Статья, из которой взят будет приведён отрывок, посвящена дискуссионной проблеме, поскольку в ней затрагиваются национальные вопросы. Тема статьи – «дети, находящиеся на попечении», т.е. дети, которые были взяты из своих семей и которые в настоящее время находятся в специальных домах под присмотром профессиональных работников или же у приёмных родителей, получивших на то официальное разрешение. Автор проявляет особый интерес к чернокожим детям. В своей статье автор хочет показать, что предыдущие исследования большей частью игнорировали вопрос о том, являются ли дети, взятые на попечительство, чернокожими. Для того чтобы ликвидировать пробел в этой информации, автор представляет подробные данные, которые были им собраны в ходе собственной исследовательской работы. Затем автор использует эти данные для подтверждения своего тезиса, который сводится к следующему: люди, которые принимают решение относительно того, следует ли определённых чернокожих детей отдавать на попечительство, нередко руководствуются националистическими мотивами.

Приводимый (в следующем уроке) отрывок представляет собой несколько укороченный вариант вводной части статьи.

Black children in local authority care: admission patterns

1Child care is an area of much interest and concern in the personal social services. (a) Policy, practice and provision is essentially said to be directed to meet the interests of the child. In the last few decades (b) much has been written on the subject of children in care but it would appear that scant attention has been given to the situation of black children.

2In 1985, (c) an HMSO report summarized the findings of nine DHSS funded studies in (d) a report entitled ‘Social Work Decisions in Child Care’. (e) These studies explored the various aspects of the care career process (Packman et al 1986; Milham et al 1986; Vernon and Fruin 1985; Fisher et al 1986; Rowe et al 1984; Sinclair 1984; Hilgendorf 1981; Adcock et al 1983; Stevenson and Smith 1982). It is pertinent to (f) point out that (g) not one of these nine studies focused on the ‘race’ dimension. This is perhaps  also a reflection of the ‘colour blind’ approach which countries to exist in the personal social services.

3 (h) There have been a few research studies which have focused on the issue of black children’s admission into the care system. (j) These have principally shown that black children are much more likely to come into care than white children.

4(k)A group of students which indicate the greater likelihood of admission for black children were carried out by researchers at the University of Bradford who observed the admission patterns of children into Bradford Social Services Department. (l)The first study conducted in the late 1960s found that children of ‘mixed-origin’ were eight and a half times more likely to come into care than ‘white indigenous’ and ‘Afro-Caribbean and Asian’ children (Foren and Batta 1970). (m)A subsequent study conducted in 1975 obtained similar findings (Batta, McCulloch and Smith 1975). (n)Both studies revealed that children of ‘mixed-origin’ came into care at an earlier age and tended to stay in care for longer periods. (p)A third study of Bradford’s child care population conducted in 1978 confirmed the findings of the earlier research with regard to children of ‘mixed-origin’’ (Batta and Mawby 1981).

5Although (q) research studies have asserted the high presence of black children in the care system, it is not clear whether black children are in fact disproportionately represented. Furthermore, little is known of the initial referral stage to the social services and the actual factors which precipitate black children’s admission into care. It appears that (r) black families are much more likely to be referred by agencies such as the police, health and education (Boss and Homeshaw 1974; McCulloch, Batta and Smith 1979). However, the actual reasons for black children’s admission into care are less well known. (s)A report by the Commission for Racial Equality (1977) suggested demographic and geographical factors as well as the lower socio-economic position of black families. (t) Boss and Homeshaw found: ‘… disturbing indications of a heavy-handed approach by both the police and courts towards coloured children, particularly West Indians’ (1975: 355). Moreover, (u) they also found that: ‘… proportionally more care orders and supervision orders were made on this particular group than was consistent with their overall numbers of court appearances’ (1975: 355).

6Despite the above findings, (v) the researchers feel that since black families are predominantly young, demographic reasons alone could account for the high proportions of black children in care. (w) Other studies have also offered explanations which are primarily related to the nature and type of families (McCulloch, Batta and Smith 1979; Fitzherbert 1967). The picture is one therefore where (x) the structures and lifestyles of black families are viewed in negative terms and (y) are perceived to be the major contributory factors which result in black children’s admission into care. It appears that (z) the socio-economic conditions factor mentioned in the 1977 CRE report in one felt most by the black families themselves. (aa) It has been found that while (bb) social workers are more likely to explain the admission of black children into care in terms of individual or family pathology, (cc) parents themselves de-emphasise such factors and (dd)highlight their poor socio-economic situation (Pinder and Shaw 1974; Adams 1981).

7In recent years, (ee) social work practitioners have begun to acknowledge the importance of cultural factors in social work decision-making. In an atmosphere of ‘family pathology’, (ff) it is increasingly being said that the strengths of black families ((gg) which, it is argued, survived the onslaught of slavery, colonianism and imperialism) need serious recognition (Small 1984; Liverpool 1986). (hh) It is also felt that social workers lack an understanding of black families and their cultural patterns (Ahmed 1981; Arnold 1982). (jj) Thus it is argued that black children can sometimes be unnecessarily taken into care. (kk) Arnold states: (ll) The West Indian parent who threatens to beat the living daylights out of a disobedient child, or who (mm) asks him to live ‘if he thinks himself a man’ seldom means to be taken literally. These are his or her attempts at imposing a discipline in the hope that threats will serve as a deterrent for the delinquent behavior. (1982)

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Дата публикации: 08-12-2013
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