Innovative theoretical approaches to work with complexity in child protection. Dr Jocelyn Jones and Jane Allen, Mindful Practice Limited

1. Action Research and Action Inquiry:
innovative theoretical approaches to
work with complexity in child protection
Dr Jocelyn Jones and Jane Allen, Mindful Practice Ltd,
Winchester, Hampshire, UK
07985 056572; info@mindfulpractice.co.uk

2. The territory: the ‘swampy lowlands’ of
child protection practice (Schön, 1987)
Schön, D.A. (1987) Educating the Reflective Practitioner. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

3. The influence of anxiety and
ambivalence within the system

4. Supporting practice nearness: a
sensory approach
© PhD collage images Jocelyn Jones 2008
Jones J. (2008) ‘Thinking with Stories of Suffering’. Bath: University of Bath

5. Theoretical and methodological
influences
• Action Research – participatory process which
draws on different ways of knowing - Reason P. and
Bradbury, H. (Eds.) (2001 and 2008) The Handbook of Action Research and
The Sage Handbook of Action Research. London: Sage Publications.
• Action Inquiry– first, second and third person
inquiry - Bill Torbert & Associates (2004) Action Inquiry: The Secret of
Timely and Transforming Leadership. San Francisco, CA: Berrett Koehler.
• Authentic Leadership - George, Bill (2003) Authentic
Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass

6. Action Research
‘Action Research (AR) is a participatory, democratic
process concerned with developing practical knowing in
the pursuit of worthwhile human purposes, grounded in
a participatory world view . . . It seeks to bring together
action and reflection, theory and practice, in
participation with others, in the pursuit of practical
solutions to issues of pressing concern to people, and
more generally the flourishing of individual persons and
communities’. (p.1, Reason and Bradbury, 2001)
Reason P, Bradbury H. (2001) Handbook of Action Research. Participative Inquiry & Practice. London:
Sage Publications.

7. Key characteristics of action research:
• Participative - Involves people as co-agents in a community
of inquiry, and promotes ownership of findings.
• Qualitative - Explores how to improve practice or service
delivery.
• Practical - Actionable outcomes that make a difference.

8. A body-mind approach to
knowing
• Experiential knowing is through direct face-to-face
encounter with a person, place or thing;
Presentational knowing grows out of experiential
knowing, and provides the first form of expression
through drawing on expressive forms of imagery . . .
• Propositional knowing . . . is knowing through ideas
and theories . . .
• Practical knowing is knowing how to do something
and is expressed in skill, knack or competence.
(Heron, 1992 & 1996 cited in Heron and Reason, 2001, p.183)
Heron J and Reason P. ‘The Practice of Co-operative Inquiry’ in P. Reason & H. Bradbury (eds) 2001)
Handbook of Action Research. London: Sage Publications
Heron J. (1992) Feeling and Personhood: Psychology in Another Key. London: Sage Publications
Heron J. (1996) Co-operative Inquiry: research into the Human Condition. London: Sage Publications

9. Action Inquiry
The term action inquiry was first used by Bill Torbert as a
development of action science as practised by Chris Argyris.
Torbert used the term to describe:
‘ … a moment to moment way of living whereby we attune
ourselves through inquiry to acting in an increasingly timely
and wise fashion for the development of the families, teams
and organisations in which we participate’.
Torbert, Bill & Associates (2004) Action Inquiry: The Secret of Timely and Transforming Leadership. San
Francisco, CA: Berrett Koehler.

10. Three fields of Inquiry
First Person Inquiry
Me/I
What is happening
within you?
What are you:
thinking, feeling &
sensing?
Second Person
Inquiry
You and me, us, we
What’s going on?
Our relationships
The group or team
perspective
Power dynamics
Third person Inquiry
It / the system / the
organisation
External focus – what is it?
Rational – what is known?
Data and logic – what
don’t we know yet?

11. Authentic Leadership
• abiding in ambiguity
• listening to the body
• opening to possibilities
• communicating with honesty and vulnerability,
acting with integrity and courage
Skjei, Susan. 2014. ‘Authentic leadership moments: A mindful inquiry’. PhD thesis, Fielding Graduate
University, 128; 3680274

12. Solution Space: moving to a learning
culture
• ‘Developing more scope
for professional
judgement to improve the
service received by
children requires reducing
the blame culture and
developing a more
realistic understanding of
what it means to make
judgments in uncertain
circumstances.’ (Munro 2011,
Interim Report: The Child’s Journey, p. 64)

13. Solution Space
We applied our solution space methods with four different
multi-agency groups: two groups of frontline managers, one
group of strategic managers and a multi-agency case discussion
of a complex child sexual exploitation case.

14. Solution Space
• Provides a container for experiential learning
• Works with assumptions and preconceptions – wider
system, agency, family system and child
• Surfaces ambivalence - knowing and not knowing
• Promotes functional anxiety and timely action
• Promotes double loop learning by questioning
whether we are doing the right thing
• Draws on the collective wisdom of the group.

15. Evaluative feedback from
frontline managers:
• ‘An understanding of how different agencies work and how
problems & issues they encounter are often similar to issues in
my organisation. A confidence in the Enabler/ Devil’s Advocate
role . . .’
• ‘More analytical and able to reach solutions’.
• ‘It has helped me to develop a greater appreciation &
understanding of practices across organisations.’
• ‘Greater confidence in offering support/ raising issues without
provoking defensive reactions.’
• ‘Thoroughly enjoyable. I wish I had the time to do the
facilitators’ course. I have learned lots of new skills to help me
be more effective in my work.’

16. Evaluative feedback from
strategic managers:
• ‘. . . I feel able to share concerns more openly . . . I see them as
more transparent partners.’
• ‘Thank you for . . . the new opportunity to meet and nurture
new relationships with other organisations.’
The experience was highly valued by those senior managers who
took part:
• ‘Time to reflect and think . . . excellent tutors who are
incredibly perceptive.’
• ‘The right team of participants – this may have been
coincidence but it was spot on.’
• ‘A fabulous opportunity. I am grateful for the support from the
Board and investment in this programme.’

17. Double-loop learning to work
with complexity
• ‘Solution Space’ methods – Devil’s Advocate, Reflective Case
Discussion, Fishbowl, Story Circle, Talking Stick.
• Ongoing evaluation using different types of feedback – a recent
literature review and report by Jones (2014) identified a lack of
evaluations of reflective practice groups. Also see Jones (2011).
• ‘Solution Space’ facilitator training
• Away Days for Senior Teams and LSCBs
• Bespoke Professional Development Programmes for multi-
agency strategic partnerships.
Jones J. 2011. Promoting and Improving High Quality Assessment, Planning, Intervention and Review
(APIR) Practice. Final Report of an Action Learning Project for South West Councils available on the
Mindful Practice website.
Jones J. 2014. A Report for the Centre for Social Work Practice on Reflective Practice Group Models in
Social Work, proposed Evaluation and Recommendations.

18. Inquiring question
• Are my/ our/ the system’s current practices
addressing the real issues to protect children?
info@mindfulpractice.co.uk 01962 422705