TY - JOUR
T1 - Out-of-home placement decisions
T2 - How individual characteristics of professionals are reflected in deciding about child protection cases
AU - de Haan, Whitney
AU - van Berkel, Sheila R.
AU - van der Asdonk, Sabine
AU - Finkenauer, Catrin
AU - Forder, C.
AU - van IJzendoorn, Marinus H.
AU - Schuengel, Carlo
AU - R.A. Alink, Lenneke
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Decisions regarding out-of-home placement of children are complicated and of high impact for children and parents. Previous studies show low agreement between professionals on these decisions, and research regarding the influence of characteristics of decision-makers on the content of the decisions taken remains inconclusive. This study explored the relation between general and psychological characteristics of 144 professionals (child welfare professionals, children’s court judges, and master students) using vignettes and questionnaires. Professionals’ mind-set regarding the ability of parents to achieve change (parent-specific mind-set) and their attitude toward the harmfulness of out-of-home placements were related to their decision-making. General decision-maker factors (the professional’s background and work experience), the mind-set toward the ability of people in general to change (dispositional mind-set), and professionals’ attitude toward the effectiveness of out-of-home placements were not related to their decisions. This field of practice needs to reflect on the role of implicit beliefs in making placement decisions about children.
AB - Decisions regarding out-of-home placement of children are complicated and of high impact for children and parents. Previous studies show low agreement between professionals on these decisions, and research regarding the influence of characteristics of decision-makers on the content of the decisions taken remains inconclusive. This study explored the relation between general and psychological characteristics of 144 professionals (child welfare professionals, children’s court judges, and master students) using vignettes and questionnaires. Professionals’ mind-set regarding the ability of parents to achieve change (parent-specific mind-set) and their attitude toward the harmfulness of out-of-home placements were related to their decision-making. General decision-maker factors (the professional’s background and work experience), the mind-set toward the ability of people in general to change (dispositional mind-set), and professionals’ attitude toward the effectiveness of out-of-home placements were not related to their decisions. This field of practice needs to reflect on the role of implicit beliefs in making placement decisions about children.
U2 - 10.1177/2516103219887974
DO - 10.1177/2516103219887974
M3 - Article
SN - 2516-1032
VL - 1
SP - 312
EP - 326
JO - Developmental Child Welfare
JF - Developmental Child Welfare
IS - 4
ER -