A hairy situation: child protection workers experiences providing hair care to African Canadian children in care

Abstract

This research explores the experiences of Child Protection Workers regarding Black youth hair maintenance while in care, as hair is a significant identity marker for Black children. Additionally, it is important to understand the rights and responsibilities of the child protection workers, foster parents, biological parents and outside paid resources, as they all play different, but vital roles in a child’s life. The training that child welfare agencies provide and community resources will also be discussed. I began the study by providing an overview of the literature on the topics of Black hair and responsibilities of the child welfare agencies. A critical race theory framework will deepen the understanding of racism intertwined with hair; as well as exploring terms such as organization, whiteness and cultural competency. A narrative approach was used as the methodology and detailed within the findings section. The study found that there was inconsistency within the agency together with lack of resources to be used in the community.