The book examines where, why and to what extent immigrant children are represented in the child welfare system in 11 high-income countries. By comparing policies and practices in child welfare systems (and welfare states), especially in terms of how they conceptualize and deal with immigrant children and their families, we address an immensely important and pressing issue in modern societies.

Contents ; Chapter 1 ; Child Welfare Systems and Migrant Families: An Introduction ; Part I. Family service oriented child welfare systems within social democratic welfare states ; Chapter 2 ; How the Finnish child protection system meets migrant families and children ; Chapter 3 ; How the Norwegian child welfare system approaches migrant children ; Chapter 4 ; Immigrant Children and Families in the Child Welfare System: The Netherlands ; Chapter 5 ; Immigrant Children and Families in the Child Welfare System in Austria ; Part II. Family service oriented child welfare systems within conservative (and Latin) welfare states ; Chapter 6 ; Child Welfare Systems and Immigrant Families: The Case of Spain ; Chapter 7 ; Public services and migrant minors in Italy: A new path for social work ; Part III. Child protection oriented child welfare systems within liberal welfare states ; Chapter 8 ; The United States: Child Protection in the Context of Competing Policy Mandates ; Chapter 9 ; Child Welfare Systems and Immigrant Families: Canada ; Chapter 10 ; Child welfare and migrant families and children: A case study of England ; Chapter 11 ; Child protection of migrants in Australia ; Chapter 12 ; Immigrant Children and Families in Estonian Child Protection System ; Part IV. Concluding remarks ; Chapter13 ; Migrant Children and Child Welfare: A Contested Challenge ; Appendix - Survey method overview ; Index

"The authors of these international perspectives on government policies for child-welfare-involved migrant children and families present an outstanding summary of current practices and problems. Organizing the 11 country chapters into three parts according to welfare state typologies, the editors overlay a convincing frame that global migration has political, economic, and social roots. Each country's narrative introduces readers to the history and scope of the problem of migrant children and offers an overview of its child protection system, including professional training of its workforce. This [is a] clear and comprehensive cross-national comparison of a growing issue of global concern to social work. Recommended." --J. C. Altman, CHOICE Magazine

"The authors of these international perspectives on government policies for child-welfare-involved migrant children and families present an outstanding summary of current practices and problems. Organizing the 11 country chapters into three parts according to welfare state typologies, the editors overlay a convincing frame that global migration has political, economic, and social roots. Each country's narrative introduces readers to the history and scope of the problem of migrant children and offers an overview of its child protection system, including professional training of its workforce. This [is a] clear and comprehensive cross-national comparison of a growing issue of global concern to social work. Recommended." --J. C. Altman, CHOICE Magazine

Selling point: Hardly any academic work on this topic. Selling point: Hardly any comparative research. Selling point: A unique survey material of 900 child welfare workers. Selling point: A controversial and hotbed topic.

Marit Skivenes, PhD, is Professor of Social Sciences in the Department of Administration and Organization Theory at the University of Bergen in Norway. Ravinder Barn, PhD, is Professor of Social Policy, Royal Holloway, at the University of London. Katrin Kriz, PhD, is Associate Professor of Sociology at Emmanuel College. Tarja Pösö, PhD, is Professor of Social Work at the University of Tampere.

Selling point: Hardly any academic work on this topic. Selling point: Hardly any comparative research. Selling point: A unique survey material of 900 child welfare workers. Selling point: A controversial and hotbed topic.