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An Exploratory Study of the Meaning of Culture in Family Preservation and Kinship Care Services: An Africentric Translation

Jackson, Vivian H
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1195303638

Abstract Details

2008, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Social Welfare.
The disproportionality of African American children in stranger foster care is of ongoing concern. Systemic factors contribute to this disproportionality, but the lack of cultural fit for some service interventions may explain some of the problems. Even though, program initiatives such as family preservation and kinship care are designed to preclude the need for stranger foster care, there is still an overrepresentation of African American children in this type of placement. Perhaps an Africentric approach to service delivery would improve the likelihood of achieving the child welfare goals of safety, permanence and well-being within the child’s own family system. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to expand the understanding of Africentric practice. It offers a portrait of Africentric practice and describes an implementation process for this values and principles-based service approach. The second purpose of this study is to discern the meaning that is attached to receipt of these services by those who receive the service. The research study used a qualitative case study approach using methods in institutional ethnography and an analytic framework based on symbolic interaction theory. The family preservation and kinship care programs of an agency that presents itself as an Africentric agency were studied in depth. Participant observation, document review and semi-structured interviews of organizational leaders, direct service providers, and family members were the sources of data. The findings identified strategies designed to create an Africentric organizational culture from which Africentric practice was launched and nurtured. This approach acknowledged the need to help the workforce address the influence of oppression and the role of Eurocentric values and principles in their own lives and in their approach to service provision. The success of these strategies was tempered by the external challenges imposed on the agency by the larger Eurocentric society. The study raised questions about the difference between evidence-based practice and values-based practice and the role of personal values and beliefs in implementation. Of the many Africentric values and principles, the family members consistently expressed the importance of authentic relationship. Implications for further research on culture and practice, Africentric practice, and implementation research are discussed.
Sharon Milligan (Advisor)
437 p.
Social Work
Africentrism; Child Welfare; Kinship Care; Family Preservation; Implementation Research; Institutional Ethnography; African Americans

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Jackson, V. H. (2008). An Exploratory Study of the Meaning of Culture in Family Preservation and Kinship Care Services: An Africentric Translation [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1195303638

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Jackson, Vivian. An Exploratory Study of the Meaning of Culture in Family Preservation and Kinship Care Services: An Africentric Translation. 2008. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1195303638.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Jackson, Vivian. "An Exploratory Study of the Meaning of Culture in Family Preservation and Kinship Care Services: An Africentric Translation." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1195303638

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1195303638
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© 2007, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.