Erosion of good intent: Professional perspectives of child protection conferences

Child protection conferences (CPCs) sit within a legislative and procedural framework responding to the most vulnerable in our society. The onus of which is not held by society due to the intolerable feelings evoked by child abuse and maltreatment instead, this sits with a specialist group of professionals. MacAlister’s (2022) review of the children social care system has cited CPCs’ as questionable spaces. Within this study eight episodic interviews (EI’s) were conducted with professionals’ integral to the child protection system and associated conference. The nature of EI’s seeks to capture professionals’ perspectives through narratives, creating an experiential approach to understanding the reality of the CPC. Findings suggest professionals enter the CPC with good intentions seeking to respond to the task of protecting and supporting children to ensure effective family systems. This small-scale study concluded suggests that anxiety runs like a vein through professional representations of the CPC resulting in a cluster of social defences manifesting and obstructing the task and good intentions within the CPC. Findings within this study suggest that although anxiety cannot be eliminated it can be reduced if the CPC is refocused. This small-scale study provides evidence that the process of the CPC is intertwined with anxiety resulting in social defences eroding good intentions and diverting professionals from the intended procedural, and legislative task. Recommendations propose how, refocusing the task, clarifying professional responsibilities, and re-establishing the power and independence of the conference chair could ensure the CPC remains a place to ensure the effective working of family networks and the protection of children.