Dr. Joel Gautschi

Work at ZHAW

Position

Researcher and Lecturer

Focus

• Child protection
• Judgement and decision-making
• Trust
• Virtual Reality and social work
• Quantitative research methodologies
• Experimental survey research (with Factorial Survey Approach)

Teaching

• Quantitative research methods (Bachelor in Sozialer Arbeit)
• Reporting potential child maltreatment (Bachelor in Social Work, Bachelor in Midwifery)
• Evaluating interventions: Criteria, designs and utilization (Master in Social Work)

Experience

• Lecturer and Researcher
  School of Social Work, Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  2021 - today
• Researcher
  School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW
  2012 - 2021
• Research Assistant
  School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW
  2008 - 2012
• Social Worker
  Solothurnische Beratungsstelle für Sehbehinderte, Olten, Switzerland
  2004 - 2011
• Traineeship as Social Worker
  Beratungsstelle der Suchthilfe Region Olten (Addictions Counselling Service)
  2007 - 2007
• Software Developer
  MySign
  2002 - 2004

Education and Continuing education

Education

• PhD / Social Work
  University of Education, Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany)
  2014 - 2021
• Visiting PhD student
  University of Groningen (Netherlands)
  2017 - 2017
• Master of Arts / Social Work, with emphasis on Social Innovation
  University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW
  2008 - 2011
• Bachelor of Arts / Social Work
  University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW
  2004 - 2008

Network

Membership of networks

• European Social Work Research Association (ESWRA)
• The Decisions, Assessment and Risk Special Interest Group (DARSIG) of the ESWRA
• Swiss Society of Social Work (SGSA-SSTS)
• Research commission of the SGSA
• Interessengemeinschaft für Qualität im Kindesschutz (IGQK)
• European Inter-Disciplinary Social Legal Care Order Decision-Making Network
• International Research Network on Infants and Child Protection Systems
• Child and Youth Public Health Research competence network (CYPHER)
• Digital Futures Lab

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4694-5072

Awards

Emerging Talents Award 2021 for an outstanding thesis
Swiss Society of Social Work (SGSA-SSTS)
09 / 2021

