Today in light of yesterday : a phenomenological study of child protection workers’ vocational experiences as informed by memories of childhood

Child protection workers are routinely faced with emotionally intense and traumatic work, both personally and via the traumatic narratives and experiences of parents and children. Researchers have developed various theoretical constructs such as vicarious trauma to describe the effects of repeated exposures to the traumatic stories of children and families over time. What remains largely unknown is how child protection workers’ own childhood memories might influence the manner in which they experience and are affected by those stories. After reviewing the existing literature examining the historical, political, and policy contexts in the child welfare field, the review considered the effects of early childhood adversity on the present-day experiences of social workers. It also reviewed the concept of countertransference as a potentially useful lens through which to consider the relationship between one’s nascent memories and the effects of their work in the field. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used as a research methodology to answer the research question, “In what ways do social workers experience, and make sense of, their own childhood memories in the context of their child protection practice?” The study used semi-structured interviews with eight child protection workers, aiming to understand their personal and professional experiences with regard to this question. The study found a consistent relationship between participants’ adverse childhood experiences and negative present-day triggers when they were faced with practice scenarios that bore similarity to their own childhood experiences. Implications with regard to worker well-being, countertransference, and risk decision-making are discussed. The dissertation concludes with recommendations for mitigating the effects of negative triggers in child protection workers.Health and Social Development, Faculty of (Okanagan)Social Work, School of (Okanagan)Graduat