Decision Making in Child Welfare: Constraints and Potentials

Abstract

Abstract Child welfare practitioners make life-altering decisions on a daily basis. This chapter describes factors affecting decisions drawing on literature concerning decision making, problem solving and judgement in multiple areas. The importance of thinking critically about decisions, including related uncertainties, is highlighted. Topics discussed include structuring problems, identifying goals, the importance of situational awareness, cognitive biases that affect the quality of decisions and the use of simplifying strategies such as fast and fugal heuristics as well as analytical thinking. The importance of recognizing errors as inevitable and as providing learning opportunities is highlighted as is the limited information regarding these in child welfare. Barriers to sound decision making are discussed including self imposed barriers such as inflated views of one’s own competencies. The need for a systemic approach is emphasized including attention to professional education programs, as well as organizational factors, and the importance of using valid assessment frameworks and measures, and learning from our errors.

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