Algorithmic Governance Systems
Algorithmic decision-making systems are now being used in the public sector to make important decisions about human lives. They are being deployed in the criminal justice system, eligibility services, public education, as well as the child-welfare system (CWS). We investigate the development and use of such systems in CWS to understand the ecological impact that they have on child-welfare workers, children, and families. We highlight how these systems interact with practice and policies in place and are working towards building equitable theory-driven systems based in human-centered and participatory design.
Social media and e-professionalism
Child welfare employees can access personal information about client’s lives via social media, and also provide guidance about how youth in foster care use social media. In child welfare, sometimes social media use is related to risk (for instance, when a report indicates harm to a child posted on social media). Regarding foster youth, they can benefit from relational connections on social media, and can also be exposed to risk of harm in these spaces. We research and provide evidence-informed guidance related to the ethical and practical uses of social media by agency employees.
Social media and foster youth
Children in foster care are some of the most vulnerable youth to serious online risks, making online safety a great challenge within foster families. Often foster parents find themselves feeling trapped between providing their foster children with technology access and trying to keep them safe from online risks. Our research focuses on resilience-based approaches that help empower foster youth (and their families) to effectively manage their online experiences, so that they can benefit from them.