Description
Book SynopsisThe Block Parent Program of Canada was launched in 1968 following a tragic child abduction and homicide in Ontario. It rapidly expanded across the country, becoming the largest volunteer-led child safety initiative. For over fifty years, the program relied on volunteer homemakers, mostly stay-at-home mothers, who signaled their homes as safe havens for distressed children. Supported by partnerships with police, local businesses, and schools, the program provided a community-based approach to child protection. Although participation declined over the years, recent concerns about bullying, traffic safety, and child protection have sparked renewed interest in Block Parent communities.
Guardians of the Community examines the social, political, technological, and cultural conditions that shifted along with the program to understand the landscape of child protection and community crime prevention over the last five decades. The book draws upon open-ended interviews with key
