Migration and the child protection system in Australia : examining African migrants' parenting practices and parental experiences of child protection intervention

Abstract

As international migration is increasing, scholars, policy-makers, institutions and practitioners who work with families are paying closer attention to the diverse parenting practices of migrant communities. For most Western nations such as Australia, child protection systems, usually established on individualistic principles, are in place to prevent child abuse and neglect by allowing children to live in safe, loving and supportive home environments. Often these objectives are governed by legal frameworks and monitored by the government (Australian Government, 2014, Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2016). Individualistic principles may be at odds with how migrants to Australia raise their children. Sub-Saharan African migrants represent a sub-set of migrants whose childrearing practices are grounded in collectivist worldviews and influenced by their cultural beliefs and values. This study focusses on sub-Saharan African migrant communities and the child protection system in Australia. It aims to explore and understand sub-Saharan African migrant childrearing practices and to what extent cultural beliefs, values, attitudes, practices, and migration experiences influence their parenting practices while settling in Australia. The study findings show how sub-Saharan African migrant parents negotiate the balance between finding ways to preserve their cultural values while parenting in a new culture. Some sub-Saharan African values and beliefs that shape childrearing practices were maintained, new dimensions were introduced, while others were rejected or resisted. The study found a need for an exhaustive appreciation by child protection practitioners of the influence that culture, migration and post-migration experiences have on sub-Saharan African migrant family functioning. To successfully make decisions that are in the best interest of sub-Saharan African migrant children that come to the attention of the child protection system, discussions about sub-Saharan African children can only yield good outcomes when the child's socio-cultural environment is considered. Culture and migration experiences contribute to how sub-Saharan African migrant families engage with the child protection system. As such, while working with sub-Saharan African migrant families, service providers are required to be culturally competent and sensitive in order to successfully meet the needs of sub-Saharan African migrant children. This study provides evidence that will be useful for the development and implementation of culturally effective early intervention strategies within the Australia child protection system, particulary within the current era 2020, where there has been increased attention given to the response to race related issues due to the 'Black Lives Matter' movement and other global themes and trends pertaining to minority groups.

Date of Award	2020
Original language	English