Description
Book SynopsisBased on extensive studies into child welfare services, this important book brings together research into what works in service provision for minority ethnic families. Reviewing studies of the nature and adequacy of the services provided, and the outcomes for the children and their families, this book provides much-needed guidance for policy and practice around issues of cultural and ethnic background and identity, and puts forward suggestions for future research. The authors consider in particular:
* the complex needs and identities of minority ethnic families who might use child welfare services
* how families using social services view current practice
* the impact of the formal child protection and court systems on ethnic minority families
* placement patterns and outcomes for children from the different minority ethnic groups who are in residential care, foster care or adopted
* cultural issues and `matching' the social worker to the family.
Drawing on current government statistical returns and the 2001 national census, this wide-ranging analysis challenges dated research and practice and proposes a revisionary agenda for future research and culturally sensitive child welfare practice, making it essential reading for all child welfare professionals.
Trade ReviewThoburn, Chand and Procter have produced a valuable contribution to our knowledge about service provision for minority ethnic children and their families. The authors provide an interpretation and summary of research under four broad and over-lapping areas of family support, child protection, child placement and social work practice, identifying ambiguities, contested areas, and major gaps. The section on child placement is particularly illuminating and contains important messages for practitioners... The authors rightly emphasise the complexity of the needs of minority ethnic children and their families and their multi-faceted identities. They stress the importance of avoiding stereotypes and assumptions based on limited knowledge or experiences of the language, culture or religion of different minority ethnic groups. -- British Journal of Social Work
This is a very informative and comprehensive summary of a wide range of research in the field of working with minority ethnic children and families. -- CAFCASS
This book is an interesting and important resource for professionals who work with, look after or undertake research on children and young people from ethnic minority families. -- Children Now
In all, the book is both a credible and valuable reader's digest of information, sensible in its appraisals, yet ambitious in its intent. THe authors are to be commended for this wholly stimulating constellation of ideas and facts. -- Child and Family Social Work
Table of ContentsPreface. Acknowledgements. 1. A context to the review Beverley Prevatt Goldstein. Part I. The Research and the Messages. 2. Introduction. 3. Family Support Services. 4. Child Protection Services and the Family Courts. 5. Children looked after away from home or placed for adoption. 6. Messages from research on the social work service to parents and children of minority ethnic origin. 7. Next steps in researching child welfare service for minority ethnic children, parents and carers. Part II. Summaries of the Main Research Studies. Appendix 1. Ethnic composition for total UK population, Census 2001, Office for National Statistics. Appendix 2. Template for research summaries. Appendix 3. The approach to the research review. References.
