‘That's all very well, but if a child is at risk, you can stick your randomisation up your ****’: a brief history of trials in social work and UK children's social care

David Westlake

Chapter 1 in Experimental Methods and Children's Social Care, 2025, pp 6-20 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Abstract: This chapter explores the evolution of social work research, particularly the role of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in advancing evidence-based practices (EBPs) in children's social care (CSC). Early social reforms in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries laid the groundwork for child protection, but by the mid-twentieth century, the focus shifted from broad interventions to more precise, experimental methods. Pioneering studies in the 1960s, such as ‘Girls at Vocational High’ and Reid and Shyne's work on casework models, revealed the limitations of traditional social work practices and the importance of rigorous evaluation. However, the momentum for RCTs waned in the 1980s and 1990s, particularly in the UK, due to ethical concerns and disappointing results. Recent developments show a renewed interest in RCTs, highlighting the need for a supportive research culture and infrastructure to enhance the effectiveness of social work interventions and improve outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Keywords: Social work research; Randomised controlled trials (RCTs); Evidence-based practice; Child protection; Casework models; Social services reform (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035327140
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