Dr David Braimer Mental health practitioner Email. [email protected] Adress: Oslo-Norway ISBN A Comparative Analysis of Child Welfare Systems in Norway, the United States and the United Kingdom Literature Review of 40 Scientific Articles and State Reports Total words: 67987 All rights reserved, this work may be used for education and research purposes, under the condition of referencing to the original author. Abstract The current project titled “Comparative analysis of child welfare systems in Norway, the United States and the United Kingdom” considers one of the most important issues in the contemporary mental health welfare systems. In particular, the mental health problems addressed by the child welfare systems are discussed in the respective paragraphs of the current project. In particular, the current project appears to be one of the rare numbers of researches and studies summarizing a considerable amount of data concerning different traits of the functioning institutions offering child welfare services and respective care in Norway, the United States and the United Kingdom. Thus, the aim of the current project is to address all possible aspects of their functioning, including the legal, social, ethical, and practical, which are all discussed in the respective chapters of the paper. In addition, their ability to address the mental health problems of the children with previous cases of abuse, neglect, or exploitation are evaluated accordingly. The project relies on the method of hermeneutic phenomenology and considers the researched questions from the first-person view point in order to achieve the most adequate results. The results of the current research are complemented with empirical evidence provided by the secondary sources. In particular, the results of the current thesis state that each of the researched countries appears to be rather successful in addressing the aforementioned problems of the children, and does its best in support of their welfare. However, there are also challenges that require attention by the countries’ officials. Corresponding conclusions are offered by the end of the paper, along with the references and complementary material in the Appendices. Key words used in the research (7 words): Children, welfare, protection, system, Norway, U.S., UK. 2 Preface It has been one of my lifelong ambitions to be a part of a research project that addresses the issue of trauma and grief, neglect impact on children, and the welfare systems in relation to the mental health welfare system. To build the notion toward what I feel necessary as study, I do believe that a constructive criticism from people who have interest in this work is a very welcome attitude that will help the usefulness of this study. I have not positioned myself to mean that this work gives the ultimate truth or answers, or that those who look at this topic from different perspectives are on the wrong track, but only derived an academic research to show that knowledge is an infinite horizon, which can be built upon. I am also profoundly indebted to all those who showed me their special concern and assistance to make my study a reality. Dr David Braimer 3 DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my late father and my loving mother. My friends and all my work colleagues. 4 Table of Contents 1. CHAPTER ONE: Introduction .................................................................................................. 10 1.1 Background of the study ........................................................................................................... 10 1.2 Presentation of previous research: the state of the art ........................................................... 13 1.3 Research problem ...................................................................................................................... 18 1.4 Presentation of the research questions .................................................................................... 18 1.4.1 What is the current level of research concerning child welfare supported by the legal background in Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States? .............................................. 19 1.4.2 What are the differences and similarities in defining mistreatment and required mental assistance in Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States? ................................................ 19 1.4.3 What are the changes in responses to the child welfare agencies’ attention against considerable events, along with the fundamental practice and policies developments? ................... 19 1.4.4 What are the strengths and weaknesses of relying on the aforementioned administrative and scholarly datasets to provide comparison of the child welfare policies and systems in Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States? .................................................................................... 19 1.4.5 What is the level of mental health services provided to the children under child welfare programs in Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States? ................................................. 19 The refinement of the problem ....................................................................................................... 21 that are aimed to guarantee the children’s rights living in territory of a ........................................... 21 particular country along with protecting both the children and young people .................................. 21 from any form of mistreatment including abuse and neglect experienced from ............................... 21 their biological or foster families (Munro, 2012, p. 3). ..................................................................... 21 1.5 Theoretical framework ............................................................................................................. 22 1.6 Method of the analysis: hermeneutic phenomenology ........................................................... 23 1.6.1 The hermeneutic circle and the role of the interpreter's pre-understanding in interpreting a text ............................................................................................................................ 23 1.6.2 The concept of the first person, the phenomenological perspective ................................... 25 1.6.3 Multiple search strategies ...................................................................................................... 25 1.6.4 Selection procedure ................................................................................................................ 26 1.6.5 Inclusion and exclusion criteria ............................................................................................ 29 1.7 Systematic analysis of the reviewed articles (CASP) .............................................................. 29 1.7.1 Own role as a researcher (pre-understanding of the research) .......................................... 30 1.8 Presentation of the selected articles ......................................................................................... 30 1.8.1 Hearing the child. Child & Family Social Work – Archard & Skivenes (2009) ............... 31 5 1.8.2 The limitations of using statutory child protection data for research into child .............. 31 maltreatment – Bromfield & Higgins (2004) ................................................................................ 31 1.8.3 Recognising and responding to child maltreatment – Gilbert et al. (2009) ....................... 31 1.8.4 Learning from difference: Comparing child welfare systems – Hetherington (2006) ..... 31 1.8.5 The contribution to child welfare research of robust administrative data on children in need – Holmes & Thromund (unpublished) ................................................................................. 32 1.8.6 Norwegian Child Welfare Services: A Successful Program for Protecting and Supporting Vulnerable Children and Parents? – Kojan (2011) ...................................................................... 32 1.8.7 Child welfare consent decrees: Analysis of thirty-five court actions from 1995 to 2005 – Kosanovich & Joseph (2005) .......................................................................................................... 32 1.8.8 An agenda for children: Investing in the future or promoting well-being in the present? – Lister (2006) ..................................................................................................................................... 33 1.8.9 The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report – Lord Laming (2009) ........ 33 1.8.10 The nature and availability of child level data on children in need for use by Children’s Services practitioners and managers – McDermid (2016) ........................................................... 33 1.8.11 Safeguarding children: a comparison of England’s data with that of Australia, Norway and the United States – Munro & Manful (2012) ......................................................................... 33 1.8.12 Safeguarding children statistics: the availability and comparability of data in the UK – Munro, Brown, & Manful (2011) ................................................................................................... 34 1.8.13 Forming and sustaining partnerships in child and family welfare: the American experience – Schene (2006) ............................................................................................................. 34 1.8.14 Adolescent mental health