Child Welfare, Racial Equity, and Vision Boards: Democratizing Knowledge with Arts-Based Methods

Background: Child welfare (CW) policy is often disconnected from the lived realities of people impacted and is often aimed at changing attitudes and behaviors of parents/families involved in CW systems rather than improving the system itself (Abrams et al., 2017; Samuels, 2008; Stein, 2006). Moreover, racial disproportionalities and disparities in CW harm Black and Brown communities (Wright et al., 2022). In a statewide effort to create systems change that advanced racial equity, attendees of a symposium engaged in brave conversations about institutional and structural racism in CW through a facilitated art-based vision board activity. The primary research question was: What are the shared visions of the CW community for advancing racial equity in CW systems?

Method: This study represents an arts-based method that focused on content analysis of vision boards. This art-based method was selected as a method for active engagement and a democratizing approach that could acknowledge and honor diverse perspectives (Doucet et al, 2019). During a one-day symposium, 191 attendees from the CW workforce, court/legal system, and mandated reporter organizations (e.g., schools) in a Midwestern state worked in groups and completed a vision board activity called Cover Story Vision (The Groves Consultants International, 2009). Visual representations of desired goals can help promote positive thinking while minimizing thoughts that may hinder goal attainment. Given the prompt: “Generate a vision for a future of a more racially equitable child welfare system,” groups addressed six sections on the poster: Cover, Images, Brainstorming, Headlines, Quotes, and Sidebars. Participants used images and/or phrases to express their vision, illustrate actions, and success stories of their proposed future accomplishments. Pictures of vision posters were imported and coded in Dedoose. Coders conducted peer coding sessions for two posters to gain team consensus, followed by paired coding and debriefing session among the coders.

Results: Thematic analysis (Attride-Stirling, 2001) identified four themes: (1) Strength-based visuals and images included images of families and community members achieving goals (e.g., academic degrees) and families pursing a life full of opportunities and celebrations. (2) Vision boards were family centered, highlighting family wellbeing and support and often including Black and families of color. Excerpt: “Family Wellness Collaborative.” (3) Boards also focused on CW system change. Excerpt: “Mandated Supporters Replace Mandated Reporters.” (4) Increased community supports and resources for Black families, women and children, and images of community empowerment devoid of system interference. Excerpt: “Minimum wage = Living wage.”

Conclusions: The vision board art-based facilitated activity showed that attendees identified possibilities for reimagining and transforming the CW system. Findings suggest that professionals in the CW community have diverse and complex experiences that lead to ideas for a future to advance racial equity in CW. This study makes an important contribution to child welfare research by incorporating art-based methodologies to help professionals discuss and plan ways to improve the CW system. Future research is needed to consider how individuals can translate their visions into actionable steps to advance racial equity in their work.