ABSTRACT

This article presents findings from a qualitative study with parents of four Saskatchewan newcomer families (both immigrants and refugees) in central Canada on their interactions with child welfare services. We collected data through in-depth individual interviews with parents to understand their first encounters with child welfare authorities during the first 5 years of their settlement in Canada. None of the participants had any prior experiences of child protection services in their home countries. Our purpose was to gather data on ways to enhance collaboration and partnership between parents and child welfare services so as to ensure the safety and well-being of newcomer children and their families. Drawing on Foucault’s notions of governmentality about how state structures direct the conduct of individuals and groups, this study resulted in three findings: 1) perceptions on state interventions; 2) ambivalences about motherhood; and 3) working differently within the state. We conclude that negative experiences with social workers disempower newcomer parents and call for identification of ways to enhance information sharing between child protection services and immigrant communities in order to effectively protect immigrant children. We discuss practical suggestions for enhancing collaboration between child protection services and immigrant communities.

摘要

本文介绍了对加拿大中部四个萨斯喀彻温省新移民家庭（包括移民和难民）的父母进行的一项关于他们与儿童福利服务互动的定性研究的结果。我们通过与父母进行深入的个人访谈来收集数据，以了解他们在加拿大定居的前 5 年中与儿童福利机构的首次接触。参与者都没有在本国有任何儿童保护服务经验。我们的目的是收集有关如何加强父母与儿童福利服务机构之间的合作与伙伴关系的数据，以确保新移民儿童及其家人的安全和福祉。借鉴福柯关于国家结构如何指导个人和团体行为的治理概念，这项研究得出了三项发现：1) 对国家干预的看法；2）关于母性的矛盾心理；3）在州内以不同的方式工作。我们的结论是，社会工作者的负面经历削弱了新移民父母的权力，并呼吁确定加强儿童保护服务和移民社区之间信息共享的方法，以有效保护移民儿童。我们讨论了加强儿童保护服务与移民社区之间合作的实用建议。我们的结论是，社会工作者的负面经历削弱了新移民父母的权力，并呼吁确定加强儿童保护服务和移民社区之间信息共享的方法，以有效保护移民儿童。我们讨论了加强儿童保护服务与移民社区之间合作的实用建议。我们的结论是，社会工作者的负面经历削弱了新移民父母的权力，并呼吁确定加强儿童保护服务和移民社区之间信息共享的方法，以有效保护移民儿童。我们讨论了加强儿童保护服务与移民社区之间合作的实用建议。