ABSTRACT
Reciprocity as a concept has not been widely discussed in child welfare research. This chapter concentrates on reciprocity from the perspective of a relationship-based approach. Reciprocity may offer a way of understanding and focussing on the relationships, engagement and power among the social worker, the parents and the child. The core of the concept is in the nature and quality of the relationships between the parents and their child. Social workers may need to intervene in these sensitive and private family relationships, and the foundation of the work rests on how these relationships are understood. The developmental origins of reciprocity need to be known in order to understand a child’s growth relative to the reciprocal and secure relationships. Child welfare social work entails working with and within relationships. The concept of reciprocity strengthens the understanding of the meaning of relations and the importance of belonging and recognition in child welfare.
