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Black parents ask for a second look: Parenting under ‘White’ Child Protection rules in Canada

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  • Adjei, Paul Banahene
  • Minka, Eric

Abstract

Where children grow up has a major impact on what they become as adults. Towards achieving what is optimal for one's children, parents across cultures carry out different parenting practices. Despite this, Black parents in Canada feel their parenting practices are unfairly targeted by Child Welfare Agencies (CWA), resulting in the overrepresentation of Black children in the welfare system. This study presents qualitative findings on Black parents' knowledge, perceptions, and experiences of navigating through complex Child protection rules and processes in Toronto, Canada. Results revealed that Black parenting experiences are shaped and influenced by cultural knowledge and perceived anti-Black racism in Canada, yet Child Welfare Agencies hardly consider this information in their engagements with Black families. Further, most participants had negative perceptions of Child Welfare Agencies as people who disunite families and racially target Black families. The study reifies that Child Welfare Agencies in Canada need to take necessary steps to understand the complex contexts of Black parenting in order to engage Black parents positively in the child protection process, perhaps enabling more Black children to remain at home safely. Even where removal (protective custody) is the preferred plan, Child Welfare agencies will develop strategies to make better use of the potentials that birth parents possess in order to enhance Black children's lives.

Suggested Citation

  • Adjei, Paul Banahene & Minka, Eric, 2018. "Black parents ask for a second look: Parenting under ‘White’ Child Protection rules in Canada," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 511-524.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:94:y:2018:i:c:p:511-524
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.08.030
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fluke, John D. & Yuan, Ying-Ying T. & Hedderson, John & Curtis, Patrick A., 2003. "Disproportionate representation of race and ethnicity in child maltreatment: investigation and victimization," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(5-6), pages 359-373.
    2. Blackstock, Cindy, 2011. "The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal on First Nations Child Welfare: Why if Canada wins, equality and justice lose," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 187-194, January.
    3. Clarke, Jennifer, 2011. "The challenges of child welfare involvement for Afro-Caribbean families in Toronto," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 274-283, February.
    4. Dettlaff, Alan J. & Rivaux, Stephanie L. & Baumann, Donald J. & Fluke, John D. & Rycraft, Joan R. & James, Joyce, 2011. "Disentangling substantiation: The influence of race, income, and risk on the substantiation decision in child welfare," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1630-1637, September.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Virginia Araceli Feliz & Sue D. Hobbs & Rose Borunda, 2022. "Strengthen and Respect Each Thread," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-11, October.
    3. Antwi-Boasiako, Kofi & Fallon, Barbara & King, Bryn & Trocmé, Nico & Fluke, John, 2021. "Examining decision-making tools and child welfare involvement among Black families in Ontario, Canada," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    4. Noorishad, Pari-Gole & Paul Darius, Wina & Czechowski, Konrad & McIntee, Sara-Emilie & Ntunga Mukunzi, Joana & Mary Cénat, Jude, 2023. "Racism as a vehicle for the overrepresentation of Black youth in child protection services in Ontario, Canada: Caseworkers’ and community facilitators’ perspectives," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    5. Stacey Wilson-Forsberg & Oliver Masakure & Edward Shizha & Ginette Lafrenière & Magnus Mfoafo-M’Carthy, 2020. "Great Expectations: Perspectives of Young West African Immigrant Men Transitioning to the Canadian Labour Market Without Postsecondary Education," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 1309-1328, December.

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