Child Neglect As a Wicked Issue
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This electronic thesis or dissertation has been downloaded from Explore Bristol Research, http://research-information.bristol.ac.uk Author: Monk, Claire Title: An examination of how child neglect guidance is communicated and implemented from Government to Local Safeguarding Children Boards to frontline statutory services General rights Access to the thesis is subject to the Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International Public License. A copy of this may be found at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode This license sets out your rights and the restrictions that apply to your access to the thesis so it is important you read this before proceeding. Take down policy Some pages of this thesis may have been removed for copyright restrictions prior to having it been deposited in Explore Bristol Research. However, if you have discovered material within the thesis that you consider to be unlawful e.g. breaches of copyright (either yours or that of a third party) or any other law, including but not limited to those relating to patent, trademark, confidentiality, data protection, obscenity, defamation, libel, then please contact [email protected] and include the following information in your message: •Your contact details •Bibliographic details for the item, including a URL •An outline nature of the complaint Your claim will be investigated and, where appropriate, the item in question will be removed from public view as soon as possible. Dissertation Doctorate of Social Science An examination of how child neglect guidance is communicated and implemented from Government to Local Safeguarding Children Boards to frontline statutory services. Claire Monk Date submitted: April 2019 A dissertation submitted to the University of Bristol in accordance with the requirements for award of the degree of Doctorate of Social Science (Policy Studies) in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law , ,word count: 47,848 Page 1 of 168 Abstract Previous research has highlighted that child neglect is a significant factor in child deaths, and should therefore be taken as seriously as other forms of abuse. Child neglect is a multifaceted, ‘wicked’ issue, which requires a multi-dimensional response from many professionals. With such multi-dimensional perspectives, however, arise difficulties in defining the problem and agreeing solutions. The aim of this study was therefore, to examine how guidance about child neglect is passed from government to the Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) for local implementation and coordination. The study adopted a qualitative, multiple case study approach, and used semi structured interviews. It used a governance network model to discuss and present the findings. Research findings indicate that child neglect messages coming out from government are disjointed, inconsistent and often unclear, making it difficult for LSCBs to develop a clear and informed understanding of the policy problem. In turn, LSCBs do not have a dissemination strategy for transferring their neglect messages to operational and front- line practitioners. This is often an ad hoc process, and responsibility for disseminating guidance disappears once the send button has been pressed. Furthermore, front-line practitioners did not perceive email as being the most effective format for communicating guidance, preferring instead face-to-face forms of knowledge transfer. Key Words: Child neglect, wicked issues, LSCB, governance network, effectivity criteria. Page 2 of 168 Acknowledgements There are many people to thank, without whose support I would not have completed this Doctorate. Firstly, I thank my First Supervisors – Professor Elaine Farmer (2013- 2017), Dr. Danielle Turney (2017 to 2018) and Professor Geraldine Macdonald (2018 - 2019). Secondly my second supervisor, Dr. Sarah Ayres, who has not only been a constant source of support for the past 5 years on this dissertation, but also supported me through a negotiated module prior to starting the dissertation. Your support and patience know no bounds! I must thank my family. My parents who have helped out whenever, and wherever they can, in order to give me the time and space to write. My husband, Sam, whose calmness and groundedness has helped me through the stressful times, when I lost faith that I could do it. And, of course, my children, Samuel now aged 4 and Oscar now aged 3, who have only ever known ‘stressed mummy’. I promise that will now change! I must thank my employer, Newman University, for funding my Doctorate, and for giving me time to carry out my research. In particular I must thank my close colleagues, Graham, Terry, Keith, Sharon, Maureen, Dan, Femi, and Karen for your support, for offering advice, or