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Children at risk and the ethics of predictive risk assessment

The Social Development Ministry is stopping short of implementing a predictive risk assessment tool that can identify children at risk of abuse. MSD commissioned Auckland economist Professor Rhema Vaithianathan to develop the model which uses data about children and their families to identify those at risk of physical, sexual or emotional abuse before the age of two. Professor Vaithianathan says MSD has decided against implementing the tool in the way it was intended, and says it is unethical. Dorothy Adams is Acting Deputy CEO of Organisational Solutions for the Ministry of Social Development.

See also Emily Keddell’s article on The ethics of predictive risk modelling in the Aotearoa/New Zealand child welfare context: Child abuse prevention or neo-liberal tool?

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The CYF ‘Expert Panel’ and the expertise of social workers

This guest blog post is by a Registered  Social Worker who has worked across statutory and NGO sectors and most recently in Social Work Education.

One of the areas in scope for the Child, Youth and Family “Expert Panel” is:

The professional knowledge, skills and expertise required by Child, Youth and Family to deliver improved results for children and young people they work with, and implications of this for providers of training, development and contracted services

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Speaking out: A view of state care from an ex-State Ward

In the video below Paora Moyle offers a Māori practitioner’s view on state care in Aotearoa New Zealand with the added dimension of her own experience as a state care ward. This is a moving account of Paora’s experience of state care and how it has motivated her to embark on her PhD research journey. To find out more about Paora’s research you can participate in the ANZASW webinar on Thursday 14th May 2015 at 1.00pm: Māori-lived experiences of the care and protection FGC in Aotearoa.

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Welcome to the nightmare: Social work, child protection and the punishment of the poor

Nigel Parton’s (2014) recent study of the political context surrounding the ‘reform’ of child protection practice and policy in England contends that the state is pursuing an increasingly authoritarian agenda in relation to a particular section of the population, England’s poorest and most vulnerable families. The neoliberal project involves a shift in responsibility for social outcomes from the state to families.

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Political neutrality: ­ How politically active can Social Workers be?

This guest blog post is by John Darroch.  John has just completed his BSW (Hons) in social work and is currently studying towards his Masters at Auckland University. He has a passion for issues of social justice and grass-roots organising.