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What do actors in child protection processes in Sweden know about children’s rights to participation and about talking to children?

Larsson, Monica LU ; Höjer, Staffan and Hultman, Elin (2022) In Nordic Social Work Research
Abstract
Enhancing children’s participation in child protection is a frequent issue in social work. The aim of this article is to investigate the perceived knowledge and educational demands of actors in Sweden’s child protection system, regarding children’s right to participation and actors’ perceived ability to communicate with children. This article will try to answer two specific research questions: How do the social workers, lawyers and laypersons perceive their knowledge of legal frameworks concerning children’s right to participate? How do the social workers, lawyers and laypersons perceive their ability to communicate with children? This article builds on a survey, with both closed and open answer alternatives, of study participants involved... (More)
Enhancing children’s participation in child protection is a frequent issue in social work. The aim of this article is to investigate the perceived knowledge and educational demands of actors in Sweden’s child protection system, regarding children’s right to participation and actors’ perceived ability to communicate with children. This article will try to answer two specific research questions: How do the social workers, lawyers and laypersons perceive their knowledge of legal frameworks concerning children’s right to participate? How do the social workers, lawyers and laypersons perceive their ability to communicate with children? This article builds on a survey, with both closed and open answer alternatives, of study participants involved in child protection decisions: social workers, lawyers and laypersons. The results show that, according to their self-ratings, knowledge of the legal framework and administrative rules for child protection were judged to be adequate amongst the three examined groups of actors, however they declared a need for a variety of educational support for the different actors. The need to develop more child-friendly communications skills was also identified. The discussion raises the question of whether or not the layperson system in Sweden enhances children’ participation. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Enhancing children’s participation in child protection is a frequent issue in social work. The aim of this article is to investigate the perceived knowledge and educational demands of actors in Sweden’s child protection system, regarding children’s right to participation and actors’ perceived ability to communicate with children. This article will try to answer two specific research questions: How do the social workers, lawyers and laypersons perceive their knowledge of legal frameworks concerning children’s right to participate? How do the social workers, lawyers and laypersons perceive their ability to communicate with children? This article builds on a survey, with both closed and open answer alternatives, of study participants involved... (More)
Enhancing children’s participation in child protection is a frequent issue in social work. The aim of this article is to investigate the perceived knowledge and educational demands of actors in Sweden’s child protection system, regarding children’s right to participation and actors’ perceived ability to communicate with children. This article will try to answer two specific research questions: How do the social workers, lawyers and laypersons perceive their knowledge of legal frameworks concerning children’s right to participate? How do the social workers, lawyers and laypersons perceive their ability to communicate with children? This article builds on a survey, with both closed and open answer alternatives, of study participants involved in child protection decisions: social workers, lawyers and laypersons. The results show that, according to their self-ratings, knowledge of the legal framework and administrative rules for child protection were judged to be adequate amongst the three examined groups of actors, however they declared a need for a variety of educational support for the different actors. The need to develop more child-friendly communications skills was also identified. The discussion raises the question of whether or not the layperson system in Sweden enhances children’ participation (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
children and participation, Child protection, participation, childrens´s rights
in
Nordic Social Work Research
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85125527936
ISSN
2156-857X
DOI
10.1080/2156857X.2022.2041072
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
230a95b7-0be6-4b81-b248-62bcf6fc4fb5
date added to LUP
2022-03-01 12:00:07
date last changed
2022-04-19 17:00:36
@article{230a95b7-0be6-4b81-b248-62bcf6fc4fb5,
  abstract     = {{Enhancing children’s participation in child protection is a frequent issue in social work. The aim of this article is to investigate the perceived knowledge and educational demands of actors in Sweden’s child protection system, regarding children’s right to participation and actors’ perceived ability to communicate with children. This article will try to answer two specific research questions: How do the social workers, lawyers and laypersons perceive their knowledge of legal frameworks concerning children’s right to participate? How do the social workers, lawyers and laypersons perceive their ability to communicate with children? This article builds on a survey, with both closed and open answer alternatives, of study participants involved in child protection decisions: social workers, lawyers and laypersons. The results show that, according to their self-ratings, knowledge of the legal framework and administrative rules for child protection were judged to be adequate amongst the three examined groups of actors, however they declared a need for a variety of educational support for the different actors. The need to develop more child-friendly communications skills was also identified. The discussion raises the question of whether or not the layperson system in Sweden enhances children’ participation.}},
  author       = {{Larsson, Monica and Höjer, Staffan and Hultman, Elin}},
  issn         = {{2156-857X}},
  keywords     = {{children and participation; Child protection; participation; childrens´s rights}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Nordic Social Work Research}},
  title        = {{What do actors in child protection processes in Sweden know about children’s rights to participation and about talking to children?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2156857X.2022.2041072}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/2156857X.2022.2041072}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}