Lost without a Trace? Social Networking and Social Research with a Hard-to-Reach Population

Masson, H.; Balfe, M.; Hackett, S.; Phillips, J.

doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcr168

Lost without a Trace? Social Networking and Social Research with a Hard-to-Reach Population

Masson, H.; Balfe, M.; Hackett, S.; Phillips, J.

Authors

H. Masson

M. Balfe

Professor Simon Hackett simon.hackett@durham.ac.uk
Professor

J. Phillips

Abstract

This paper describes the methodological approaches and challenges associated with tracing and contacting former social welfare service users in the course of long-term outcome research. Historical case file data were analysed on 117 ‘hard to reach’ children and young people identified as having behavioural problems, including sexual behavioural problems. Various publicly available internet and social network resources were used to try and trace these individuals in adulthood, at least a decade after the identification of their behaviour problems in childhood. Using these approaches, it was possible to locate individuals in 69 per cent of cases. The use of social network sites, such as Facebook, in social research is discussed, together with an appraisal of the practicalities and ethics of such approaches. The implications for social work practice more generally of the emergence of new technologies for tracing and maintaining contact with service users are also discussed.

Citation

Masson, H., Balfe, M., Hackett, S., & Phillips, J. (2013). Lost without a Trace? Social Networking and Social Research with a Hard-to-Reach Population. The British Journal of Social Work, 43(1), 24-40. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcr168

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Oct 1, 2011
Online Publication Date	Nov 29, 2011
Publication Date	Feb 1, 2013
Deposit Date	Feb 20, 2013
Publicly Available Date	Feb 22, 2017
Journal	British Journal of Social Work
Print ISSN	0045-3102
Electronic ISSN	1468-263X
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	43
Issue	1
Pages	24-40
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcr168

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Copyright Statement
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in The British Journal of Social Work following peer review. The version of record Masson, H., Balfe, M., Hackett, S. & Phillips, J. (2013). Lost without a Trace? Social Networking and Social Research with a Hard-to-Reach Population. British Journal of Social Work 43(1): 24-40 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcr168.