Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Social Work (DSW)
School
Social Work
Advisor
Debora Rice
Abstract
The child welfare system exists to support safe and healthy families. When children cannot remain safely with family, they are removed and often placed with nonrelatives. Only half of all of the children removed from their homes achieve reunification. In the current study, research questions examined the perceptions of caseworkers in determining whether or when a child could reunify with their family of removal, and how the perceptions of the caseworker affected their practice regarding reunification. Using social learning theory as a framework, a caseworker’s decisions were viewed as a balance between their work environment and their personal perceptions. Following semi structured participant interviews with 16 child welfare workers, data were stored and managed with ATLAS.ti; thematic coding was used to identify themes. The research findings demonstrated the significant impact personal perceptions of caseworkers have in decision-making. The generic qualitative research revealed four primary themes related to understanding the perceptions of child welfare caseworkers when making decisions, including internalized beliefs of the caseworker, the role of the organization, how caseworkers view their role, and the impact of power. There were also four themes related to understanding how the perceptions of caseworkers impacted their practice. The research findings have potential implications for positive social changes if used by practitioners, administrators, and policy makers to better understand and address the potential impact of perception and personal beliefs on the decisions made in child welfare reunification.
Recommended Citation
Ulrich, Sonja D., "The Perceptions and Practices of Child Welfare Caseworkers and Decision-Making Related to Reunification" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12576.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12576
