This will make the living environment of the child unsafe (King).
The child's preference for a particular parent or another person will be heard by Alaskan courts in granting custody (King, 2012). It is usually the parents with whom the child has been more comfortable with, and often he or she is the primary caregiver during the marriage. Some children prefer to stay with the parent who lives near their school or activities. This enhances the child's stability. Other considerations are the child's show of affection to one or both parents and the affection he receives from either or both (King).
Judges investigate and weigh to determine the more suitable parent or the one more likely to win during the hearing. The parent who wins is the one who encourages the child to form a relationship with the non-custodial parent. The parent who is granted sole custody must make sure the child grows up in a loving home environment. He or she must be regularly and frequently visited by the non-custodial parent. The custodial parent must also reveal to the non-custodial parent the details of the child's education, health, recreational activities and general well-being of the child (King).
The Study
Parents play a critical role in the delivery of child protective services. That role depends on their perception and experience with intervention workers. This study explores the ways parents experience and respond to child protection intervention.
This study uses a qualitative grounded theory approach to form a model of respondent parents' perceptions and reactions. A sample of 18 parents who received child protection services were was interviewed. The respondents were first sampled as "theoretical," in that they were selected according to the data, which emerged, as they were examined. Only those who were open to involvement were invited. The final sample of 18 consisted of 17 mixed respondents from urban and suburban areas. All of them were made to sign informed consent...
They were asked to answer open-ended questions. These questions were altered in consonance with the grounded theory method. Respondents were interviewed at home or in similar private locations of their choice. The interviews took 40-60 minutes each. Only those whose cases were previously closed were interviewed. Fourteen of the 18 respondents were investigated for alleged physical abuse or neglect. The other four were accused of depriving their children of emotional or mental health needs. Of the 18, 11 were men.
The respondents perceived workers as using power over them. This was found to be the primary influence, which shape or determine parents' view and inconnection with intervention. They also perceived control as a form of support. Parents' respondent to them in one of 3 ways. One is by fighting or opposing the workers. Some pretended to cooperate. And others cooperated with the workers in collaborative relationships. Those in the first group tended to fight the workers. Social work practitioners and policy makers should be aware of the impact of respondents' perception of intervention. #
BIBLIOGRAPHY
DHHS (2006). Child maltreatment in Alaska. Vol 2 # 33 Title V Fact Sheet, Women's
Children's and Family Health: Department of Health and Social Service. Retrieved on January 23, 2012 from http://www.epi.alaska.gov/mchep/pubs/facts/na/Vol2_Num33.pdf
Dumbrill, G.C. (2006). Parental experience of protection intervention. 30 Child Abuse:
Pergamon. Retrieved on January 23, 2012 from http://www.crpalaska.org/pdf/parentxp.pdf
King, T. (2012). Alaska child custody laws. eHow: Demand Media, Inc. Retrieved on January 23, 2012 from http://www.ehow.com/list_6666607_alaska-child-custody-laws.html
OCS (2012). Child protective services. Office of Child Services: State of Alaska.
Retrieved on January 23, 2012 from http://www.hss.state.ak.us/ocs/services.htm#ChildProtectiveServices
