The Unintended Consequences of Social Work Policies and Practice in the Context of Poverty and Child Maltreatment: A Systematic Review

Research on poverty and child maltreatment has significantly expanded in both volume and quality across various disciplines. Whilst there may be some discrepancies in specific findings, the overall consensus is that recent research has reinforced the notion of poverty as a contributory causal factor to child maltreatment. However, there is currently no systematic investigation of the unintended consequences of social work policies and practices, which potentially undermine, rather than support families. Drawing on a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed qualitative and mixed-method design studies, 9 qualitative studies published between 2016 and 2023 were identified and analysed. Through a critical interpretative synthesis, this review highlights a concerning cycle, in which child protection involvement can worsen parents’ economic circumstances. The articles in this review highlight the difficulties social workers have in addressing complex issues related to poverty with families, and how this can lead to a lack of effective support. The prevailing mindset often places undue emphasis on individual responsibility, which can overlook the systemic impact of poverty. This can lead to parents feeling marginalised and services being perceived as sources of apprehension. This review therefore reveals a pervasive gap in acknowledging and addressing the profound impact of poverty on families involved with child protection services. Failure to do so perpetuates a cycle of hardship, exacerbating the very issues that child protection interventions aim to alleviate.