Ask the workers: Discretion and decision making in the child welfare system in Ontari

This thesis is an investigation of the role of discretion and worker decision making in child protection work in Ontario. This was a qualitative research study. The investigator interviewed ten child protection workers and asked them questions related to their experiences in the field of child protection work as well as their life experiences. This thesis found that the childhood experiences of child protection workers have an impact on their decision making and their discretion. This thesis also found that institutional factors such as the agency the worker works for, the worker's supervisor and model of service the agency follows have an impact on worker decision making and discretion.