The concept of effective practice or 'what works' is normally applied to the Probation Service's criminal work. Gwynn Davis, Professor of Socio-Legal Studies in the Department of Law at the University of Bristol, explores the ways in which a 'what works' framework might be applied to family court welfare practice, cautioning against crude measurements of the impact of the court welfare officer's intervention.
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References
1.
Home Office (1995) Strengthening Punishment in the Community: A Consultation Document, London: HMSO.
2.
See also Home Office (1997) Changing Offenders' Attitudes and Behaviour: What Works? Home Office Research Study171.
3.
See, for example, Porporino, F.J. and Robinson, D. (1992) Can Educating Adult Offenders Counteract Recidivism? A report prepared for the ACA Winter Conference, Portland, Oregon, Correctional Service of Canada.
4.
See Davis, G. (1988) Partisans and Mediators, pp129-144, Oxford : Clarendon Press.
5.
James, A. and Hay, W. (1993) Court Welfare in Action: Practice and Theory, Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf.
6.
Davis, G., Cretney, S.M., and Collins, J. (1994) Simple Quarrels, Oxford: Clarendon Press.
7.
HM Inspectorate of Probation (1997) Family Court Welfare Work: Report of a Thematic Inspection, London: Home Office.
8.
Goldstein, J., Freud, A. and Solnit, A.J. (1973) Beyond the Best Interests of the Child, New York: The Free Press.
9.
The most powerful statement of this position remains that advanced by Wallerstein, J.S. and Kelly, J. (1980) Surviving the Break-up, London : Grant McIntyre.
10.
Richards, M.P.M. (1982), 'Post-Divorce Arrangements for Children: A Psychological Perspective', Journal of Social Welfare Law133.
11.
See Note 7.
12.
See Note 7.
13.
King, M. (1987) 'Playing the Symbols - Custody and the Law Commission' , Family Law, Vol.17, 6.
14.
Davis, G. (1988) Partisans and Mediators, p133, Oxford: Clarendon Press.
