Abstract
The child welfare system is characterized by fixed power structures, coercion and hierarchies that privilege the perspectives of a select few. These oppressive aspects of the system quelch youth voice and others' voices, especially those with lived experience, frequently omitting them from case- and system-level decisions. Acknowledging the empowering potential of creative and arts-based research, this study used poetic inquiry with youth in or formerly in foster care, parent partners and professionals working in child welfare, inviting them to reimagine how the system could support youth in foster care towards thriving. Through seven poetry focus groups, 41 participants wrote individual and relational poems. Analyses focused on how symbols were used and their suggestions for revisioning child welfare. Seven themes identified the types of symbols used in poems: 1) Nature/Natural Phenomena, 2) Human Body/Senses, 3) Actions, 4) Physical Objects, 5) Paperwork, Cases, Bureaucracy, 6) Connectedness/Family and 7) Strong Emotions. Beyond demonstrating a novel arts-based method, findings offer a new, creative space for understanding the foster care system. Symbols were powerful and cut across life experiences and identities. A key implication pointed to using symbolic language to aid the work of revisioning child welfare towards humanistic and embodied approaches, social justice and well-being.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 589-599 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Child and Family Social Work |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Funding
This study was part of a grant funded by the Children's Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under grant number 90-CO-1139. The presentation contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Children's Bureau. The authors wish to thank the youth, parent partners and child welfare professionals who gave their time, wisdom and expertise for this study. This study was part of a grant funded by the Children's Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under grant number 90‐CO‐1139. The presentation contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Children's Bureau. The authors wish to thank the youth, parent partners and child welfare professionals who gave their time, wisdom and expertise for this study.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | 90‐CO‐1139 |
| Administration for Children and Families | |
| U.S. Children's Bureau | |
| Administration on Children, Youth, and Families |
Keywords
- child welfare
- foster care
- poetic inquiry
- symbolism
- systems change
- youth voice
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health(social science)
- Sociology and Political Science