Projects

• Assessing and improving access to health and social care SErvices for children RENdered vulnerable by Abuse / Team member / ongoing
• The problem of noise in child protection / Project leader / ongoing
• Social Virtual Reality: Training toolkit for the assessment of emotional maltreatment of children / Co-project leader / ongoing
• The effectiveness of interventions to prevent child maltreatment / Project leader / completed
• Social work in Virtual Reality / Project leader / completed
• EuSARF 2021: International Conference of the European Scientific Association on Residential and Family Care for Children and Adolescents / Team member / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• O’Leary, D., Alfandari, R., Cowley, L. E., Bertotti, T., Gautschi, J., Gregory, M., Helm, D., Killick, C., Lwin, K., Rölver, M., Sicora, A., Sørensen, K. M., Suarez, H., Taylor, B. J., & Nirmalarajan, L. Y. (2025). Advancing social work research and practice: celebrating ten years of the Decisions, Assessment and Risk Special Interest Group (DARSIG). European Social Work Research, 3(3), 356–365. https://doi.org/10.1332/27551768y2025d000000051
• Gautschi, J., & Lätsch, D. (2024). The effectiveness of interventions to prevent and reduce child maltreatment in high-income countries : an umbrella review. Child Abuse & Neglect, 153(106845). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106845
• Alfandari, R., Whittaker, A., Helm, D., Killick, C., Gautschi, J., Rölver, M., Taylor, B., Yde Nirmalarajan, L., Suarez, H., Middel, F., Agu, L., Bolin, A., Raudava, V., & Lamponen, T. (2024). The future is here : digital technologies in social work practice. European Social Work Research, 2(1), 88–92. https://doi.org/10.1332/27551768Y2024D000000006
• Gautschi, J., & Schnurr, S. (2024). Kinderschutz in der Schweiz : ein Überblick. Sozial Extra, 48(1), 35–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12054-023-00651-y
• Taylor, B. J., Killick, C., McGlade, A., & Gautschi, J. (2023). Decisions, Assessment, Risk and Evidence in Social Work conference moves from Belfast to Zurich. European Social Work Research, 2(1), 93–99. https://doi.org/10.1332/27551768Y2023D000000001
• Rüegger, C., Gautschi, J., Becker-Lenz, R., & Rotzetter, F. (2021). Bedeutung und Aufbau von Vertrauen in der sozialpädagogischen Familienbegleitung. GISo : Gesellschaft - Individuum - Sozialisation. Zeitschrift für Sozialisationsforschung, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.26043/GISo.2021.2.3
• Taylor, B., Killick, C., Bertotti, T., Enosh, G., Gautschi, J., Hietamäki, J., Sicora, A., & Whittaker, A. (2017). European social work research association SIG to study decisions, assessment, and risk. Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work, 15(1), 82–94. https://doi.org/10.1080/23761407.2017.1394244
• Rüegger, C., Ormanns, Y., Becker-Lenz, R., Gautschi, J., & Rack, O. (2017). Gefährdungsmeldungen bezüglich älterer Menschen im Erwachsenenschutz : wer meldet was und warum (nicht)? Zeitschrift für Kindes- und Erwachsenenschutz, 72(6), 475–493.
• Becker-Lenz, R., Gautschi, J., & Rüegger, C. (2015). Nicht-standardisiertes Wissen und nicht-methodisiertes Können in der sozialen Diagnostik : Einblick in eine empirische Analyse im Feld der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe. Neue Praxis, 45(3), 270–279.
• Schilling, S., Gautschi, J., Rüegger, C., Kurenkova, O., & Shcherbakov, G. (2013). International cooperation in social work : some reflections on a Swiss-Russian cooperation project. Social Work & Society, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-23446

Books, peer-reviewed

Gautschi, J. (2021). Urteile und Entscheidungen unter Unsicherheit in Kindeswohlabklärungen : Einflussfaktoren auf Fallbeurteilungen in einer multifaktoriellen, experimentellen Vignettenstudie [Doctoral dissertation, Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg]. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-23075

Book chapters, peer-reviewed

• Ghanem, C., & Gautschi, J. (2023). Theories of professional judgement. In B. J. Taylor, J. D. Fluke, J. C. Graham, E. Keddell, A. Shlonsky, & A. Whittaker (Eds.), The Sage handbook of decision making, assessment and risk in social work (pp. 119–129). Sage.
• Gautschi, J., & Ghanem, C. (2023). Methods for studying professional judgement in social work. In B. J. Taylor, J. D. Fluke, J. C. Graham, E. Keddell, A. Shlonsky, & A. Whittaker (Eds.), The Sage handbook of decision making, assessment and risk in social work (pp. 133–142). Sage.
• Schnurr, S., & Gautschi, J. (2023). Child protection and children’s services in Switzerland. In J. Duerr Berrick, N. Gilbert, & M. Skivenes (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Child Protection Systems (pp. 356–380). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197503546.013.8
• Rüegger, C., Becker-Lenz, R., & Gautschi, J. (2019). Zur Nutzung verschiedener Wissensformen in der Praxis Sozialer Arbeit : Erkenntnisse aus einer empirischen Analyse. In L. Hollenstein & R. Kunz (eds.), Kasuistik in der Sozialen Arbeit : an Fällen Lernen in Praxis und Hochschule (pp. 53–71). Barbara Budrich.
• Bastian, P., Schrödter, M., Becker-Lenz, R., Gautschi, J., Grosse, M., Hunold, M., & Rüegger, C. (2018). Bauchgefühle in der Sozialen Arbeit. In Kommission Sozialpädagogik (ed.), Wa(h)re Gefühle? Sozialpädagogische Emotionsarbeit im wohlfahrtsstaatlichen Kontext (pp. 128–140). Beltz Juventa.
• Becker-Lenz, R., Gautschi, J., & Rüegger, C. (2017). Die Bedeutung von nicht-standardisiertem Wissen in der Diagnostik Sozialer Arbeit : eine Fallanalyse zu “Erfahrungswissen” und “Spüren” in einem Fall aus dem Kindesschutz. In H. Messmer (ed.), Fallwissen : Wissensgebrauch in Praxiskontexten der Sozialen Arbeit (pp. 115–154). Barbara Budrich.
• Gautschi, J., & Rüegger, C. (2010). Objektivierung des objektivierenden Subjekts?! : Bourdieus Konzept der Reflexivität als Mittel der Reflexion von Fallrekonstruktionen. In B. Haupert, S. Schilling, & S. Maurer (eds.), Biografiearbeit und Biografieforschung in der Sozialen Arbeit : Beiträge zu einer rekonstruktiven Perspektive sozialer Professionen (pp. 245–251). Peter Lang.

