Black M. C. K. C.Basile M. J.Breiding et al.2011. “The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Summary Report.” Retrieved from Atlanta Georgia https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/nisvs_report2010‐a.pdf.
2. Using thematic analysis in psychology
3. Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis