1. Professionalism or ageism? Social worker approaches to children exposed to intimate partner violence Maria Eriksson maria.eriksson@soc.uu.se Social Work and Social Development Stockholm 8-12 July 2012

2. ”Children who have experienced their father’s violence against their mother encounter the family law” Individual interviews with children (17 informants, 10 boys & 7 girls, 8-17 years old) A two-fold perspective on children: –The principle of care –The principle of participation Participation –information, consultation, decision-making, initiative Validation of experiences of violence Approaches –Perspectives on the child and ways of acting; as they come across through children’s interview statements

3. Approaches: the process An adult oriented approach A child oriented approach Protects the child from participation Attempts to increase the level of participation Participating child Protected child Disqualified adult

4. Well, could they have done it in another way that would have been better? Willow: No Just that you were there was not good? Willow: No, it was boring at their place. But at [project for children exposed to domestic violence] it is fun. What is good there then? Willow. We paint and have a snack and… Was it anything you wanted to say to them [social workers in the family law case]? Willow: No [Interviewer: No]. They were rather mean. They were only offering water.

5. Adult positions An adult oriented approach A child oriented approach Protects the child from participation Attempts to increase the level of participation Child oriented participant Care personPaternalism without care

6. Approaches: the violence Not protected fr. violenceProtected from violence Do not talk about violence (protection) Talk about violence (validation) Unprotected victimVictim: Validation Invisible victimProtected victim

7. Bill: … the first time after I had met him I started to feel sick, started to have stomach ache, I went to the loo, I vomited, but they came again because they did not care about how I felt [Interviewer: No] No, if I felt good, if I felt sick, I should go there anyway. Even if I felt sick I should go there anyway. I could have stomach ache, I could feel sick, I could […] it could be anything, but they said you should go there anyway.

8. Adult positions Not protected fr. violenceProtected from violence Do not talk about violence (protection) Talk about violence (validation) Indifferent adultHelping adult Denying adultProtecting adult

9. Constructions of ”professionalism” Participation: “Professionalism” as… (age) equality and child-orientation care orientation non-caring paternalism Violence: “Professionalism” as… help protection denial indifference