© British Association of Social Workers
The Protective Environment of Children: Towards a framework for anti-oppressive, cross-cultural and cross national understanding
Margaret Boushel is a lecturer in social work at the University of Bristol. A barrister and qualified social worker, she has worked in Scotland and Inner London as a social worker, team manager and management adviser on child care policy and practice. Her writing and research interests are in policy and practice with children and their families.
Correspondence to Department of Social Work, School of Applied Social Studies, University of Bristol, 8 Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1TN.
Summary
The article explores the strengths and limitations of existing cross-cultural, cross-national and anti-discriminatory theory and research in the child protection field. The way in which structural, cultural, personal and inter-personal factors combine to create the child's protective environment is analysed and a framework for an integrated approach to anti-oppressive understanding and practice is suggested. The framework identifies four factors whose impact at national, community and family levels needs particular consideration. These factors are the value attached to children, the status of women and carers, the social interconnectedness of children and carers, and the extent and quality of the protective safety nets available. Examples are provided to illustrate the framework's usefulness in practice. It is argued that child protection theory and practice in Britain needs to take more account of collective and community-based approaches if anti-oppressive and user-empowering practice is to be achieved.