Social workers' attitudes towards female victims of domestic violence: A study in one English local authority

Witt, Laura and Diaz, Clive ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5681-9056 2019. Social workers' attitudes towards female victims of domestic violence: A study in one English local authority. Child and Family Social Work 24 (2) , pp. 209-217. 10.1111/cfs.12604

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Abstract

This paper aims to explore childcare social workers' attitudes towards female victims of domestic violence in England. The study discusses the concept of “mothering” and the processes through which mothers are potentially denigrated rather than empowered. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with social workers in a single child protection agency to investigate their perceptions of domestic violence, its gendered nature, and the implications for their practice. Participants' responses were coded using thematic analysis. The results demonstrated social workers' cognisance of the challenges domestic violence poses for abused mothers in terms of the ability to safely parent their children. Although the study is not without its limitations, it nevertheless indicates the need for a more holistic approach to safeguarding children within domestic violence settings. Moreover, it underscores the necessity for improving awareness about the prevalence and importance of domestic violence as a child safeguarding concern within social work training. Indeed, improved training would help to develop social workers' knowledge and understanding of service provisions and partner agencies, thus potentially improving practice in this critically important area.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	1356-7500
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	25 September 2018
Date of Acceptance:	25 July 2018
Last Modified:	06 Dec 2024 02:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/115228

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