Child Protection Social Workers and Asylum-Seeking Families in Ireland

Colletta Dalikeni is a Registered African-Irish Social worker and academic, currently based at Dundalk Institute of Technology. She is Board member of the Irish Association of Social Workers, and co-founder of the IASW Anti-Racism Advisory group. Colletta’s local and international social work academic and practice experience encompass various areas that include but are not limited to child protection/welfare, medical social work and intellectual disability. Her research and teaching interests have a bias towards culturally sensitive social work practice with various ethnic minority categories such as immigrants, asylum seeker and refugees. Her particular focus is on how the intersecting discourse of race, racism, culture, come to bear on their human rights in the context of social citizenship entitlements. Colletta’s emancipatory activist research and scholarship is evidenced through her ongoing active involvement in several community social inclusion and diversity projects. Some of her current work is focussed on creating safe spaces and conducive conditions for addressing race-based issues in both social work practice and education through asking difficult questions about Racism. Her other current preoccupations involve leading collaborative Erasmus Plus funded EU projects that are also aimed at challenging Racism and other injustices to promote successful social inclusion and integration at national and EU levels.

Contents: Narratives of Social Exclusion, Social Isolation and Enforced Idleness – Narratives of Cross-Cultural Child-Rearing Practices – Siobhán’s Story of Working with Chipo, an Abandoned Child – Race and Racism Narratives – Narratives of Cross- Cultural Communication – Narratives of Mutual Mistrust: Social Workers and Asylum-Seeking Parents – International Protection Applicants: State and Policy Practice Responses within the Irish Context – The Need for a Paradigm Shift and the IASW Plan for the Future.