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Assessing culturally informed parenting (book review)

Posted: April 24 2023

Social Work student & staff projects, Social Work
Social Work student & staff projects, Social Work

Interested in Social Work and want to learn more about the subject? The book reviews written by our Social Work students and staff help you identify the best literature to advance your learning.

This week:

  • Title: Assessing culturally informed parenting in social work
  • Publisher: Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781000345698
  • Author/s: Davis Kiima
  • Originally published in 2021
  • Reviewer/s: Jade Blake, MSc Social Work student
  • First published in the  
book cover of assessing culturally informed parenting in social work

This book sheds light on the significance and often the unacknowledged impact of culture on parenting. The author starts by first defining the role of parenting and the socialisation of children. He then offers us further insight into understanding the foundation of parenting by reviewing some of the most influential pioneers in research on parenting styles such as Baumrind, Lamborne and more.

He acknowledges that although parenting mostly takes place in what Goffman would call the backstage or in the confines of one’s home, the outcome of parenting presents results that affect wider society thus, it is also the responsibility of the government to support with regulating such an important function when necessary.

The author describes in detail how Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) children and families are largely overrepresented in the child protection system. He proposes a myriad of reasons as to why this is and states that one of the issues is in the way culturally informed parenting is being assessed. The author argues that professional consideration of cultural beliefs and practices is inadequate.

The author discusses how this lack of consideration for the different components that influence parenting such as tradition, culture, religion and individual experiences can result in harmful and oppressive practices whether intentional or not.

Interestingly, the author depicts the challenges of social workers as well as BAME parents. He explains that whilst BAME parents may feel misunderstood and unable to challenge professional opinion, fearing potential negative outcomes. Some professionals felt that at times culture can be used as a smoke screen for abuse and stated some socialisation practices endanger the safety of children, for example, rites of passage such as female genital mutilation (FGM).

The author has carefully and masterfully produced clear and concise information that both students and social workers alike will be able to understand through a well-structured sequential argument and a pleasant format. As well as providing a wealth of knowledge with a very logical and easy-to-follow structure, the author provides a supporting study which includes findings regarding perspectives from both social workers and parents considering the use of assessment tools and social justice. As a result, students and social workers will be able to take advantage of the authors reflective lens on culturally sensitive perspectives to keep in mind when assessing BAME parents. For example, acknowledging and addressing internal biases that professionals may have when assessing families. The book highlights the fact that social workers have internal biases, due to western ideology completely underpinning what is considered to be effective parenting in the United Kingdom. The notion of a superior parenting style by its very nature, subjects parents from other cultures with different parenting styles and perspectives to scrutiny and dire consequences for the family and societal perception. The author challenges the current standard of assessment protocol and the standard of good parenting that social workers adhere to. Instead, he urges professionals to implement as a matter of urgency, the understanding that assessing parenting can only be effective when professionals are trained to adopt an awareness of how culture influences parenting.

This book can potentially provide social workers, students, scholars and other professions involved with assessing parenting and work with BAME families, with an astute understanding of what it means to abide by the policies that govern respective fields, whilst remaining culturally sensitive. This book provides an approach to introduce the pragmatic application of anti-oppressive practice, with the goal of possibly reducing the over-representation of BAME families thus, informing best practices.