posing useful questions when I was stuck. In particular thanks go to Charlotte who has travelled the last 18 months of this Doctorate with me, in trying to complete her own PhD, running for the same deadline. Our conversations about a stress-free, post-doc life have kept me laughing. Of course, I must also thank my research participants – without whom there would be no research. Your time, insight and interest in the study are very much appreciated. Page 3 of 168 Author’s declaration I declare that the work in this dissertation was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the University's Regulations and Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes and that it has not been submitted for any other academic award. Except where indicated by specific reference in the text, the work is the candidate's own work. Work done in collaboration with, or with the assistance of, others, is indicated as such. Any views expressed in the dissertation are those of the author. SIGNED: ............................................................. DATE:.......................... Page 4 of 168 Contents Page Chapter one: Introduction ……………………………………………………………..…... 9 1.0 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………...…. 9 1.1 Background to the research ………………………………………………………….. 10 1.2 The development of LSCBs ………………………………………………………....… 11 1.3 Theoretical lens ………………………………………………………………………....… 14 1.4 Structure of the dissertation ……………………………………………………...…. 15 Chapter two: Literature review 1- Child neglect as a wicked issue …..… 16 2.0 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………..……….… 16 2.1 Prevalence of neglect …………………………………………………….……..…….… 16 2.2 Identifying child neglect ………………………………………………………..….….. 16 2.3 Assessing and decision-making in child neglect cases ……….……..…….. 18 2.4 Multidisciplinary perspectives of child neglect ………………………..……. 22 2.5 Child neglect as a wicked issue ………………………………………………..…… 22 2.6 Impact of LSCBs ………………………………………………………………………..…. 30 2.7 The Government’s Safeguarding Children Research Initiative ………... 33 2.8 Summary ……………..…………………………………………………………………..…. 35 Chapter three: Literature review 2 –Governance networks ………..…….. 36 3.0 Introduction ………………………………………………………………..………….……. 36 3.1 Selecting the theoretical framework ………………………..……………………. 36 3.1.1 Governance theory ……………………………………..……………………….. 37 3.1.2 Governance network theory ………………………………………………… 39 3.2 Evaluating governance networks ………………………………………………….. 41 3.3 The six criteria ……………………………………………………………………………… 47 3.4 Summary ……………..………………………………………………………………………. 59 Chapter four: Methodology ………………………………………………………………… 60 4.0 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………….……… 60 4.1 The research aim ………………………………………………………………………….. 60 4.2 The methodological paradigm ……………………………………………………….. 60 4.2.1 Interpretivist data collection ……………………………………………….. 61 4.3 The research methods …………………………………………………………………... 62 4.3.1 Designing the qualitative case study ……………………………………. 62 4.3.2 Selecting the multiple case studies: one region and two local areas …………………………………………………………………………………… 64 4.3.3 Sampling of research participants ……………………………………….. 67 4.4 Data collection ……………………………………………………………………………… 69 4.4.1 Semi Structured interviews …………………………………………………. 69 4.5 Data analysis ………………………………………………………………………………… 76 4.5.1 Selecting a thematic data analysis strategy …………………………... 76 4.5.2 My thematic analysis …………………………………………………………… 79 4.5.3 Ensuring quality within the study ………………………………………... 81 4.6 Ethics …………………………………………………………………………………………… 84 4.7 Summary ……………..………………………………………………………………………. 85 Page 5 of 168 Chapter five: Findings ………………………………………………………………………… 86 5.0 Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………. 86 5.1 Case study context ……………………………………………………………………….. 86 5.2 The findings explored through Torfing et al.’s effectivity criteria (EC) 88 Effectivity Criteria 1: Produce a clear and well informed understanding of the policy problems and policy opportunities at hand …………………………………………………………………………………………. 88 5.2.1 Multiple perspectives of a policy issue ………………………………… 88 5.2.2 Managing conflict, power and influence ………………………………. 92 5.2.3 EC1 summary ………………..…………………………………………………….. 96 5.3 Effectivity Criteria 2: Generate innovative, proactive and yet feasible policy options that match the perception of the problems and challenges facing the network actors ……………………………………………. 96 5.3.1 The government as metagovernor / systems architect …………. 97 5.3.2 Monitor and controlling mechanisms stifling innovative / creative policy making ……………………………………………………….. 98 5.3.3 Power and influence of the LSCB in terms of professional Sway …………………………………………………………………………………… 100 5.3.4 EC2 summary ……………..………………………………………………………. 101 5.4 Effectivity Criteria 3: Reach joint policy decisions ………………………….. 101 5.4.1 Joined