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“Basically, I look at it like combat”: Reflections on moral injury by parents involved with child protection services

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  • Haight, Wendy
  • Sugrue, Erin
  • Calhoun, Molly
  • Black, James

Abstract

This study considers any “moral injury” occurring among parents involved with the Child Protection System (CPS). Moral injury refers to the lasting psychological, spiritual and social harm caused by one's own or another's actions in a high stakes situation that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations. The existing literature focuses on military contexts, but moral injury also may play a role in increasing the vulnerability of CPS clients who are threatened with loss of their parental rights and dissolution of their families. We administered a modified version of the Moral Injury Events Scale (MIES) (Nash et al., 2013) to 10 CPS involved parents. We then conducted in-depth, semi-structured, audio recorded individual interviews with parents to elaborate their responses to the MIES. Parents' MIES scores and interview elaborations suggest that some CPS-involved parents do experience moral injury. Moral injury was reported as a result of their own parenting behaviors, but also as a result of parents' involvement with professionals and within social systems that are charged with providing assistance to struggling families. For instance, some parents perceived professionals to be shaming, social services to be harmful and legal proceedings stigmatizing. Parents' reported reactions to morally injurious events included lasting feelings of guilt, shame and anger; and loss of trust in professionals. These responses impeded their perceived abilities to fully engage in services. If involvement in CPS places parents at increased risk of moral injury, then moral injury is a critically important construct for child welfare policy makers and workers to understand and address in the conduct of effective, ethical child welfare practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Haight, Wendy & Sugrue, Erin & Calhoun, Molly & Black, James, 2017. "“Basically, I look at it like combat”: Reflections on moral injury by parents involved with child protection services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 477-489.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:82:y:2017:i:c:p:477-489
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.10.009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wells, Kathleen & Marcenko, Maureen O., 2011. "Introduction to the Special Issue: Mothers of children in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 419-423, March.
    2. Haight, Wendy & Ostler, Teresa & Black, James & Sheridan, Kathryn & Kingery, Linda, 2007. "A child's-eye view of parent methamphetamine abuse: Implications for helping foster families to succeed," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 1-15, January.
    3. Sykes, Jennifer, 2011. "Negotiating stigma: Understanding mothers' responses to accusations of child neglect," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 448-456, March.
    4. Marcenko, Maureen O. & Lyons, Sandra J. & Courtney, Mark, 2011. "Mothers' experiences, resources and needs: The context for reunification," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 431-438, March.
    5. Haight, Wendy & Sugrue, Erin P. & Calhoun, Molly, 2017. "Moral injury among Child Protection Professionals: Implications for the ethical treatment and retention of workers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 27-41.
    6. Haight, Wendy & Marshall, Jane & Woolman, Joanna, 2015. "The Child Protection Clinic: A mixed method evaluation of parent legal representation," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 7-17.
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    1. Bekaert, S. & Paavilainen, E. & Schecke, H. & Baldacchino, A. & Jouet, E. & Zabłocka – Żytka, L. & Bachi, B. & Bartoli, F. & Carrà, G. & Cioni, R.M. & Crocamo, C. & Appleton, J.V., 2021. "Family members’ perspectives of child protection services, a metasynthesis of the literature," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    2. Soffer-Elnekave, Ruth & Haight, Wendy & Jader, Bailey, 2020. "Parent mentoring relationships as a vehicle for reducing racial disparities: Experiences of child welfare-involved parents, mentors and professionals," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    3. Gerber, Lucas A. & Guggenheim, Martin & Pang, Yuk C. & Ross, Timothy & Mayevskaya, Yana & Jacobs, Susan & Pecora, Peter J., 2020. "Understanding the effects of an interdisciplinary approach to parental representation in child welfare," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    4. Soffer-Elnekave, Ruth & Haight, Wendy & Nashandi, Ndilimeke J.C. & Cho, Minhae & Suleiman, Johara & Park, Sookyoung, 2023. "Re-orienting narratives of moral injury towards positive development: The experiences of emerging adults with child welfare histories," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    5. Haight, Wendy & Korang-Okrah, Rose & Black, James E. & Gibson, Priscilla & Nashandi, Ndilimeke J.C., 2020. "Moral injury among Akan women: Lessons for culturally sensitive child welfare interventions," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    6. Haight, Wendy & Cho, Minhae & Soffer-Elnekave, Ruth & Nashandi, Ndilimeke J.C. & Suleiman, Johara, 2022. "Moral injury experienced by emerging adults with child welfare histories in developmental and sociocultural contexts: “I knew the system was broken.”," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).

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