Reflections

Challenges, possibilities and lessons learnt

Here we will gather some challenges, possibilties and lessons learnt from the labs.

In general the lab was successful and was seen as a possiblity when:

Innovation lab 1, Trondheim municpality -An inclusive «Tempesnakk»  

Expected results of the lab

By the end of the innovation project, we expect to enhance awareness of the challenges and needs in the area, allowing for further development in the area initiative. Additionally, we aim to propose new ways to structure and market Tempesnakk to reach a broader audience with various cultural backgrounds, thereby facilitating their participation. We anticipate initiating a thought process and providing a proposal that can be utilized or built upon. This proposal will likely include recommendations for informational materials, a new video about Tempesnakk, and suggestions for organizing and conducting the meetings effectively.

Ethical dilemmas

In our work on the innovation project concerning Tempesnakk, it is essential to emphasize that the focus is on enabling all cultures to participate, not mandating participation. The term "various cultures" is used to signify inclusivity and avoid categorizing groups. The aim is not to highlight those who do not participate but to address the challenges of accommodating and including all cultures in Tempesnakk. This is crucial to avoid creating problems.

With 25 different languages represented at Nardo School, determining which languages to include in informational materials presents a challenge. An information sheet in 25 languages would likely be too cumbersome for residents to read. It may be more practical to select a few languages that cover the majority. However, this raises the risk of excluding individuals whose languages are not represented.

Risks

Risks associated with the innovation project may include inadequate collaboration with the various actors we intend to partner with, which could result in outcomes that are less favorable than the current situation. Another significant risk is the potential for assimilation, where the project may be perceived as an attempt to homogenize cultural and linguistic differences. Our goal is not to erase these differences but to create a space where various cultures can meet through Tempesnakk. This meeting is designed for the residents of the Tempe-Sorgenfri area, and it is crucial that there is diverse participation, reflecting the area's makeup.

Additionally, economic and administrative responsibilities pose another risk. Questions about who bears the financial and administrative burden, how costs will be allocated, and who will cover various expenses are vital considerations in the planning of this innovation project.

Innovation lab 2, Trondheim municpaility - The Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Practice

Expected results

We expect to reach a consensus on a common goal and to collect challenges that the various agencies anticipate encountering. This should lead to increased awareness of the barriers to implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Such awareness will hopefully make it easier to address the root causes of the issues and find solutions. We aim for the agencies to actively collaborate in working toward the shared goal. Ultimately, we hope the project will lead to concrete improvements in how services are tailored to children with disabilities in municipalities, ensuring their rights are better upheld.

Ethical dilemmas

Ethical dilemmas may arise in collaborative situations where information about children with disabilities must be shared between different services. Key factors when working with sensitive information are privacy and confidentiality, and the duty of confidentiality must be upheld at all stages of the project. It is also crucial to consider the best interests of the child, which may sometimes conflict with the wishes and needs of the parents. Striking this balance can be challenging. A specific challenge when working with children with disabilities is their varying ability to express themselves and their needs. Additionally, it can be emotionally taxing for a child to be involved in decisions concerning sensitive aspects of their own life. Therefore, children in vulnerable situations must be treated with great care, ensuring that their participation is both voluntary and considerate of their emotional well-being.

Risks

A lack of engagement or reluctance from the involved agencies is a potential risk. Effective work could be hindered by disagreements over responsibilities and roles, or by time constraints and limited resources—issues commonly faced in new innovation projects. There is also uncertainty about the effectiveness of the proposed measures, and the scope of the work may seem too large compared to the potential benefits. Many municipal organizations are already very busy, which could make it difficult to prioritize interdisciplinary collaboration alongside their existing workloads. This is a risk factor during the execution of our project, as it’s possible that people may be unwilling or unable to participate actively in discussions at the seminar or may not have reflected on the types of issues we are exploring.

Sharing information about children with disabilities, as previously mentioned, also poses a risk regarding privacy and must be carefully managed, especially when handling and storing sensitive personal data. While information-sharing is necessary for effective interprofessional collaboration, the principle of participation becomes even more critical. The child must be aware of which information is being shared. This process may become time-consuming, posing a risk that the project will have less impact on practice than intended.

Innovation lab 3, Trondheim municpality - Using the knowledge model “the Child at the centre” as a tool in Chil Welfare’s Decision-Making process

Expected results

There is an expectation that this will provide employees with a more holistic and clearer picture of the child's situational needs, making subsequent assessments more precise and comprehensive.

Ethical dilemmas

Several ethical dilemmas and challenges may arise in the innovation project. A central dilemma is ensuring that the best interests of the child remain the focus, without the staff's experiences and interpretations disproportionately influencing assessments. Even though the model is intended to ensure that conversations become more structured, it will still be difficult to avoid subjective interpretations that may influence decisions. Another ethical challenge may be the power balance between the staff and the family/child. Although the knowledge model contributes to a more structured approach, greater awareness is still required from the staff in their roles. They must involve and listen to the child and family to ensure their perspectives are considered at every stage of the case. This approach prevents decisions from being made without the child's or family's input, thus building greater trust in the system and service.

Risks

When caseworkers have multiple frameworks and templates to adhere to, a risk may be that their discussions become unnecessarily ineffective. A central issue here is how effective the meetings should be and whether they are currently too effective if important aspects are being overlooked. Using templates for discussion may, in other words, be more time-consuming and require staff to spend time determining how the discussion should be conducted. Caseworkers may, for example, lack the time or opportunity to gather information prior to meetings. At the same time, several caseworkers may express a desire to continue free discussion during meetings, as new changes can create noise in their work and disrupt their focus on specific families. There may also be concerns that using templates creates more uniform work but less adaptation to individual families. Additionally, with a template that can also be used by other social services, child welfare risks overstepping its own boundaries regarding what its responsibilities and tasks are. Nevertheless, a holistic understanding can make it easier for child welfare to take a coordinating role within the interdisciplinary collaboration focused on the child's needs.

We must also be aware that the knowledge model may not necessarily be equally suitable for all types of meetings and all caseworkers, as they benefit from structure to varying degrees. Simultaneously, it is important to remain open to the fact that in not all cases is it necessary to allocate equal space to all three main areas and that unnecessary time should not be spent on one area.