Lindsey Robb Edinburgh Napier University

1. RESISTANCE:
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
LINDSEY ROBB
l.robb@napier.ac.uk

2. AIMS
• What do we mean by resistance?
• Identify key attributes
• Examine four specific examples
• Explore theoretical perspectives
• What are the implications of these?

3. RESISTANCE IS………..
reluctance, avoidance, non-
compliance, ‘hard to reach’,
non-engagement, aggression,
threats or hostility,
deception, manipulation, not
allowing access, disguised
compliance, pathological
communication.
Not a new concept
A challenge in practice
Complex - evident in behaviour,
attitudes and/or interactions
Dynamic process
An integral part of current child
protection practice
Negative

4. RESISTANCE IS…?
Less clarity whether:
• Resistance is on a continuum from resistant–
‘highly resistant’
• Gender affects resistance
• Culture affects resistance
• Some of the reasons why it exists

5. RESISTANCE: EXAMPLES
To intervention To engagement
To change
Practitioner or organisations
Need to regularly ask:
Resistant to what?
Who is resistant?
Influence of gender or culture?

6. REASONS FOR RESISTANCE: PARENTS/CARERS
Other Reasons
External Factors:
help offered via a
system that parents fear
and mistrust and where
they feel they lack power
Internal factors:
Psychological theories:
normal reaction to threat
(Mirick 2014) or feelings of
shame (Gibson 2014)
Need to consider the sources of and uses of power
(Laird 2013) and try to understand their lived experience
Deliberate way for some parents to avoid professionals
(Brandon et al 2009, 2010, 2012)

7. REASONS FOR RESISTANCE: PRACTITIONERS
‘Resistance is the norm’
(Featherstone, White & Morris
2014)
Fear of getting it
wrong
Fear for own safety –
need support to use
‘authoritative negotiated’
approach (Ferguson 2011)
Organisational issues: time/resources/culture

8. RESISTANCE
To intervention To engagement
Practitioner or organisations
Need to regularly ask:
Resistant to what?
Who is resistant?
Influence of gender or culture?
Why and under which circumstances?
What is the parent/carer’s perspective?
What is my own or my organisation’s contribution?
What is the impact on me?
Integrated model of engagement Platt (2012)

9. CONCLUSION
Resistance is ill defined and
though common attributes
can be identified it is used
inconsistently and applies
to a variety of practice
situations. A questioning
approach is advised.
Theoretical models can also
help understand resistance
at the practitioner level.
Rather than a blame model
this provides a more
nuanced understanding of
wider
organisational influences.
Resistance is a complex
concept and challenge for
practice. Theoretical
models can provide insight
into why parents may be
resistant to help or
engaging with services.
An integrated model for
understanding resistance
also includes questioning
the influence of oppression
and use of power in the
context of the child
protection system.

10. REFERENCES
BRANDON, M., BAILEY, S., BELDERSON, P., GARDNER, R., SIDEBOTHAM, P., DODSWORTH,
J., WARREN. C. & BLACK, J. (2009) UNDERSTANDING SERIOUS CASES AND THEIR IMPACT: A
BIENNIAL ANALYSIS OF SERIOUS CASE REVIEWS 2005-2007. LONDON. DEPARTMENT FOR
CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES.
BRANDON, M., BAILEY, S. & BELDERSON. P. (2010) BUILDING ON THE LEARNING FROM
SERIOUS CASE REVIEWS: A TWO YEAR ANALYSIS OF CHILD PROTECTION DATABASE
NOTIFICATIONS 2007-2009. LONDON. DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION.
BRANDON, M., SIDEBOTHAM, P., BAILLEY, S., BELDERSON, P., HAWLEY, C., ELLIS, C. &
MEGSON, M. (2012) NEW LEARNING FROM SERIOUS CASE REVIEWS: A TWO YEAR
REPORT FROM 2009-2011. DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION.
FEATHERSTONE, B. WHITE, S. & MORRIS, K. (2014) RE-IMAGINING CHILD PROTECTION:
TOWARDS HUMANE SOCIAL WORK WITH FAMILIES, POLICY PRESS, BRISTOL.
FERGUSON, H. (2011) CHILD PROTECTION PRACTICE PALGRAVE MACMILLAN,
BASINGSTOKE
FORRESTER, D. WESTLAKE, D. & GLYNN, G. (2012) PARENTAL RESISTANCE AND SOCIAL
WORKER SKILLS: TOWARDS A THEORY OF MOTIVATIONAL SOCIAL WORK CHILD AND
FAMILY SOCIAL WORK 17 118-129

11. REFERENCES
GIBSON, M. (2013) ‘SHAME AND GUILT IN CHILD PROTECTION SOCIAL WORK: NEW
INTERPRETATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRACTICE’ CHILD AND FAMILY SOCIAL WORK
DOI:10.1111/CFS.12081
LAIRD, S. E. (2013) CHILD PROTECTION: MANAGING CONFLICT, HOSTILITY AND AGGRESSION
POLICY PRESS, BRISTOL.
MIRICK, R, G. (2014) ‘THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REACTANCE AND ENGAGEMENT IN A CHILD
WELFARE SAMPLE’ CHILD AND FAMILY SOCIAL WORK 19, 333-342
ROBB, L. (2014) RESISTANCE, A COMPLEX CHALLENGE FOR PRACTICE WITHSCOTLAND RESEARCH
BRIEFING
PLATT, D. (2012) UNDERSTANDING PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT WITH CHILD WELFARE SERVICES: AN
INTEGRATED MODEL CHILD AND FAMILY SOCIAL WORK, 17, 138-148
WARD, H. BROWN, R & HYDE-DRYDEN G. (2014) ASSESSING PARENTAL CAPACITY TO CHANGE
WHEN CHILDREN ARE ON THE EDGE OF CARE: AN OVERVIEW OF CURRENT RESEARCH EVIDENCE.
DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION
YATCHMENOFF, D. (2008) MEASURING CLIENT ENGAGEMENT FOR THE CLIENT’S PERSPECTIVE IN
NONVOLUNTARY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES RESEARCH ON SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE, VO 15,
NO 2, 84-96