A Black feminist approach for caseworkers intervening with Black female caregivers: Casework with Black Females. Issue 4 (7th August 2020) - Jones, Lani V.
ABSTRACT: The disproportionate representation of Black children in the child welfare system, and its implications for Black female caregivers, must be understood through a critical perspective that considers their historical, social and cultural context. It has been posited that Black feminist philosophy and ideology may be a useful perspective for understanding risk factors that contribute to the disproportionate numbers of Black women who are involved in the child welfare system. Additionally, this perspective offers a practice framework that assists child welfare caseworkers to effectively engage, assess, and intervene with Black women and their families. In this article, we provide a brief overview of Black women's disproportionate involvement in the child welfare system through a historical-trauma lens, review existing child welfare casework practice models, and discuss the need for an engagement in child welfare public consciousness for Black female caregivers. Further, we propose a culturally relevant casework practice model grounded in Black feminist principles. A case vignette is provided.