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Objective: This study reports on the operationalization and testing of the newly developed Relationship Quality (RQ) scale, designed to assess an individual's perception of his or her RQ in their current partnership. Methods: Data were generated through extended sampling from an original U.K.-based research project, "Enduring Love? Couple relationships in the 21st century." This mixed methods study was designed to investigate how couples experience, understand, and sustain their long-term relationships. This article utilizes the cross-sectional, community sample (N = 8,132) from this combined data set, drawn primarily from the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. A two-part approach to scale development was employed. An initial 15-item pool was subjected to exploratory factor analysis leading into confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling. Results: The final 9-item scale evidenced convergent construct validity and known-groups validity along with strong reliability. Conclusion: Implications for future research and professional practice are discussed.

Domestic and family violence (DFV) is a pervasive social problem that social workers often encounter in practice. Responses to DFV require specialist and non-specialist services. Research suggests that first contact social workers can experience a lack of confidence, both in engaging with men who use violence and working with women and children who disclose experiencing violence. This article reports on the findings of an Australian survey (N = 100) that sought to identify the knowledge and practice skills that social workers draw on when they are the first responders to DFV. The survey invited qualified social worker participants from all sectors across Australia through the national online bulletins of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and Child Family Community Australia (CFCA). Whilst 28% of the respondents demonstrated working in specialist DFV and child protection sectors, 72% worked in other sectors. The research found that most participants recognised signs of DFV, but responses were mainly focused on referring women victims to practical or accommodation support, and children to psychological support. Responding to perpetrators was rarely mentioned. Equipping non-specialist DFV practitioners with knowledge and skills to respond safely can create an opportunity for engagement, earlier intervention, and increased interagency collaboration with specialist services. IMPLICATIONS Social workers need to be able to recognise domestic and family violence and know how to respond when it presents itself in their work contexts. Continuing professional development in domestic and family violence is required in social work so practitioners can maintain, improve, and broaden their knowledge and skills as first responders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that focused on factors that facilitate professional judgement and decision‐making that is child‐centred. Appreciative inquiry informed the methodology that enabled four focus groups (n = 50) with child protection practitioners who worked with children and young people living out‐of‐home care. The study found that, firstly, child protection practitioners had clear conceptualizations of what child‐centred practice means and, secondly, articulated how functioning teams, effective organizational structures and relationships were crucial to child‐centred practice. The findings point to the importance of relationality in effective child‐centred professional judgement and decision‐making in child protection contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]