BJSW Advance Access published online on February 12, 2009
British Journal of Social Work, doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcp009
Looked After Young People and their Social Work Managers: A Study of Contrasting Experiences of Using Computer-Assisted-Self-Interviewing (A-CASI)
Alun Morgan is a lecturer in the Faculty of Health and Social Care in the Open University. His practice experience has been in childcare and mental health social work, including local authority child-care management. His research interests are in service-user participation through information technology; and the development and application of multi-media teaching methods in Higher Education. Dr Sandy Fraser is a lecturer in social work at the Faculty of Health and Social Care at the Open University. His social work experience is in local authority childcare, and his current research interests are in the delivery of child-care and child protection services in South Africa.
Correspondence to Alun Morgan, Faculty of Health and Social Care, The Open University, Horlock Building, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK. E-mail: a.morgan{at}open.ac.uk
| Abstract |
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Audio-computer-assisted-self-interviewing (A-CASI) is used by many child-care agencies in the UK, as a way of recording the views of children in the care of local authorities. This study considers A-CASI's use in two such local authorities in England. It contrasts how the A-CASI methodology is experienced by children and young people and by child-care managers, and explores how A-CASI may be contributing to the participation of young people in the delivery and management of their care. The study reveals a strong belief in A-CASI from a large number of participants, young people and managers. But managers express concern about many organizational constraints on the effective use of A-CASI data in their agencies. The paper discusses the enthusiasm of the young people for using A-CASI; the concerns of managers; and the opportunities for social workers in using A-CASI in their practice settings.
Keywords: Looked after children, computers, A-CASI, participation