Development of the good enough care assessment tool: assessing child neglect in evidence-based and socially aware ways

Haworth, Simon Paul Christopher ORCID: 0000-0001-6044-4939 (2023). Development of the good enough care assessment tool: assessing child neglect in evidence-based and socially aware ways. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Child neglect remains a complex riddle with which academia and practice continue to grapple. Professionals struggle to effectively and accurately assess child neglect, which significantly their impacts decision-making and can lead to ineffective or misdirected support. This thesis reports on an original empirical research project responding to these challenges through developing a new child neglect assessment tool for use in multi-agency settings, the Good Enough Care Assessment Tool. The tool is evidence-based, research-focussed and inclusive of social harms such as poverty.

The research adopted an evidence-based approach to the task, in light of the longstanding issues in assessment of child neglect, the lack of rigour in the research base on child neglect and the ongoing challenges in developing measures and tools in social work. The mixed methods multi-phase project incorporated a systematic review, a Delphi study, a survey of social workers’ views on assessing child neglect and a pilot study. The studies embraced the voices of both practitioners and experts by experience, and ensured a coherent stepwise approach to development. The research highlights the social nature of child neglect and structural drivers for unmet need through application of the social harm framework.

The Good Enough Care Assessment Tool is a self-contained tool that offers a different approach to assessing child neglect, conceptualising child neglect as a social form of harm in deeply unequal societies. It supports research into practice and a coherent multi-agency approach to assessment. It encourages dialogue with families and a focus on their strengths as well as concerns.

The Good Enough Care Assessment Tool shows validity for child neglect and is usable in practice, but further work is needed to test its psychometric properties in the form of a larger-scale pilot study. It offers a socially just, collaborative and ethical approach to the assessment of child neglect.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):