Silenced stories of social work with minority ethnic families in Norway

Abstract

This article draws on 160 cases of actual practice with minority ethnic families provided by child protection workers in Norway who were enrolled on the postgraduate course ‘Child welfare in a minority perspective’. This course is part of a programme launched by the Norwegian government aimed at developing knowledge-based child protection practice. The article discusses the ways in which social workers construct stories about who their clients are and the reasons for their clienthood. Particular attention is given to parenting and the ways in which race, class and gender serve as overt, subtle or muted stories constructed in and through social work theory and practice.