Taking a stand against racism: The urgent need for SAWUBONA in child protection and foster care social work

Abstract

There is a distinct lack of research on the experiences of birth mothers who had their children removed by Children Protection Services. This article draws on qualitative research that was conducted in 2022–2023 with six ethnic minoritised mothers involved in children social work in England. Due to wordcount restrictions, the paper focuses on the narrative experiences of two birthmothers using Critical Race Theory’s (CRT) counter-storytelling methodology to recount their racialised and oppressive experiences in statutory social work. Using Intersectionality as analytical framework, key findings exposed the invisibility of White dominance and the devastating consequences of racial oppression. Urgent change was required, and key findings influenced the design of SAWUBONA, an Afro-centric culturally sensitive original model built on indigenous knowledge and cultural values. Implications for practice include the recommendation for an immediate integration of indigenous practice models in English Social Work, ethically reflecting the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

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