Child Welfare Workers' Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence and Mandatory Reporting in Norway

ABSTRACT Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major criminal, social and public health problem. As one effort to prevent IPV and intimate partner homicide, several countries have adopted legislation requiring professionals to disclose IPV to the authorities (commonly referred to as mandatory reporti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Child & family social work 2024-11, Vol.29 (4), p.1076-1085
Main Authors: Dahl, Silje Louise, Leer‐Salvesen, Kjartan, Øvrelid, Malene, Vatnar, Solveig Karin Bø
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Child welfare
Children
Domestic violence
duty to report
Family Violence
Frame analysis
framing
Health problems
Homicide
Individual responsibility
Intimate partner violence
Legislation
Mandatory reporting
Perceptions
professional discretion
Public health
qualitative interviews
Reporting requirements
Responsibility
Social workers
Welfare Services
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Summary:ABSTRACT Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major criminal, social and public health problem. As one effort to prevent IPV and intimate partner homicide, several countries have adopted legislation requiring professionals to disclose IPV to the authorities (commonly referred to as mandatory reporting). The child welfare service (CWS) is centrally positioned for detecting, reporting and preventing IPV, but there is limited empirical knowledge concerning how the service handles IPV cases or of social workers' awareness of mandatory reporting of IPV. Using qualitative interviews, we explore how CWS workers in Norway describe their discretionary space and mandatory obligations towards adults subjected to IPV. Our findings indicate an inexpedient interplay between understandings of professional mandate and individual responsibility and local routines and organisation and insufficient knowledge about IPV and mandatory reporting. We suggest that a reframing of CWS workers' understanding of their discretionary space is needed to ensure that their individual responsibility towards adults subjected to IPV is understood as part of their mandate. This reframing presupposes structural efforts, such as formal training. We propose further investigations concerning how local organisation and routines either facilitate or interfere with systematic and thorough handling of IPV in families with which the municipal CWS meets.
ISSN:1356-7500
1365-2206
DOI:10.1111/cfs.13162