Fuller Tamara L, Paceley Megan S, Schreiber Jill C
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Womazetta Jones, Ramsey County Community Human Services, Division of Children and Family Services, USA.
Child Abuse Negl. 2015 Jan;39:7-17. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.05.010. Epub 2014 Jun 6.
An increasing number of Child Protective Services (CPS) systems are implementing Differential Response (DR) approaches in which lower-risk families are served through a family assessment response that emphasizes a family centered approach and the provision of concrete and preventative services. Quantitative survey data collected from parents suggests that those who receive family assessments are more engaged, receive more concrete services, and have higher overall satisfaction than those who receive a traditional investigation; yet little is known about which services provided through a family assessment are most helpful to parents. This qualitative study sought input from 20 parents who received a DR family assessment response in order to provide an in-depth analysis of which aspects of their CPS experience they perceived as most helpful. Results suggest that a positive and emotionally supportive relationship with the caseworker was of utmost significance. Other caseworker-provided services were described as helpful, particularly those that helped parents establish or improve relationships with others, including advocacy with other service providers, mediation of family disagreements, and coaching on parenting or relationship skills. Material support, such as providing cash assistance for rent or furniture, was helpful when received but occurred less frequently and was sometimes a source of frustration when accompanied by lengthy waits for assistance. These findings have implications for CPS practice, including enhancing caseworkers' relationship-building and engagement skills through pre-service educational coursework and in-service trainings; allowing caseworkers adequate time to develop supportive relationships with parents; and reducing the institutional barriers that delay the provision of concrete support.
越来越多的儿童保护服务（CPS）系统正在采用差异化应对（DR）方法，即通过家庭评估应对措施为低风险家庭提供服务，这种应对措施强调以家庭为中心的方法以及提供具体的预防服务。从父母那里收集的定量调查数据表明，与接受传统调查的父母相比，接受家庭评估的父母参与度更高，获得的具体服务更多，总体满意度也更高；然而，对于通过家庭评估提供的哪些服务对父母最有帮助，人们却知之甚少。这项定性研究征求了20位接受DR家庭评估应对措施的父母的意见，以便深入分析他们认为CPS经历中哪些方面最有帮助。结果表明，与个案工作者建立积极且给予情感支持的关系至关重要。个案工作者提供的其他服务也被描述为有帮助，特别是那些帮助父母与他人建立或改善关系的服务，包括与其他服务提供者进行倡导、调解家庭分歧以及提供育儿或人际关系技巧方面的指导。物质支持，如提供房租或家具的现金援助，在获得时是有帮助的，但这种情况较少发生，而且有时在伴随着漫长的等待援助过程时会成为沮丧的来源。这些发现对CPS实践具有启示意义，包括通过职前教育课程和在职培训提高个案工作者建立关系和参与的技能；给予个案工作者足够的时间与父母建立支持性的关系；以及减少延迟提供具体支持的制度障碍。
