NEW ARTICLE by Hege Stein Helland (University of Bergen, DIPA)
A new article published in Child & Family Social Work examines adolescents’ trust in the child welfare system and explores how institutional contact and perceived performance shape these attitudes. Drawing on large-scale survey data from nearly 16,000 adolescents in Oslo, the study provides rare empirical insight into how young people, both with and without direct experience, perceive the child welfare system.
A central contribution of the article is its focus on institutional performance. The results show that first-hand contact with the child welfare system alone does not explain trust. Instead, satisfaction with performance of welfare institutions emerges as the best predictor. Adolescents who report positive experiences with the system are significantly more likely to express high levels of trust. The study provides important insights for policy and practice. It suggests that improving the quality of interactions and services may be key to strengthening trust among young people.
The article is available here.
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