Utilizing Information and Communication Technologies for the Provision of Child Welfare Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Issue: What is the evidence regarding utilizing information communication technology (ICT) to deliver child welfare services during the COVID-19 pandemic? 

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic poses a range of unexpected and unprecedented challenges to families and child welfare services. The imbalance between increased need for children's support and decreased access to social services due to public health measures creates a gap in service delivery. Consequently, child welfare services transitioned from face-to-face to virtual services. This document investigates ICT usage in child welfare services, including various challenges before the pandemic. 

Findings: A review of the literature on technology-assisted parenting services before the pandemic showed that robust evidence supports the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of these services, given the availability of technological requirements. For other technology-mediated programs such as home visits and foster care services, the evidence is limited and inconsistent, but promising.

There is a dearth of evidence thus far to support the efficacy of ICT for both child welfare and mental health service provision during the pandemic. However, there are some initial reports from European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically after lockdown, which explored new initiatives for using ICT for child welfare service delivery, including challenges, recommendations, and lessons learned. 

Policy Recommendations: the COVID-19 pandemic provides policymakers with a unique opportunity to re-think the strengths and weaknesses of current child welfare programs and plan for a more effective system that incorporates ICT in the implementation of services and programs. Based on the reviewed evidence, this brief presents recommendations in four core areas: First, the child welfare system should be scaled up based on the emerging needs through: a) improving virtual services, b) upgrading the research agenda, and c) enhancing information provision. Second, guidelines for the appropriate use of different digital technology platforms should be developed to help child welfare workers determine which platforms to use under which circumstances, and to highlight concerns related to privacy, security, confidentiality and safety. The third recommendation focuses on building capacity for child welfare workers to conduct virtual sessions successfully while managing the risks associated with virtual service delivery. Finally, there is a need for enhanced intersectoral collaboration to decrease the digital divide, improve current technical and technological requirements and develop alternative child maltreatment reporting channels.