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 fields 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 clients situation. As Early and GlenMaye (2000) state in paraphrasing Saleebey (1997): “… the strengths approach is more than positive reframing and
|