Description
Discover the powerful narrative in 'Investigating Families' by Kelley Fong, a groundbreaking examination of the Child Protective Services (CPS) system and its impact on motherhood, especially for marginalized families. This BRAND NEW title, released in 2024 by Princeton University Press, delves deeply into how our reliance on CPS creates precarious situations for mothers already facing challenges due to poverty and systemic inequalities. With an ISBN of 9780691235714 and available in trade binding format, this book presents a unique perspective on the experiences of families intertwined with CPS investigations. Fong’s extensive research, featuring firsthand observations and in-depth interviews, reveals the emotional toll and social implications of CPS's role as a “first responder” to family crises. As one in three children, including half of Black children, experience CPS involvement during their childhood, Fong sheds light on the vulnerabilities that mothers face. She argues against the conventional narratives of villainy and victimhood, providing insights into how CPS undermines parental security while navigating adversity. By understanding the complexities of CPS interventions, readers will recognize the need for a more humane and supportive approach for families. This captivating exploration is essential for anyone interested in social justice, child welfare, and family dynamics in the context of systemic oppression. Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691235714
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2024
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Description:
How our reliance on Child Protective Services makes motherhood precarious for those already marginalized
It’s the knock on the door that many mothers fear: a visit from Child Protective Services (CPS), the state agency with the power to take their children away. Over the last half-century, these encounters have become an all-too-common way of trying to address family poverty and adversity. One in three children nationwide—and half of Black children—now encounter CPS during childhood.
In Investigating Families, Kelley Fong provides an unprecedented look at the inner workings of CPS and the experiences of families pulled into its orbit. Drawing on firsthand observations of CPS investigations and hundreds of interviews with those involved, Fong traces the implications of invoking CPS as a “first responder” to family misfortune and hardship. She shows how relying on CPS—an entity fundamentally oriented around parental wrongdoing and empowered to separate families—organizes the response to adversity around surveilling, assessing, and correcting marginalized mothers. The agency’s far-reaching investigative apparatus undermines mothers’ sense of security and shapes how they marshal resources for their families, reinforcing existing inequalities. And even before CPS comes knocking, mothers feel vulnerable to a system that jeopardizes their parenthood. Countering the usual narratives of punitive villains and hapless victims, Fong’s unique, behind-the-scenes account tells a revealing story of how we try to protect children by threatening mothers—and points the way to a more productive path for families facing adver
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691235714
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2024
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Description:
How our reliance on Child Protective Services makes motherhood precarious for those already marginalized
It’s the knock on the door that many mothers fear: a visit from Child Protective Services (CPS), the state agency with the power to take their children away. Over the last half-century, these encounters have become an all-too-common way of trying to address family poverty and adversity. One in three children nationwide—and half of Black children—now encounter CPS during childhood.
In Investigating Families, Kelley Fong provides an unprecedented look at the inner workings of CPS and the experiences of families pulled into its orbit. Drawing on firsthand observations of CPS investigations and hundreds of interviews with those involved, Fong traces the implications of invoking CPS as a “first responder” to family misfortune and hardship. She shows how relying on CPS—an entity fundamentally oriented around parental wrongdoing and empowered to separate families—organizes the response to adversity around surveilling, assessing, and correcting marginalized mothers. The agency’s far-reaching investigative apparatus undermines mothers’ sense of security and shapes how they marshal resources for their families, reinforcing existing inequalities. And even before CPS comes knocking, mothers feel vulnerable to a system that jeopardizes their parenthood. Countering the usual narratives of punitive villains and hapless victims, Fong’s unique, behind-the-scenes account tells a revealing story of how we try to protect children by threatening mothers—and points the way to a more productive path for families facing adver