Deborah Rutman

CHILD CARE AS WOMEN'S WORK: Workers' Experiences of Powerfulness and Powerlessness

In this study, family- and center-based child care providers participated in day-long research workshops in which they first identified dimensions of an “ideal” caregiving situation and then, using a critical incident technique, explored the meaning and experience of “power” as caregivers. This article is devoted to examining the ways in which child care workers understand the notion of “powerfulness” and “powerlessness” in their work. Themes emerging from critical incidents are considered in light of feminist and caregiving literatures. The article concludes by drawing implications from the projects findings for policy, advocacy, and conceptual development.

Parenting with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

This paper focuses on issues associated with parenting and living with FASD. It is based on a larger research and video production project that examined the challenges, accomplishments and support needs of adults with FASD in relation to parenting, employment and the legal system. Using theoretical sampling techniques, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with a total of 59 people from 5 diverse communities in British Columbia; of these, 15 were adults with (suspected) FASD. Findings presented in this article relate to parents’ hopes, goals and accomplishments, parenting challenges, experiences with the child welfare system, and perceived barriers to support, including policy-related barriers. Findings also revealed prevailing ignorance about the nature of FASD and the day-to-day support needs of those living with FASD, which potentially have profound implications from both a health and a social justice perspective. For example, parents experienced reluctance to seek assistance for their secondary disabilities related to FASD (e.g., substance use or mental health problems), for fear of that their needs for support would be viewed as evidence of their parenting incapability. Highlighted will be directions for positive policy and practice-related change in working with parents with FASD.

Developing and Using a Common Framework to Evaluate FASD Programs: Results of a Three-Year Canadian Project

This article discusses a three-year Canadian project that created common Evaluation Frameworks for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) support programs and for FASD prevention programs (i.e., programs serving people living with FASD and programs serving pregnant women and mothers). The project’s mixed-methods approach included a comprehensive literature search and consultations across Canada with multi-disciplinary service providers, program funders, researchers, and evaluators. These activities led to development of three visual “maps” depicting evaluation of: a) FASD support programs; b) FASD prevention programs; and c) FASD programming in Aboriginal communities. In addition, the team provided mentoring and evaluation-related support to program staff, funders and/or partners of five community-based FASD-related agencies. Informed by a social determinants of health lens, the maps are comprised of concentric rings showing programs’: theoretical foundations; activities; program outcomes; and wholistic participant, community and systemic outcomes. The article also shares findings regarding the applicability and utility of the Frameworks and of evaluation-related mentoring.