NCJ Number
199082
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 11 Issue: 6 Dated: November – December 2002 Pages: 345-358
Date Published
November 2002
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This article examines the relationships among culture, ethnicity, and child protection in the United Kingdom.
Abstract
Focusing on the importance of child protection, the author argues that culturally competent practices, strong commitments to the principles of empowerment, and the countering of oppression and discrimination are fundamental to child protection interventions. After contending that there is a relative “void” of information concerning the impacts of culture, race, and ethnicity on child welfare, the author suggests that because child protection frequently involves uninvited intervention within the sphere of private family life, culturally sensitive child protection intervention measures are critical. Following a discussion of the importance of United Kingdom child protection practitioners being able to work with families from a wide-range of cultural backgrounds, the author states that the United Kingdom has effectively demonstrated a commitment to assessing children’s needs in the field of social care and child protection through guidance for agencies and practitioners. Further discussing child protection and children’s rights, the author describes the passage of the Human Rights Act of 1998 as instrumental in making certain that child protection agencies protect children from harm but notes that culturally competent practices are often neglected. After asserting that children from minority ethnic families are significantly over-represented among children on child protection registers, the author states that social workers in the United Kingdom need to reach clear social, professional, and legal consensus on what constitutes good child care practices and cultural sensitivity. References