Lapsen tilanteen arvioiminen lastensuojelussa: analyysia asiakasturvallisuuden ja laadun näkökulmasta

Authors

• Anne-Mari Jaakola Tampereen yliopisto
• Tarja Pösö Tampereen yliopisto

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30668/janus.114926

Abstract

Assessing the child’s situation in child welfare: analysis from the point of view of client safety

 

The article focuses on social workers’ views on assessment and its quality in child welfare. The assessment of the child’s situation is a crucial point in social work as it guides the next steps in working and related decisions. The frame of errors and mistakes is used to study assessment practices and their quality. The analysis is based on a survey of social workers (N=210).

 

The quality of assessment is connected to factors such as fulfillment of the rights of the client and by the sufficient use of time in an assessment. The social workers regard the quality of the assessments as being quite high although there are no agency-based guidelines or practices to define good quality or its shortcomings or the informants do not know whether they existed. This raises the question of social workers’ and agencies’ awareness of quality and errors. Therefore, it is essential to clarify what good quality assessments and competencies are as part of developing practices to promote client safety.