Systematic Bibliographic Database Searching for an Overview of Reviews: A Practical Guide Using Children's Participation as a Case Study

Systematic literature reviews are crucial in research. Identifying relevant research is the first stage in a systematic review, yet challenges exist hindering their efficacy. Through a case study search strategy addressing the question 'What do we know about children's participation in child welfare decision-making?', this article seeks to promote efficiency in searching by building on existing conceptual and practical guidelines for conducting systematic literature searches and appraisal of database performance in social work research. Thirteen databases were utilised in this study. The total citations, unique hits, sensitivity and precision for each database were calculated to gauge database performance before conducting a cross-study comparison with five previously published social work systematic reviews to begin recognising emergent themes. Social Science Citation and PsycINFO are effective high-performing databases in social work. Social Services Abstracts, Applied Social Science Index and Abstracts are also recommended. The article emphasises the pitfalls of relying on a single database, highlighting the importance of comprehensive searches to avoid bias and increase relevance. The findings underscore the need for social work professionals to develop effective database searching skills, leveraging the information age to inform and enhance practice, promoting efficiency and addressing the challenges faced in this critical stage of research. This article highlights the importance of systematic literature reviews and addresses concerns about time constraints, lack of knowledge and searching skills. It presents a case study search strategy focused on children's participation in child welfare decision-making to promote efficiency in searching. The article provides a practical guide for conducting systematic literature searches and evaluating database performance in social work research. The performance of different databases was assessed using metrics such as total citations, unique hits, sensitivity and precision. Social Science Citation and PsycINFO were found to be highly effective databases for social work research, whilst Social Services Abstracts and Applied Social Science Index and Abstracts were also recommended. The article emphasises the need for social work academics, researchers and professionals to develop searching skills to effectively utilise the wealth of information available in the digital age and inform their practice. Relying on a single database increases the risk of bias and weakens the findings. Overall, this article serves as a valuable resource for conducting systematic literature reviews in social work.