Building Strengths-based Tools for Child Protection Practice:

A Case of “Parallel Process”
by
Peter De Jong‚ Susan Kelly‚ Insoo Kim Berg‚ & Longino Gonzales
Throughout its history‚ social work has focused more on the problems‚
pathology‚ and deficits of its clients than on their strengths and resilience
(Saleebey‚ 2002). Existing tools for practice reflect this emphasis. For example‚
Cowger and Snively (2002‚ p. 106) write regarding assessment tools in the field:
“The assessment literature‚ including available assessment instruments‚
continues to be overwhelmingly concerned with individual‚ family‚ and
community inadequacies.” Similarly‚ a review of the field’s prominent
intervention tools indicates they too tend to be problem specific and focused on
problem resolution and reduction (Sheafor‚ Horejsi‚ 2003). While there are
notable efforts to construct and use assessment tools in strengths-based ways
(Cowger & Snively‚ 2002; Early‚ 2001; Saleebey‚ 2001)‚ these are still very much
in the minority and‚ as Cowger & Snively (p. 107) point out‚ “… there is very
little empirical evidence indicating the extent to which practitioners consciously
make use of client strengths in their practice.”
There are at least two approaches in the early development of strengthsbased
practice tools. The first is to develop assessment tools of client strengths
that stand in direct contrast to problem assessment tools. In these tools‚
categories of strengths and related assessment questions to ask of clients are
constructed by professionals for later use by practitioners. The assessment tools
described by Cowger & Snively (2002) and Early (2001) are examples.
A second approach is to develop tools that guide the practitioner in the
broader process of continuously drawing on client strengths to improve the
client’s situation. As Early and GlenMaye (2000) state in paraphrasing Saleebey
(1997): “… the strengths approach is more than positive reframing and