Description

The Importance of Theory for Child Welfare and Protection

Seminar on Tuesday May 19th 2026, 09.00 am – 12.00 pm

Department of Social Work & Social Pedagogy

H. Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent

09.30 – Introduction – Rudi Roose, Ghent University

09.45 – Theory as interruption - Mark Humme, University of Koblenz

The presentation critically rethinks the theory–practice relationship in social work. Rather than serving as guidance for practice, theory is understood as a practice in itself, whose critical value lies in maintaining a gap between knowledge and action. Drawing on Slavoj Žižek and psychoanalytic theory, it frames theory as a practice of refusal—resisting easy translation into guidelines and instead exposing the ideological and unconscious dimensions of professional action. Through examples, it shows that knowledge does not automatically lead to action and that emancipatory efforts remain entangled with tensions and projections. Theory works not by direct application, but by interruption, opening space for more critical forms of practice.

10.15 – 10.45 – The knowledge base of Child Welfare and Protection – Dieter Oorlynck, Ghent University

This lecture critically examines the knowledge base of Child Welfare and Protection (CWP). Based on a large-scale survey in CWP, it is argued that theory is often used instrumentally through methods and models, while broader socio-structural perspectives remain underrepresented. The lecture argues for a renewed reflection on the knowledge base of CWP, emphasizing the need to move beyond technocratic approaches focused on “doing things right” toward questioning whether we are “doing the right things”. It advocates for greater space for critical reflection, collective learning, and stronger attention to the social conditions shaping families’ lives.

10.45 – 11.15 – Coffee Break

11.15 – 12.00 – Discussion

Dieter Oorlynck is a PhD researcher and teaching assistant at the department of Social Work and Social Pedagogy at Ghent University. He has over 20 years of experience working as a practitioner and manager in CWP in Flanders. His research critically examines the knowledge base of CWP, focusing on how theory shapes problem definitions, and on the tension between instrumental and critical-emancipatory approaches.

Mark Humme is Professor of Social Pedagogy at the University of Koblenz (Germany). His research focuses in particular on the empirical analysis of social pedagogical theories and on a systematic reconsideration of the theory–practice relationship in social pedagogy. The aim of this work is to develop a critical perspective that highlights the specific role of scholarship, especially in processes of theorizing and research.