Exploring the Consequences of Parents' Trust and Distrust of Social Workers in Child Welfare Services
Social Workers' Perspectives in Finland
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12570735 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Eveliina Heino (0000-0001-5410-1374, Faculty of Social Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland, corresponding author), Anne‐Mari Jaakola (University of Turku), Anne-Mari Jaakola (0000-0003-1052-8119, Faculty of Social Sciences University of Turku Turku Finland), Tuuli Lamponen (0000-0001-7006-9060, Faculty of Social Sciences Tampere University Tampere Finland) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-24 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Child & Family Social Work (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1356-7500 • E-ISSN: 1365-2206 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/cfs.70159 |
| OpenAlex | W7134196338 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 32 |
In this article, we explore the consequences of parents' trust and distrust of social workers in child welfare services. We collected data via qualitative surveys administered in 2022, to which 29 Finnish social workers responded. We used thematic analysis to identify the key themes of the consequences of trust in our data. According to our results, social workers described the consequences of trust and distrust primarily as opposing phenomena. The consequences of trust and distrust were visible during interactions between a parent and social worker as well as in parents' commitment to cooperating with a social worker. Parents' trust in a social worker also affected whether their children's situations changed for the better and if children felt safe around the professionals working with them. Our results demonstrate that parents' trust of social workers serves as the basis for so‐called ‘change work’ in child welfare services, which aims to improve a child's and family's situation. However, we also identified critical elements of trust and challenges to establishing trust created by the child welfare service context, such as the power asymmetry between social workers and parents. This article furthers our understanding of the concept of trust and its significance in the relationship between parents and social workers. It also offers practical insights into key areas that social workers should prioritize when working to build trust with parents
Distrust · Qualitative research · Social position · Social trust · Social Welfare · Thematic analysis · Welfare · Child Abuse and Trauma · Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics · Social Work Education and Practice · Social Work
Thematic Analysis
How can we trust our fellow citizens
Putting a Face to Institutions
At the Edge of Care
Building trust with children and parents in the social work context
Parental Non-Engagement within Child Protection Services—How Can Understandings of Complex Trauma and Epistemic Trust Help
Informed consent’ in consensual child welfare
You've got to trust her and she's got to trust you’
Partnerships with children in child welfare
Populations trust in the child protection system
Trust is essential
The Population's Confidence in the Child Protection System – A Survey Study of England, Finland, Norway and the United States (California)
Building Trust with Children and Young People at Risk of Child Sexual Exploitation
The Essentials of the Helping Relationship between Social Workers and Clients
Rethinking political distrust
Interpersonal trust in doctor-patient relation
Trust and Emerging Democracy
| Highly cited | No |
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