Introduction – More of the same and reducing harm

A living document

The article is the starting point for collecting evidence about what needs to change and how it can change. We have tried to keep the article short with links in the text that lead to evidence and with more information on key points in the right hand column.

The initial paper was prepared quickly for an article in Social Work 2020-21 under Covid-19 but will continue to grow and change here on the website of the Parents, Families and Allies Network (PFAN).

We have included some videos and ...

Paul Watzlawick’s concept of "more of the same" comes from his systems theory of communication and problem-solving. (book online here) In simple terms, it refers to the idea that people often try to solve problems by doing more of what they’ve already been doing, even if it isn’t working. This repetitive behavior can make the problem worse rather than solving it.

"More of the Same" Loop and Its Connection to Assumptions

The "more of the same" loop describes a repetitive cycle where a person or group attempts to solve a ...

Perhaps surprisingly, there is no evidence to show that, at the population level, child protection activity of the investigative sort carried out in high income English speaking countries reduces harm to children or promotes well-being. In the a major international study across six countries including England considering neglect and physical maltreatment in children younger than eleven it was found:

no clear evidence for an overall decrease in child maltreatment despite decades of policies designed to achieve such reductions Gilbert et al (2012 p.758)

Research in Western Australia over a fourteen ...