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

Du, H., Jia, S., Gautschi, J., Quehenberger, J., Lätsch, D., & Pan, X. (2023). Towards more child safety-oriented decisions through VR [Conference poster]. In H. Du (Ed.), 2023 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW) (pp. 687–688). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/VRW58643.2023.00186

Other publications

• Rotzetter, F., Becker-Lenz, R., Rüegger, C., & Gautschi, J. (2022). Spannungsgeladene Vertrauensarbeit : Wie gelingt oder misslingt es, im Zwangskontext Vertrauen aufzubauen? Einige Antworten dazu aus einem Forschungsprojekt zum Feld der Sozialpädagogischen Familienbegleitung (SPF). SozialAktuell, 2, 7–8. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-27647
• Gautschi, J., & Benbenishty, R. (2021). Empirical methods for studying decision-making in child welfare and protection. In J. D. Fluke, M. López López, R. Benbenishty, E. J. Knorth, & D. J. Baumann (Eds.), Decision-Making and Judgment in Child Welfare and Protection (pp. 57–80). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190059538.003.0003
• Baumgartner, E., Ehrler, F., & Gautschi, J. (2014). Ergänzungsleistungen für Familien entlasten die Sozialhilfe. ZESO - die Zeitschrift für Sozialhilfe, 2014(3), 18–20. https://doi.org/10.5169/seals-839638
• Baumgartner, E., Gautschi, J., & Ehrler, F. (2014). Ergänzungsleistungen für Familien : Erfahrungen aus dem Kanton Solothurn. Soziale Sicherheit: CHSS, 6, 318–323. https://www.bsv.admin.ch/dam/bsv/de/dokumente/themenuebergreifend/publikationen/CHSS/chss-06-2014.pdf.download.pdf/de-06-2014.pdf
• Baumgartner, E., Ehrler, F., Gautschi, J., & Bochsler, Y. (2014). Evaluation der Ergänzungsleistungen für Familien im Kanton Solothurn : Schlussbericht. Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW. https://doi.org/10.26041/fhnw-729
• Wilhelm, E., Rüegger, C., Gautschi, J., Schilling, S., & Kurenkova, O. (2009). Professionalisierung der Sozialen Arbeit im Strafvollzug Russlands : Einblicke in ein transnationales Projekt. SozialAktuell, 2009(11), 38–40.

