Date of Award
5-2024
Document Type
Project
Degree Name
Master of Social Work
Department
School of Social Work
First Reader/Committee Chair
Lim, Caroline
Abstract
Background: Substance use disorders create physical and mental harm not only for themselves but also for their loved ones and those they interact with daily. Objective: This qualitative study aims to explore what are the factors that influence child welfare workers' decision to involve the state when working with substance-affected families. Methods: We used a phenomenology approach to gather qualitative data from child welfare workers and non-probability sampling techniques to recruit participants. Prospective participants were recruited by circulating a flier via email to our professional network, inviting individuals who meet the study's eligibility criteria to participate. Participants were asked a series of open-ended questions about the factors they consider when deciding whether or not to involve the state when working with families impacted by substance use. The data were coded, starting with first-level coding and ending with second-level coding. Results: We conducted interviews with nine participants. Responses from participants suggest that their decision to remove a child from a family impacted by parental substance use involves factors associated with children’s developmental age, availability of social support, conformity with a safety plan, prior history with CPS, unsafe home environment, lack of basic necessities, and domestic violence.
Conclusion: For child welfare workers, continuing education regarding the decision-making process around parental substance use can be transformative. They can significantly improve their comprehension of the effects that substance use has on families by keeping up with the most recent findings and best practices. With this information, they may evaluate cases more skillfully and decide in ways that genuinely put the welfare of the children at issue first.
Recommended Citation
Alvarado, Alicia and Zepeda, Eleno, "EXAMINING EXPERIENCES AMONG SOCIAL WORKERS WORKING WITH PARENTS WHO SUFFER FROM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER" (2024). Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations. 1946.
https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/1946