ABSTRACT
Statutory and non-statutory child protection workers, providers of services related to child and family welfare, policy makers responsible for child safety, social work students and academic researchers that are empathic to the importance of culture come from all walks of life; they do not just emerge from those who are of ethnic minority backgrounds themselves. Several white, English speaking practitioners and policy makers understand just how crucial it is to give the right amount and right kind of space to this topic, and actively advocate for it, to ensure that all children are safe and equally safe. While this book has the aforementioned groups as its key target audiences, there is a common risk with any such book that is specific in focus and cause – it ends up ‘preaching to the converted’ (though it is not assumed that everyone will agree with all aspects of the book). It is for this reason that the target groups for this book are in fact all child protection workers, service providers in child and family welfare, policy makers responsible for child safety and academics in the field. It is also intended that this book be used by ethnic minority children and families themselves as a reference for the representation of their voices, experiences and needs. The importance of culture in the protection of children is so fundamental that knowledge should be in the hands of all key stakeholders and peak bodies, not just in the few who care.
