Suchergebnisse

Abstract
Digital technology plays an increasing role in children's safeguarding social work practice, where there is a renewed emphasis on the recording and interpretation of data via digital technology, as well as the use of technology to communicate with families and colleagues, particularly since Covid-19. This scoping review delineated extant research investigating uses of digital technology in children's safeguarding social work practice since 2000 in order to contextualise current emerging practices. The methodology used accounted for the heterogeneity of study designs whilst maintaining a rigorous approach to searching, selection and analysis. Literature searches were conducted in August and September 2022 identifying forty-three studies. Descriptive quantitative and qualitative analyses were undertaken to outline date, location, methodology, aspect of technology investigated, and key findings of included studies. The review generated two descriptive categories which reflect the included studies: electronic information systems and digital communications. These categories subsume a range of distinct platforms and applications whilst highlighting a tendency of the included studies to separate out their focus between these specific aspects of digital technology, with limited discourse between categories. Families' perspectives are also missing from most research identified in the review.

Abstract
Hybrid working, where social workers frequently work from home and use digital technology to communicate with colleagues and people using services, has become common practice in UK social work. This article presents findings from an ethnographic study of child and family social work practice in three local authorities in England. The study involved interviews and observations of practice with twenty-one social workers, over the course of six to twelve months in each site, and focus groups with young people and families who used child protection services. It used a theoretical frame of socio-materiality to examine social workers' experiences of work and their digitally mediated interactions, sense-making and relationships with colleagues, supervisors, young people and families. The study found hybrid working and digitally mediated practices had significant impacts on social workers' interactions, relationships and experiences. These impacts were particularly likely to be negative for less experienced practitioners, while some more experienced practitioners had more autonomy over their work and experienced it as more creative and meaningful. The study raises questions about how less experienced social workers can be supported and helped to develop as practitioners, in working environments where they are more often working alone.