Challenging Social Workers’ Envisioned Definitions of Child Neglect: Perspectives of Mothers Living in an Impoverished Neighborhood

This chapter reveals how mothers from an impoverished neighborhood perceive and challenge envisioned views of social workers regarding child risk in general, and child neglect in particular. It is based on data from 20 in depth-interviews with single mothers who live in poverty. The intersectionality theory chosen for this study enables the examination of these intersections and the resulted social locations, which shape their unique perceptions on the subject of children at risk. The findings of this study reflect the mothers’ views on the definition of abuse and neglect vis-à-vis those they perceive the social workers hold. The participating mothers call for a new consideration of the term “neglect” in view of their challenges, and their resilience is mirrored by depicturing their neighborhood environment as protective. The main contribution of this study is giving a voice to mothers on topics missing from the mainstream discussion of risk.