Experimental methods and children's social care : the contribution of randomised controlled trials / edited by Michael Sanders (School for Government, King's College London), David Westlake (Children's Social Care Research and Development Centre, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University) and Vanessa Hirneis (The Policy Institute, King's College London, UK).

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Sanders, Michael, editor.

Westlake, David, editor.

Hirneis, Vanessa, editor.

Edward Elgar Publishing, publisher.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social case work with children--Methodology.

Social case work with children.

Child welfare--Methodology.

Child welfare.

Genre:

Electronic books.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (222 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Northampton : Edward Elgar Publishing, 2025.

Summary:

"This insightful book explores the application of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to children's social care and child protection. Expert authors showcase the method using a wide range of examples that highlight the opportunities and challenges of RCTs in this context. The book also considers the key criticisms and limitations of adopting experimental methods in this context, and some alternatives, before outlining lessons learned and avenues for future development. Chapters draw on detailed case studies to highlight the transformative potential of RCTs, demonstrating how they can generate actionable findings, facilitate effective resource allocation and improve outcomes for children and families. Contributors examine the challenges of applying experimental methods in complex and sensitive circumstances, considering alternatives to randomisation such as quasi-experimental designs. Ultimately, the book reflects on novel ways of implementing more effective and informative trials, emphasising the crucial role of robust evidence in guiding policy and practice in children's social care. Experimental Methods and Children's Social Care is an essential resource for students and academics in social policy, social psychology, social work and family and gender studies. Its theoretical and practical coverage of RCTs will also greatly benefit policymakers and practitioners working in children's social care and child protection"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Contents: Foreword: The promise of learning what works

List of abbreviations

Introduction: What are experiments, and why are they important? / Michael Sanders, David Westlake and Vanessa Hirneis

1. 'That's all very well, but if a child is at risk, you can stick your randomisation up your ****': A brief history of trials in social work and UK children's social care / David Westlake

2. RCTS, the what works centre and children's social care / Donald Forrester

3. The international evidence on family group conferences / Jonathan Scourfield, Sophie Wood and Melissa Meindl

4. Reflections on running a large randomised controlled trial in children's social care / Sarah Taylor, Emily Blackshaw and Hannah Lawrence

5. Lessons learned from 25. Years of intervention research: The fostering healthy futures program / Heather Taussig

6. Signs of safety - what is it, and what did the evidence say? / Lorna Stabler

7. When and how can we find causation without randomisation? / Michael Sanders, Julia Ellingwood and Vanessa Hirneis

8. Motivational interviewing in Islington: Our first, worst, and most eye-opening trial / Donald Forrester and David Westlake

9. Missing what matters for practice / Bernie Brown, Chris McLoughlin and Wilson Litchmore

10. Go big or go home: Trialling the social workers in schools programme during a pandemic / David Westlake and Verity Bennett

11. Safeguarding the safeguards - more support needed, but how? / Lucy Stokes and Johnny Runge

12. Subgroup effects in education trials: The case of young people with a social worker / Michael Sanders, Alix Leroy, Chris Mitchell and Jake Anders

13. Studying social work practice in context / Eileen Munro and Mike Caslor

14. Null effects in trials - a worked example of a maltreatment prevention trial / Michael Robling and Rebecca Cannings-John

15. Equalities and trials in csc / Nimal Jude and Lisa Zaranyika

Looking to the future - concluding thoughts / David Westlake, Michael Sanders and Vanessa Hirneis

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print record.

ISBN:

9781035327157 (e-book)

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.