Mykayla Blackman
DARE Project: School Referrals and Reporting to Child Welfare Services
Program(s) of Study: Social Work
Project Supervisor: Daniel Kikulwe
I hope that this research inspires further collaboration between the education and child welfare systems.
Project Description:
The primary objective of this study is to understand how schoolteachers in the province of British Columbia (BC) navigate their responsibilities of mandated reporting while supporting underrepresented students faced with concerns of child abuse and neglect. The study objective will be achieved by asking the following research questions: a) How do educators navigate the tensions of reporting racialized students and those from low socio-economic groups to child welfare agencies when there are concerns of child safety/risk; and b) What ideas, views, and suggestions do teachers have about areas to strengthen child welfare and school collaborations to ensure child safety. I have conducted an extensive literature review that provides insight on the questions listed. An ethics application has also been submitted in order to conduct interviews with educators in BC to gather first hand information of their experiences and perspectives.The Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (DARE) - Undergraduate enables our students to meaningfully engage in research projects supervised by LA&PS faculty members. Find out more about DARE.