Challenges to the Qualitative Researcher Seeking to Study Parental Engagement in Preventive Services: A Reflective Commentary

Abstract

Through a self-reflective discussion of the author's experiences in preparing to conduct an exploratory pilot study about an aspect of child welfare practice, this article articulates some of the potential disjunctures facing the academically based qualitative researcher in gaining access to and engaging study informants in a practice setting that interfaces with child welfare. The qualitative study sought to understand the experiences of parents and preventive services social workers as they came together in the early engagement process–-following a referral for counseling after a report of child abuse or neglect. Recommendations for researchers pursuing this kind of endeavor are discussed throughout, with an emphasis on the potential pathways to connection in conducting practice-based research.