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

• Quehenberger, J., Gautschi, J., Fölsterl, N., Sahli, O., Szwec, A., & Späth, J. (2025, October 8). Virtual reality-based training for structured parent interviews to assess psychological child abuse : a prototype featuring onboarding, immersive VR training, and AI-driven feedback. ISPCAN Congress, Vilnius, Lithuania, 5-9 October 2025.
• Steinmann, S., Gautschi, J., & Quehenberger, J. (2025, September 11). Intensive parenting and child welfare attitudes in residential care : predicting professionals’ reunification. 18th International Conference of the European Scientific Association on Residential & Family Care for Children and Adolescents (EuSARF), Zagreb, Croatia, 8-12 September 2025.
• Gautschi, J., Quehenberger, J., Lätsch, D., Du, H., Jia, S., & Pan, X. (2023, September 13). Is professionals’ empathy associated with safety-oriented decisions in child protection? : findings from an experimental virtual reality study. 17th International Conference of the European Scientific Association on Residential & Family Care for Children and Adolescents (EuSARF), Brighton, United Kingdom, 12-15 September 2023.
• Gautschi, J., & Lätsch, D. (2023, April 13). The effectiveness of interventions to prevent child maltreatment : an umbrella review. 12th European Conference for Social Work Research (ECSWR), Milan, Italy, 12-14 April 2023.
• Gautschi, J. (2023, February 23). Entscheidungsprozesse, Institutionalisierungen und Rationalitäten im Kinderschutz in der Schweiz. Workshop Entscheidungsprozesse, Institutionalisierungen und Rationalitäten im Kinderschutz : Perspektiven des internationalen Vergleichs, online, 23. Februar 2023.
• Fellmann, L., Gautschi, J., Haunberger, S., Hümbelin, O., Kessler, D., Maggiori, C., & Sepahniya, S. (2022, November). Quantitative research methods in social work education : status and development potentials​. SGSA Forum «Transformationen Sozialer Arbeit», FHNW, Online, 25. November 2022.
• Gautschi, J. (2022, March 30). Disagreement among professionals in judgements about risk and the need for out-of-home placement : results on the extent and possible determinants of disagreement in a Swiss vignette study. ISPCAN Québec City Congress, Online, 28-30 March 2022.
• Gautschi, J. (2022, January 14). (Dis)agreement among professionals on child protection assessments in cases of neglect : results from a multifactorial experimental vignette study in Switzerland. 26rd Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), Washington DC; USA (Online), 12-16 January 2022. https://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2022/webprogram/Paper46544.html
• Becker-Lenz, R., Gautschi, J., Rüegger, C., & Rotzetter, F. (2021, November 5). How to investigate trust : experiences from a research project on trust in mandatory social work. Symposium on „Trust in Helping, Therapeutic and Pedagogical Relationships“, Muttenz, 3-5 November 2021.
• Gautschi, J., Middel, F., Fluke, J. D., & Hollinshead, D. (2021, October 5). Decision-making in child welfare and protection : reflections on inequalities and inconsistencies. 2nd Annual Kempe International Virtual Conference “A Call to Action to Change Child Welfare”, Online, 4-7 October 2021.
• Fluke, J. D., Hollinshead, D., Middel, F., Gautschi, J., & Alexander, K. (2021, October 4). Decision-making in child welfare and protection : aspirations for heathy systems. 2nd Annual Kempe International Virtual Conference “A Call to Action to Change Child Welfare”, Online, 4-7 October 2021.
• Tausendfreund, T., & Gautschi, J. (2021, September 17). Trends in teaching quantitative research methods. 11th Workshop of the Swiss Society for Social Work (SGSA-SSTS) Research Commission “Quantitative Research Methods in Social Work Education in Switzerland: Current State and Future Developments”, Bern, Switzerland, 17 September 2021.
• Gautschi, J., & Benbenishty, R. (2021, September 3). Empirical methods for studying decision making in child welfare and protection. 16th International Conference of the European Scientific Association on Residential & Family Care for Children and Adolescents (EuSARF), Zurich (Online), 1-3 September 2021.
• Becker, R., Rotzetter, F., Gautschi, J., & Rüegger, C. (2021, September 1). Professional challenges of trust building processes in mandatory social pedagogical family support settings. 16th International Conference of the European Scientific Association on Residential & Family Care for Children and Adolescents (EuSARF), Zurich (Online), 1-3 September 2021.

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