Can you hear me? Interviews with children who have experienced violence in iRiSk
Short description
This project examines how interviews with children who are suspected of having experienced domestic violence are conducted within the Swedish child welfare method iRiSk (Risk and Protection Assessments for Children Exposed to Violence). Through analyses of authentic child interviews, focus groups with social workers, and a national survey, we investigate how the interviews are carried out in practice, which children are given the opportunity to be heard, and how the method is experienced and used by professionals. The overall aim is to strengthen children's opportunities to be heard and to receive the protection and support they are entitled to.
Project description
When there are concerns that a child has experienced domestic violence in their home, child welfare investigations play a crucial role in assessing the child's need for protection and support. The child's own account is often an important part of the decision-making process, making it essential that interviews are conducted in ways that support children in describing their experiences. At the same time, there is still limited knowledge about how child welfare investigative interviews are conducted in practice. More knowledge is also needed about the factors that influence social workers' efforts to provide children with opportunities to be heard based on their individual needs.
This project focuses on iRiSk, a Swedish assessment framework used in cases involving suspected violence against children. By analyzing authentic child interviews, we will examine how social workers formulate questions, how children respond, and what communication patterns emerge during the interviews. We will also conduct focus groups and a national survey with social workers to explore their experiences of using iRiSk, how decisions are made about which children are interviewed, and how interviews can be adapted for children with different needs. The project aims to generate knowledge that can improve child participation in welfare investigations and strengthen children's opportunities to share reliable information about their experiences.
Researchers
Emelie Ernberg
Mikaela Magnusson
Charlotte Löfgren