Helping Substance-Abusing Mothers in the Child-Welfare System: Turning Crisis into Opportunity

2000 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
An-Pyng Sun
Keyword(s):  
Child Welfare ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Child Welfare System ◽  
Welfare System ◽  
Substance Abusing ◽  
Protective Service ◽  
Self Actualization ◽  
Training Child ◽  
Meaningful Relationships ◽  
Depth Interviews

This paper integrates in-depth interviews with eight mothers and existing relative literature, explaining the recovery journey of substance-abusing mothers in the child-welfare system. The results show that these mothers longed for a mainstream dream (a better life, meaningful relationships, and self-actualization), perhaps because of, as well as for the sake of, their children. However, for them to achieve their dreams, the support of various external systems is necessary—treating mothers and children as one unit, facilitating nonusing social networks, and providing case-management and life-skills training. Child protective service caseworkers can serve as key persons to help these mothers turn crisis into opportunity.

scholarly journals Three South Asian immigrant fathers' experiences of child welfare in the Greater Toronto area (GTA)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Boiragi
Keyword(s):  
Child Welfare ◽  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Child Welfare System ◽  
Welfare System ◽  
Asian Immigrant ◽  
Greater Toronto Area ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
South Asian Immigrant

The research study explores the child welfare system experiences of South Asian immigrant fathers in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The study provides an overview of the literature related to the child welfare system, its dominant cultural practices, and how interventions impact South Asian immigrant fathers. This study uses Anti-Oppressive Practice Theory (AOP) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) as its theoretical framework to understand the fathers’ experiences by analyzing in-depth interviews of the South Asian immigrant fathers who shared their lived experiences with the child welfare system. This study’s focus is to give voice and make visible the experiences of these fathers, who feel disappointed, misunderstood, and alienated. Key words: Child welfare, maltreatment and neglect, racialized families South Asian immigrant fathers, settlement, integration

scholarly journals Three South Asian immigrant fathers' experiences of child welfare in the Greater Toronto area (GTA)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Boiragi
Keyword(s):  
Child Welfare ◽  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Child Welfare System ◽  
Welfare System ◽  
Asian Immigrant ◽  
Greater Toronto Area ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
South Asian Immigrant

The research study explores the child welfare system experiences of South Asian immigrant fathers in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The study provides an overview of the literature related to the child welfare system, its dominant cultural practices, and how interventions impact South Asian immigrant fathers. This study uses Anti-Oppressive Practice Theory (AOP) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) as its theoretical framework to understand the fathers’ experiences by analyzing in-depth interviews of the South Asian immigrant fathers who shared their lived experiences with the child welfare system. This study’s focus is to give voice and make visible the experiences of these fathers, who feel disappointed, misunderstood, and alienated. Key words: Child welfare, maltreatment and neglect, racialized families South Asian immigrant fathers, settlement, integration

scholarly journals “It's the Only System We've Got”

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria A. Copeland
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Child Welfare ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Child Welfare System ◽  
Welfare System ◽  
Service Workers ◽  
Protective Service ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Intermediary Role

Front-line public “Child Welfare” caseworkers, also known as emergency response or investigative caseworkers, play a significant role in the “Child Welfare” system. Placed in an intermediary role within the system, investigative caseworkers are tasked with making critical decisions while attempting to advocate for families and uphold the system’s policies. To understand the caseworker decision-making processes more in-depth, a qualitative study was conducted with eighteen investigative caseworkers in four different counties. The guiding research question of the current study was: “What impacts the decisionmaking processes in which child protective service workers investigate and substantiate referred cases of child maltreatment?” Findings revealed several nuances and extensive complexities in how workers navigated often contradictory roles within the system. Important emerging themes include caseworkers’ use of surveillance during investigation and multi-institution partnership indecision-making processes. This Comment discusses the ways in which caseworkers react to and navigate ambiguity and parental resistance during investigations, lending an often-overlooked exploration into various nuances within the decision-making apparatus. Understanding nuances in the complex web of decision-making and information-gathering may lead to novel ways of thinking about how the “Child Welfare” system addresses child protection.

scholarly journals Meeting the Needs of Families Involved in the Child Welfare System for Parental Substance Abuse: Outcomes From an Effectiveness Trial of the Families Actively Improving Relationships Program

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Saldana ◽  
Jason E. Chapman ◽  
Mark Campbell ◽  
Zoe Alley ◽  
Holle Schaper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Child Welfare ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Child Welfare System ◽  
Welfare System ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Treatment Needs ◽  
Parental Substance Abuse ◽  
Program Costs

Limited evidence-based practices exist to address the unique treatment needs of families involved in the child welfare system with parental substance abuse. Specifically, parental opioid and methamphetamine abuse have increased over the last decade, with associated increases of families reported to the child welfare system. The Families Actively Improving Relationships (FAIR) program was developed to address the complexities of these families. Evidence-based strategies to address the interrelated needs of parents—including substance abuse and mental health treatment, parent skills training, and supportive case management to improve access to ancillary needs—are integrated in an intensive community outpatient program. This study examined the clinical effectiveness of FAIR when delivered in a Medicaid billable outpatient clinic. Parents (n = 99) were randomized either to the immediate FAIR condition or to the Waitlist (WL) condition, using a dynamic wait-listed design, with all parents provided the opportunity to eventually receive FAIR. Outcomes show statistically and clinically significant reductions in parental opioid and methamphetamine use, mental health symptoms, and parenting risk, and improvements in stability in parents receiving FAIR. Providing services to families who require travel in excess of 20 miles for sessions has challenging implications for program costs under a Medicaid structure. Study outcomes highlight the need for policies to support funding of intensive family-based programs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document