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Effectively Protecting Black and Minority Ethnic Children from Harm: Overcoming Barriers to the Child Protection Process

NCJ Number
199085
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 11 Issue: 6 Dated: November – December 2002 Pages: 394-410
Author(s)
Elspeth Webb; Alison Maddocks; Joan Bongilli
Date Published
November 2002
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article addresses barriers to the effective protection of children from Black and minority ethnic communities who are at risk from harm.
Abstract
There is little literature and research focusing on issues of abuse and protection of children from Black and ethnic minority (BEM) communities. This article explores the various barriers to protecting children from BEM communities. Highlighting poverty, cultural differences in child rearing, denial of abuse, and mental illness among caregivers as significant family/community level barriers to the protection of children, the authors present a series of case histories illustrating the ways in which these problems are barriers to child protection and overall welfare. Addressing skin color, communication difficulties, safety, gender and cross-cultural stress, and personal disability, the authors discuss various barriers to child welfare protection at the level of the child. And, focusing on inadequate training of minority ethnic workers and a lack of cultural sensitivity, stereotyping, and fear issues concerning other service professionals, the authors detail professional level barriers to BEM children’s protection. Effective partnerships between BEM families and various service professionals are highly important in preventing abuse and harm in BEM children and in providing mental health services for these children across cultural boundaries. References