Dilemmas and signs of new professionalism in children and family services

talian Child and family services have undergo many changes at macro and meso levels: in the welfare system (neoliberal policies and cuts of spending), in problems experienced by families (migration, increasing poverty, changing families) in the position of the Justice systems (from child protection to a ‘family oriented’ position) The concept of child protection i seem to be out of date and is not clear is if its decline in public discourse is related to an actual evaluation of major effectivness of a more family-oriented policies or just to the need to reduce costs. Because of their position, which is at the crossroad of different systems, social works’ practice is unavoidably affected by those changes. The criteria used by social worker to evaluate and make their professional judgments are more and more often criticized and questioned, giving arise to misalignment and incoherent interventions. When difficulties in making choices and ethical dilemmas increases and social workers try to refers to their organization to have support and guidance. However changes in Welfare system, particularly where neoliberal policies and principles of managerialism have been introduced the organization fail to support social worker coonsistently with the sense of professional identity and integrity, so resulting in an widespread feeling of crisis and demotivation between professionals. The traditional tension between professional and institutional mandate seem to reappear. The paper will present the results of a research aimed at exploring dilemmas experienced by child protection social workers in the changing of the Welfare system and their reaction to the misalignement with the organization. A typology of four characteristique reactions is proposed. In the light of a new form of professionalism is discussed the hypothesis that social worker with critical thinking and high sense of belonging to the organization better succed in adopting a proactive engagement in ongoing demand of reviewing child protection interventions. The directions of this review and the devolpment of new approach to child proteciton in Italy, in the light of a greater sustenaibility as well as the respect for the right of children, are briefly outlined.