Embodied Intuition in Child Protection Social Work: Exploring the Lived Experiences and Understanding of Intuition.

Abstract

Background: Intuition plays a significant role in child protection social work, supporting practitioners in assessing risk, building relationships, and navigating complex, uncertain situations (Cook, 2019; Erisman et al., 2020; Munro, 2011). Often described as a ‘gut feeling’ or a cognitive shortcut shaped by experience (Cook, 2017; Kahneman & Klein, 2009), intuition is frequently referenced using embodied language. Yet its somatic, emotional, and relational dimensions remain under-theorised. Despite evidence that social workers rely on intuition and may even prefer it over formal assessments (Curtis, 2024) - it remains a contested and poorly understood aspect of practice (Curtis, 2024; Sicora, 2021). This study addresses this gap by investigating how child protection social workers experience and understand intuition in their professional roles. Without a deeper understanding of these experiences, there is a risk of undervaluing key components of practice, with potential implications for both practitioners and the children they serve.

Methods: Grounded in a phenomenological framework, this study uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to analyse data from semi-structured interviews and body mapping focus groups. Body mapping, a visual and creative method, was used to access experiences that may be difficult to express verbally. Eleven social workers with at least six months’ experience in child protection were recruited from a single Local Authority.

Findings: This study reveals intuition as a dynamic, emotionally embodied experience. Practitioners described it as a ‘recipe’ made up of interconnected ‘ingredients’ - experience, emotion, collaboration, and curiosity which interact within a Thinking, Feeling, Doing framework. This model captures the holistic nature of intuition, integrating cognitive, emotional, somatic, embodied, and contextual dimensions. This research contributes an original, phenomenologically grounded reconceptualisation of intuition as an evolving practice shaped by professional engagement, emotional labour, and relational dynamics.

Conclusion: By conceptualising intuition as a professionally embodied and relational phenomenon, this study challenges dominant cognitive-driven models and offers a practice-informed understanding that foregrounds emotion, bodily awareness, and the situated realities of child protection social work.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Edge Hill University
Supervisor	MICHAEL HARTILL (Director of Studies), CIARAN MURPHY (Supervisor) & FIONA HALLETT (Supervisor)