Moral Hesitance in Situations of Child Abuse

In recent decades, after several family tragedies with fatal outcomes in the Netherlands, a critical attitude emerged towards the role of youth care that prompted refinements of procedures and guidelines. These measures partly aim to eliminate moral hesitancy among social workers, defined as hesitation to act while expected to know the morally right thing to do. Yet such efforts were implemented without substantial insight into the phenomenon itself. This qualitative study investigates how social workers experience moral hesitance in situations of child abuse and how such hesitance manifests itself and is managed. In-depth interviews were conducted with twenty workers varying in age, experience, background, and position. Grounded theory analysis revealed three types of moral hesitance: role ambiguity, uncertainty about possible courses of action, and limitations. These categories improve the understanding of moral urgency in child abuse contexts and demonstrate that moral, cognitive, and practical challenges contribute to the development of moral hesitance. While hesitation may persist, fade, or be overridden by external pressures, it can also stimulate deliberate moral reflection and promote moral competence. Further research is needed to identify additional types of moral hesitance, examine their interplay, and develop support for workers who encounter moral hesitance in daily practice.