Revisiting the Rule of Optimism.

The 'rule of optimism' has been a key feature of child protection discourse in the UK since being introduced as a theoretical construct over thirty years ago. It has continuously been drawn upon to explain professional action and has been most notably utilised as a powerful explanatory device within...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:British Journal of Social Work Vol. 47; no. 6; pp. 1624 - 1641
Autores principales: Kettle, Martin, Jackson, Sharon
Formato: review Journal Article
Publicado: Oxford University Press / USA Sep2017
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=125747888&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 125747888
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        00453102
        BHO
      jtl: British Journal of Social Work
      issn: 00453102
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Sep2017
      vid: 47
      iid: 6
      pid: 622
      pub: Oxford University Press / USA
    artinfo:
      ui:
        125747888
        125747888
        125747888
        10.1093/bjsw/bcx090
        125747888
      ppf: 1624
      ppct: 17
      formats:
        fmt:
          @attributes:
            type: P
      tig:
        atl: Revisiting the Rule of Optimism.
      aug:
        au:
          Kettle, Martin
          Jackson, Sharon
        affil: Department of Psychology, Social Work and Allied Health Sciences, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, G4 OBA, UK
      sug:
        subj:
          Child Welfare United Kingdom
          Social Work Service
          Professional Practice
          Optimism
          United Kingdom
      ab: The 'rule of optimism' has been a key feature of child protection discourse in the UK since being introduced as a theoretical construct over thirty years ago. It has continuously been drawn upon to explain professional action and has been most notably utilised as a powerful explanatory device within Serious Case Reviews (SCRs). Yet, despite its longevity, the deployment of the construct has been subject to very little critique. This paper seeks to redress that balance and will explore how 'the rule' as an explanatory device has become rearticulated and repositioned as an individualising psychological construct which has almost invariably focused attention on the practices of individual social workers at the expense of an analysis of the structural conditions which frame these practices. In doing so, this paper traces the origins of the rule and explores the integrity and thrust of contemporary applications. Evidence from recent SCRs will be drawn upon to suggest that 'the rule', albeit in its psychologically distilled form, retains currency. Drawing on the work of Berlant, 'the rule of optimism' will be reconsidered alongside an exploration of the 'role of optimism'.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        review
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N